Margaret Yvonne Blanchette died peacefully after a brief and unexpected illness on March 16, 2022. Yvonne was the daughter of the late Jack and Eileen Yearwood and was born in Barbados in 1947. Beloved wife to Victor and cherished mother to Anne-Marie, Michael-Lisle, Nicholas (Karen), Andrew (Kelly) and Phillip (Ana Maria). Treasured Granny/Grandma to Sophia, Lauren, Caitlin, Ava, Morgan, and Louis.
Yvonne grew up in Pine Gardens and went to school first at St. Gabriel’s, then at Harrison and Queen’s College, where she graduated before starting a nursing career in London, England. After marrying Victor, Yvonne moved to Baltimore and Ottawa before settling in Oakville, Ontario in the 1980s. Yvonne’s greatest role was as a devoted wife, mother to her four sons, and grandmother to her six grandchildren. Yvonne was the superglue of our family and held us all together; we will do our best to continue her legacy. Yvonne will be remembered fondly by family and friends across the world, from Barbados to England to Australia to Canada. Yvonne loved showing her family her favourite Bajan places and things, from pumpkin fritters, to the beach at Prospect where she taught her boys to swim, to her Granny’s jug jug, to the smell of the air at Bathsheba. We will always cherish family trips to Barbados. We also fondly remember Yvonne’s love of the British royals, Harrods tea, books, puzzles, Yacht Club Bentleys, sudoku, and big Bajan-style Christmas and Thanksgiving turkey dinners and birthday celebrations. She built a home where people gathered, joked, laughed, and found comfort and love. “May you forever be in our hearts.”
In lieu of flowers or gifts, donations may be made to the Ian Anderson House (ianandersonhouse.com). Messages or condolences can be made at: [email protected]. The family would love to hear from all those who have a warm memory or photo of Yvonne they would like to share, especially of her early days in Barbados.
