Iris Horsman

 

Today with heavy hearts we are announcing the passing of our beloved mother Iris Horsman.

  Iris lived her life to the fullest even though she faced true hardships in her life.  She was born in Bradford, England June 16, 1929 to her parents John & Ivy Goulding.

  Iris loved to tell stories of her childhood in England. As a little girl she lived through WWII and she would recount her memories of hearing the sirens and having to retreat to the stone basement in darkness to stay safe during the bombings. Somehow this experience never tainted her zest for life and she had a wonderful ability to make the most out of life. She used to dream of fairies living in her garden and loved to visit her grandparents farm in the country and family vacations to the shore. At the age of 15 she studied to become a hairdresser and continued her career until the age of 67 when she broke her wrist.

  When the war ended her sisters moved to Canada, one of them being a war bride. Grandmother Goulding was determined to keep the family together so Mom was sent alone on a ship to Canada (much to her dismay) to be with her twin sisters Eileen (Horatio Murray) and May (Brian Murray). Her parents joined the family shortly after.

  When Iris first settled in Canada she was a hairdresser in Doaktown where her sister lived but she missed living in a more urban setting so she traveled by train to Moncton to apply for a job at Eatons. She got the job and met a man named William (Bill) Horsman. He was traveling with his work crew and there were no seats left on the train, he winked at her and offered her his seat. She thought he had an awful nerve…and just months after they were married. Their story was a success. They spent 46 years happily married and loved to spend time together taking care of their three children Valerie, Wyatt and Sharon.

  Iris Spent her time hairdressing, gardening, pickling, cooking, fishing salmon and was even a licensed guide for a few years. She was the leader for a girls fellowship group called Explorers, she served on the "Pine Hill Cemetery" committee, she was on the board for home and school and she taught "Geri Fitness" for 35 years in Salisbury. Iris loved her church family at the Salisbury Baptist Church and attended until she no longer could.

  Iris and Bill loved to laugh and have fun and had friends in every weekend to play cards, shuffleboard and darts. The night would always end with a moose burger. They remained married for 46 years until the passing of our father in 2000. Our parents will forever be remembered for their gardens, vegetable and flower, fishing the great Miramichi, their love of their family and a great sense of fun.

  After Bill died Iris loved to travel with many friends and family. She got to return to England twice and loved her British family as well. Iris lived her last two years at Grass Home in Riverview where she received the best possible loving care for her golden years.

  Iris is survived by her daughter Valerie (Ron Tracy), son Wyatt (Tracey Horsman) and daughter Sharon (Eric Goggin); her many grandchildren Angela, Trudy, Richard (Valerie Tracy), Lindsay and Scott (Wyatt), Brodie and Gabby (Sharon); great grandchildren Cyane and Jade (Trudy) and Ben and Iris (Scott) as well as many nieces and nephews. Iris is predeceased by her husband William Horsman, her twin sisters Eileen Murray and May Murray and her brother Kenneth Goulding.

  There will be a private family memorial service which will be livestreamed through the Funeral Home website on Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 2 pm. Interment in Pine Hill Cemetery. Arrangements are in the care of Salisbury Funeral Home & Crematorium (372-4800).

  Donations can be made to Pine Hill Cemetery, CNIB or a charity of choice in lieu of flowers.

www.keirsteads.ca

 

Please click here to view our Facebook page, where the Service will be livestreamed on Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 2 pm.