Donna Lea Hargreaves Cameron

Funeral service for the late Donna Lea Hargreaves Cameron, 78, Abercrombie, was held May 16 in Trinity United Church, New Glasgow, with Reverend Jim Webber-Cook officiating. Burial was in Abercrombie Cemetery. Mrs. Hargreaves Cameron died May 11, 2019, in the VG Site, QEII, Halifax. Born February 3, 1941, in Paradise Hill, Saskatchewan, she was a daughter of the late Erling Karl and Nellie Grace (Ridings) Bjorgan. She was the first baby to be born in the newly built Paradise Hill Hospital. Her family moved to St. Walburg, Sask. and Yorkton, Sask., before moving to Leamington, Ontario. She received an undergraduate degree in music from the University of Western Ontario and a masters degree from State University New York at Potsdam. She taught music in the Ottawa school system and, for many years, at Frank H. MacDonald Elementary School, Sutherland’s River, where her choirs, ‘the big blue machine’, won many honours. She taught piano and flute privately at her Ash Lane studios. Her advanced students regularly won the Rose Bowl at the local music festival and went on to compete at provincial and national levels. Some of them continued on to have careers in music. Her yearly ‘Sounds of Joy’ concerts featured some of these professionals and raised money for a variety of local charities. She was the Chairman of the Board of the Tearmann Society for Abused Women. She was a member of Trinity United Church where she frequently filled in as music director. She enjoyed travelling the world and was always seen with her little westie terrier Duffy in tow and driving her convertible sportscar. She is survived by her husband, Donald F. Cameron; two daughters, Heather, New Glasgow; Alexis (R.J.) Hargreaves-Joyce, New Glasgow; three stepsons, Stewart (Barbara) Hargreaves, Antigonish; James (Yana) Hargreaves, Flint, Michigan; Richard (Marion) Hargreaves, Brockville, Ont.; 13 grandchildren, Aaliyah, Meagan, Adam, Tiffany, Dylan, Samantha, Nathan, Molly, Bowen, Makeala, Maia, Shannon, Mitch; great-granddaughter, Maeve; three sisters, Karolyn Bjorgan-MacLean (Ian MacLean), Chatham, Ont.; Deborah Bjorgan (David Etkin), Toronto, Ont.; Terri Bjorgan (Robert Vainola), Ottawa, Ont.; brother, Dale (Patty) Bjorgan, Bobcaygeon, Ont.; god-daughter, Tracey (Bob) Bjorgan Sittek, Barrie; many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her first husband, Professor James H. Hargreaves; daughter, Sarah Jane, in infancy; brother, Wayne Bjorgan; friends, Lois (Glenn) Kolot. Memorial donations may be made to Trinity United Church Organ Fund or Tearmann Society for Abused Women. Online condolences: www.pkmacdonald.ca