Mrs. Elizabeth Baxter Rioux of Innisfail, Alberta passed away at the Innisfail Health Care Centre on Saturday, July 13, 2024 at the age of 95 years. Elizabeth was born to parents, Mary and John McLachlan in 1929 in Glasgow, Scotland on February 17, 1929. She was just a little girl in Glasgow when WWII broke out. The Germans were bombing Glasgow, so her parents evacuated her and her brother Ian to live in the Highlands with family in a tiny village called Strome, Wester Ross, Scotland. She went to boarding school at age twelve in Inverness and did not return home to Glasgow until she graduated secondary school. Elizabeth had an affinity for Maths and was a bookkeeper her entire working life. She worked for several law firms in Toronto, London, Ontario, Newmarket and Aurora, Ontario as well and Vancouver throughout her career. She was well known for being very responsible, organized and fiercely independent. She loved to sew and knit and so made the most stunning knitted blankets and clothing for her grandchildren when they were babies. Her children and grandchildren loved her shortbread and looked forward to it every Christmas.
Elizabeth immigrated to Canada from Scotland in the 1950’s. She travelled alone by ship, arranging in Halifax, N.S. From there, she made her way to Toronto, soon found work and built her life in Canada. In 1964, she married and had two children, her son Scott in 1965 and her daughter, Dawn in 1968. Elizabeth lived in many places around Canada, including Toronto, London, Orangeville and Burnaby, British Columbia. In 2017 she moved to Innisfail and ultimately resided at Sunset Manor, Innisfail, Alberta.
The family wishes to thank the staff at Sunset Manor for their care and efforts to keep their mom comfortable. Elizabeth lived her final years in comfort, despite the challenges she encountered with dementia. Well into her nineties, she was known as a feisty woman who enjoyed mental challenges and music. Beautifully, she never once in her life saw herself as old.
Elizabeth will be lovingly remembered by her daughter Dawn (David) and her son, Scott, grandson, Christopher (Ashley) and granddaughter Nicole (Jacob) and great-grandson, Lucas. She was predeceased by her parents, Mary and John, her brother Ian (Ruth) and grandsons Zachary and Baxter Rogers. At Elizabeth’s request, her cremated remains will be returned to Ontario. A Private Family Service will be held in Ontario at a later date. If friends so desire, Memorial Donations may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada at 20 Eglinton Avenue West, Suite 1600, Toronto, Ontario M4R 1K8 Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., 4415 – 49 Street, Innisfail, Alberta. Phone: 403.227.0006

• Date : 2024-07-22
• Location : (Innisfail) Locally Family Owned (Red Deer/Blackfalds/Eckville) www.ParklandFuneralHome.com & (Innisfail/Olds/Didsbury/Sundre) www.HeartlandFuneralServices.com