Mrs. Gladys Phaik Keow Lucien, beloved widow of Peter and mother to Jason and Jamie passed away peacefully at the Red Deer Regional Hospital on September 16, 2023 at the age of 89 years.

Gladys was born on September 3, 1934 at Penang, Malaysia. She was raised in Penang, and moved to London, England in her twenties where she qualified as an architect.  While overseas she met her husband Peter who was a medical student from Trinidad.  They married in England and returned to Penang, Malaysia where Gladys practiced as an architect, designing several commercial buildings on the island including a popular movie theater.

In 1968, Gladys and Peter immigrated to Canada with their first-born son Jason with not much more than the few dollars in their pockets.  They came to Canada to pursue a new life with greater opportunity for their young family.  Their belief and confidence in their new lives was embodied by their second son, Jamie, born in Edmonton where Gladys continued her work on such projects as the Coronation Pool.

Gladys and her family moved to Red Deer in 1973 where she and Peter laid down roots in the community and raised a family.  Gladys shifted gears in Red Deer and gave up architecture to become a business woman managing Peter’s practice and investing in the community to provide a secure future for her family.

Gladys kept up her creative artistic flair that she expressed in her architecture, by throwing pottery and perfecting her batik, a traditional folk art (http://alberta.emuseum.com/objects/2356/in-my-garden?ctx=a785e726-b8ab-4d7f-ad62-37030bece422&idx=0).

Gladys was uplifted by music and loved to sing and play the piano.  She loved the theater and often attended musicals put on by The Central Alberta Theater.   She loved to garden and grow bright, colourful, sweetly scented flowers that she would share with her friends and family.  She enjoyed the challenge of growing exotic plants particularly orchids that reminded her of Malaysia, carefully nurturing them in her greenhouse for all her friends to enjoy.

Gladys threw dinner parties on the holidays and opened her home to friends and family. Challenging herself with a huge array of new dishes along with the crowd favorites, she always prepared a delicious banquet that was often capped off with a traditional English Trifle.  She looked after her guests like they were family and made sure everyone was welcome.

She was courageous, loving, gave selflessly, and fought fiercely for her family.  Gladys is the archetype of a mother’s love and sacrifice for her family.  She will be lovingly remembered and live on in the hearts of her family and friends.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Mary’s Parish, 6 McMillan Ave, Red Deer, AB T4N 5X8, at 11:00 am on September 29^th, 2023.  Following mass, the family invites you to join them for a light refreshment and a time of fellowship at St. Mary’s.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Red Deer Hospice Society 99 Arnot Ave., Red Deer, AB T4R 3S6.

• Date : 2023-09-16
• Location : Eventide Funeral Home