Patricia "Pat" Lefler Obituary March 8, 2026 - Brock & Visser Funeral Home

Born as the youngest of three in a sporting family on February 6, 1931 in Toronto, Pat passed away peacefully at Sakura House Woodstock on March 8, 2026.Left with a rich trove of memories of sporting accomplishments, art, books, political discussions and opinions are son Jim and his wife Donna, daughter Susan, grandson Andrew and his wife Bri, grandson Patrick and the delight of her life, great-grandson Evan. She will also be fondly remembered by the Parkes nieces and nephews (all of whom were her favourites). She was our link to the past as she was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Jim Lefler, her parents Ernie and Ethel Parkes, and her brothers George and Bill.The family extends special gratitude to the Oxford Palliative Care Outreach Team with special thanks to Ben, as well as the staff and volunteers of Sakura House, especially nurse Jennifer. We also want to thank Dr. Tam and his staff for their excellent care.A private family celebration will be held in the spring. Cremation has taken place with arrangements entrusted to Brock and Visser Funeral Home.Donations to the Woodstock Art Gallery or Sakura House are deeply appreciated by the family.Shortly after birth, Pat's family moved from Toronto to Kitchener for the next ten years. For six years of that time, the family lived at the old Grand River Golf Club in the summer. Her dad was a noted sportsman as a professional hockey player, Canadian curling champion, and excellent golfer. In 1941 the family moved to Woodstock. In 1946 her dad signed her up to join the Woodstock Badminton Club. Pat took to badminton winning the doubles competition at Western Ontario and then Ontario Junior Girls in 1949. She went on to the University of Western Ontario and was captain of the intercollegiate team as well as being the intramural singles champion. In 1955 she won the Western Ontario Mixed Doubles Badminton championship.In 1963 she left badminton for curling and was a member of the Woodstock Curling Club for 22 years. She loved watching and commenting on curling, but golf was where Pat really thrived.She was a member of the Oxford Golf and Country Club for 71 years. She was the ladies club champion 13 times, winning first in 1969, and for the last time in 1995. She had six "lucky" holes in one. She played many amateur ladies golf championships, winning the Ontario Ladies B flight in 1972, twice winning the London and District Senior Ladies. She was also Chair of the London and District Junior Girls Golf.Pat always loved art and in her 50's began painting watercolours. These paintings became treasured family gifts for many years. She enjoyed supporting the Woodstock Art Gallery and collected paintings from many different Canadian and local artists. She was a lifelong reader of the Globe and Mail and, right up until the end, enjoyed discussing the current events of the day. She was a big supporter of local bookshops, collecting hundreds of books which she would read and then pass on or gift to friends and family, somehow without even cracking the spine. She appreciated theatre at Stratford or Shaw mainly, but also supported local smaller theatres. She and husband Jim enjoyed touring Canada but also enjoyed many years of winter vacations in Bermuda.She was fierce, lively, and a proud Canadian. She loved to quote A.A. Milne and, according to Pooh, she will stay in our hearts forever.