For those who wish to express their sorrow about the death of Queen Elizabeth II, a book of condolences is available for citizens to sign at Orillia City Centre until Sept. 16.
The book was provided by Simcoe Funeral Home, who will mail it to the Royal Family next week.
Funeral home owner Mary Ellen Patrick said the home previously sent a book of condolences to the Royal Family upon the passing of the Queen’s mother.
“We’ve done it before in the past with Queen Elizabeth’s mother, and we just felt (people should) express their condolences,” Patrick told OrilliaMatters. “We just did it for people that wanted to pay their respects, or have some (way) to express their condolences to the family.”
Patrick is circulating an additional book to the city’s retirement homes, to be combined with the one at city hall.
Lagoon City resident Franklin Perre made the trek to the Orillia City Centre to express his condolences directly to the Royal Family.
The book sent from Orillia will be one of many, he said.
“I think they're going to get a lot of them from everywhere, and I think it's just a good sign. After 70 years of reign, she was a well-loved woman, so I always have respect for that,” Perre said. “Her dignity, her poise, she was always a very likeable person. It’s sad to see her go, but … nobody gets to pick their day.”
Orillia city councillor Pat Hehn said the book is a great way for people to be able to express sympathy for the royal family.
“People need a way to express their feelings, and the book of condolence is one of those ways, because even though we're this far away in Canada, she was our Queen as well,” Hehn said. “People need a way to say, ‘This is how I'm feeling.’ They want to be able to do something concrete.”
Hehn, born to an English mother, said the royal family was an important part of her life growing up, adding she always admired the Queen as a role model.
“She was always gracious under pressure. She took on a role that she never wanted,” Hehn said. “She was a role model, and there aren't many role models for women, but she really was because she was well-informed, and when you hear the various prime ministers speak out now, they'll say that she was always well-informed on every subject.”
Hehn had the privilege of attending two of the Queen’s garden parties in 1967 and 1971, first with a roommate and then with her husband.
“What people don't know is that anybody can apply to go to a garden party,” she said. “If you're lucky enough, you get an invitation, and so I did: I applied twice, and got invitations.”
With many across the world mourning the Queen’s passing, the Orillia branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will be hosting a ceremony and laying a wreath at Orillia Soldiers' Memorial Hospital on Sept. 19 at 1 p.m. Today, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau declared Sept. 19 a federal holiday.
Legion board member Robert McCron said Simcoe North MP Adam Chambers, MPP Jill Dunlop and Mayor Steve Clarke have been invited to speak at the event.
“The Legion feels it's important because it is a monarch who has died (after) 70 years, and in 1961 we were designated by the Queen as the Royal Canadian Legion,” McCron said.
Branch president Rick Purcell, along with other legion officials, will be on hand to give an address alongside a bagpipe performance.
