Obituary of Gabrielle Rennie

GABRIELLE RENNIE (nee BURY) Peacefully died at her home in Toronto on Tuesday, February 10, 2015, in her 94th year. Gaby was the daughter of Jules and Helen Bury of Antwerp Belgium. Predeceased by her husband Geoffrey St. Quentin - Rennie. Gaby is loved and will be missed by her children Michelle Hirshhorn of Connecticut, Chris Rennie of Toronto and Tanya Rennie of Maine. She was an unusual and entertaining grandmother of Aaron Siegel and Christine Rennie. She is survived by her brother Raoul Bury of Vancouver. Predeceased by her sister Joyce Bury Stacey. She leaves her cat Tricky in the care of her family. Gaby cracked a vertebra in her tail bone just days before she was scheduled to fly to Maine for Christmas. While recovering at a rehab facility, she caught a drug resistant bacterial infection for which there was no hope of recovery. Gaby escaped Belgium in 1940 just ahead of the Nazi invasion. Via Dunkirk, she made her way to England by a boat that was sunk on its return trip to Dunkirk. Soon after arriving in England, she joined the R.A.F stationed at Benson in Oxfordshire. There she became a crash ambulance driver, and was decorated for bravery and Mentioned In Dispatches. While serving, she met her future husband, Geoffrey St. Quentin-Rennie, a Mosquito bomber pilot. After the war Geoffrey embarked on a career as a commercial airline pilot. Together they enjoyed a life filled with adventure, living in several countries on four continents. Gaby was well known as a wonderful hostess. For a time they lived in Adis Ababa, where Geoffrey was the private pilot to H.R.H Haile Selassie, Emperor of Ethiopia. An extraordinary character, Gaby lived and traveled in a world that no longer exists. She fell in love with several countries, embracing their varied cultures, music and food. She spoke French, Dutch and Spanish as well as a little German. She had her own fashion sense, often designing her own clothes. A serious chess player, she entered many chess tournaments while living in her beloved Spain. Gaby, a vegetarian for several decades was a lover of all animals. One way or another, she always found a way to have dogs, cats, birds, or horses in her life. Gaby completed two books and many short stories loosely based on her life experience. A wonderful raconteur, Gaby was the life of any party; she could hold the room and had many younger friends. She greatly enjoyed her single malt scotch and a fine cognac, even having a glass of cognac the night before she died. A celebration of her life will be held in the late spring or early summer. Contributions in her memory may be made to The Jane Goodall Institute of Canada, C/O University of Toronto mail Room, 563 Spadina Crescent, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2J7 or janegoodall.ca. For information call 416-978-3711. Condolences and memories may be forwarded through www.humphreymilesnewbigging.com