Renate loved the sea. Other than two years in landlocked Alberta, she managed to spend her long life close to water. The Baltic was the first sea she glimpsed, when she was born Renate Jutta Bähre in Danzig (Gdansk) on March 22, 1934. When her family fled the Nazi invasion of Poland, they ended up in Lübeck, Germany, another port city on the Baltic. Her older brother Peter, and younger brother Axel called her Schwestie—a diminutive for sister—and the name stuck with all our German relatives. Their mother said of her only daughter, ‘Schwestie will lernen,’ describing Renate’s adventurous spirit and gift for life-long learning, which would carry her through to her final breath.
After schooling in Lübeck, she focused on perfecting her knowledge of English and French language and literature, working as an au pair in France and Ireland. She received a diploma as an English/French Interpreter/Translator which she utilized throughout her life as an interpreter at conferences and even as a tour guide. In 1956 she took a summer job at the International Camp for girls in Montreux, Switzerland. There she met a 19-year-old Canadian co-counsellor, Warren Williams, who, halfway through the session needed emergency surgery for a stomach ulcer. Renate took over his recovery, his heart; and eventually crossing the Atlantic by freighter and then train to accompany her love. They were married in Banff, Alberta in 1959. For two years they lived in Edmonton where she worked in the Department of Modern Languages at U. of A. and Warren took his M.A. in History. In 1961 they moved to London—back to a harbour city. Renate worked as the Personal and Social Secretary to the Indonesian Ambassador while Warren took a PhD. in International Relations at the London School of Economics. They also spent time living and working in Aberystwyth on the coast of Wales, looking out on St. Georges Channel.
In 1965 they returned to Canada and settled in the coastal city of Vancouver, BC, as Warren joined the History Faculty of the newly-established Simon Fraser University. A highlight of their lives and one she recounted many times, was the fortunate gift of adopting their two children: Bettina was born in July 1966 and Christopher in October 1969. As a family, they enjoyed travels and extended sabbatical stays in London, Munich and Berlin. In 1974 Warren and Renate parted. Renate remained in West Vancouver with her children, returning to work at UBC Department of Economics, then Sport BC, and finally retiring in 1997 from BC Trade & Investment. Her move to Bowen Island became her true home and where she flourished in surrounding herself with many cherished friendships which kept her young-at-heart, engaged, inspired and where she most enjoyed sharing a bottle of wine, a good meal, laughter and lively conversation. Apart from an 8-year sojourn with Bettina in Pemberton, she found profound solace for 27 years in her friendships, the ocean, the tempo, and the flora of this Island in Howe Sound.
Once retired, Renate valued the importance of community which was demonstrated through her leadership in volunteerism. Her community-mindedness led her to be an active Board member of the Bowen Island Friends of the Library and Bowen Island Alliance, Chair of Seniors Keeping Young (SKY) and the President of the Bowen Island Senior Housing Cooperative. In Pemberton, she was a Public Trustee for the Library, founding member of the Friends of the Library; Chair, Pemberton Valley Seniors Society and co-editor of the Senior Newslink. She enjoyed volunteering at her grandchildren’s elementary school in Pemberton, where she worked in the library and would spend time reading with children who needed additional support. She adored and cherished her four grandchildren of whom she was so proud of and gave her such delight in watching them grow.
She was our Elder, the Matriarch of the family, one who always provided sound, knowledgeable and wise advice, which at times as her children we may not always have appreciated, but in the end knew she was right and valued her perspective. Nevin, her eldest grandson summed it up on behalf of all of us in an email he wrote to her while she was in hospital: “Thank you for all the important and maybe at the time seemingly unimportant but ultimately just as important lessons you have taught us over the years.”
In her later life she endured many complications to her health which she accepted with courage, but did not let it dampen her spirit or positive outlook on life. She believed strongly in advocating for her health and struck true to ensuring ‘alles in Ordnung’ with her affairs. Bathing in the salt water, attending to her small garden, connecting with family and her many great friends soothed whatever ailed her. After her bout with cancer she drew inspiration from retreats with the Callanish Society. And she never let setbacks—like not qualifying for health insurance—prevent her trips back to Germany to see relatives she still loved, the last being in 2019.
It’s hard to define class, but Renate had it. She was elegant, scintillating, both intellectual and wise, loyal, generous, not afraid to speak her mind. From the Baltic Sea to the Georgia Strait, from the lakes around Pemberton to the Howe Sound, she honed her strength, first as a refugee, and culminating in her final act of death with dignity.
Predeceased by her father and mother Georg and Anneliese Bähre, brothers Peter and Axel Bähre; Renate, Mum, Nana, Schwestie, Auntie leaves to celebrate her memory: daughter Bettina Williams, of Burnaby, grandsons Liam Falloon of Burnaby, Nevin Falloon of Australia; son Chris Williams (Janine), granddaughter Kiera, grandson Taylor, of Coquitlam; several nieces, nephews, and cousins in Germany, sister-in-law Myrna (Williams) Dey and nieces, of Kamsack, Saskatchewan. Not to forget her devoted Schnauzer, Oscar.
Renate’s family would like to gratefully thank the nurses, doctors and staff of Vancouver General Hospital and VCH MAiD program for their thoughtful, compassionate and supportive care. The family will host a celebration of life at a later date. In lieu of flowers, anyone wishing to make a donation in Renate’s memory, may do so to the Callanish Society at www.callanish.org
“We need, in love, to practice only this: letting each other go. For holding on comes easily, we do not need to learn it.” (Rilke)