Anthea Mary Convery

Beloved mother, grandmother, and friend, Anthea Mary Convery, age 82, passed away surrounded by her family, in White Rock, BC at the Peace Arch Hospital on Thursday, December 22, 2022.

Anthea was born on March 19, 1940, and was adopted by Ronald and Gwendolyn Snaith of Darlington, England. She is survived by her two brothers Geoffrey (Debra) Snaith and Delwyn (Celia) Snaith who remain in England. Apparently, Anthea was quite the matchmaker for her younger brother, Geoffrey, as he would not have met his wife had it not been for his sister.

She became a Registered Nurse in Darlington where she enjoyed her profession as a theatre sister. She was quite well regarded for her skills and was once requested to head the chief surgeon’s team. 

While working at Darlington Hospital, Anthea met Dr. Anthony Bruce Convery, a young physician 9 years her junior. After six months of meeting, they married in June of 1974. They travelled to Canada shortly thereafter, where they settled in Montrose, BC, a small village in the Kootenay region. There, Dr. Convery ran the Beaver Valley Clinic and Anthea helped her husband recruit other physicians to staff the bustling clinic. While supporting the efforts of her husband, she raised her two children – Clair (1975) and Gareth (1977).

Anthea became connected to the local community in the Rossland-Trail-Fruitvale area and made friendships that she maintained the rest of her life. She embraced the area and took part in the activities it had to offer. She learned to ski both downhill and cross-country, and endured the many hobbies, ideas, and excursions of her husband. Once Clair and Gareth had ventured on from Montrose, and after the tragic loss of her husband in July 1995, Anthea applied for her nursing certification in Canada and began working at Kiro Manor (now known as the Kiro Wellness Centre) in Trail, BC.

In 2001, Anthea decided that she did not wish to endure the Kootenay winters any further or continue to care for the acreage in Montrose, so after finding a lovely condo, she moved to White Rock, BC where she enjoyed milder coastal temperatures and ocean views. Thankfully Anthea already had connections in the area and quickly gained new ones in her community by being involved in the strata in her building, continuing to work in numerous care facilities nearby, and hosting soirees with her friends.

After retiring, Anthea found a new passion in ballroom dancing at the Arthur Murray Dance Studio. She loved practicing her steps with her teachers at the studio and was thrilled to travel and participate in various gatherings and competitions in Vancouver and Las Vegas. Her collection of dresses and dancing shoes are enviable. She also began travelling more by cruise ship with friends and on her own. She often recounted her trips through the Caribbean, the Panama Canal, and up the Mekong River in Southeast Asia, to name a few. 

Anthea loved life and spending time with family and friends. She adored her grandchildren Kenya and Oliver and loved spending as much time with them as she could. She felt honoured to see them grow up into the beautiful people they are. In June 2022, she was thrilled to see Kenya graduate high school. She was happiest when connecting with people – no matter whether stranger or old friend, Anthea was always up for a chat and a laugh. Many will have been on Anthea’s phone call list, and it meant the world to her when you were able to answer and have a chat or a laugh with her. She was a part of the fabric in her local community and many people recognized her and her dogs from their many walks in the neighborhood. As one of her dear friends recently said, she will leave a vacuum in all our lives.

Anthea is survived by her daughter, Clair (Billy) and son, Gareth (Johanna), her grandchildren and numerous friends. A celebration of life service date has yet to be announced. In the meantime, please share your stories and raise a glass of chardonnay in her honour.