Audrey Patricia (Budgeon) Cheadle

Audrey left this world just after midnight on Feb. 22, dying peacefully in her sleep at Gateway Haven in Wiarton with Norman, the eldest of her five children, at her side. She was 89, two months shy of her 90th birthday.

It was a life well-lived. Born in Sudbury, Ont., the second child of a mining engineer from Kingston and a lovely young receptionist working in the Timmins mining office, Audrey Budgeon grew up in mining towns across northeastern Ontario and Temiscamingue, Quebec, where she learned to drive (at age 11!) on rough-hewn roads, swim, sail and skate on local lakes and immerse herself in the world of books.

Shipped off to Branksome Hall boarding school in Toronto as a precocious teen, Audrey went on to study at Queen’s University, where she swung into the early 1950s mission to repopulate the world with her typical enthusiasm.

She, husband Eric and baby Norman moved to Owen Sound in 1954, and there followed another four children in seven years. Her education abbreviated by force majeure, she spent her pregnancies devouring literary classics from Tolstoy and Dostoevsky to W.H. Auden to Evelyn Waugh. Much later, in her 50s, Audrey would pursue her love of theatre by completing her Bachelor’s degree at Guelph University.

It was a pattern Audrey would repeat throughout her rich life, constantly reinventing and stretching herself. Reader, writer, knitter, actor, director, community volunteer, teacher (at OSCVI and Georgian College), mentor, singer, sailor, art collector, hostess, bon vivant and fashionista – Audrey was many things to many people, not least a rock to her five children and their numerous progeny.

Audrey is survived by son Norman (Julie), D Maria Devereux (Bruce), Susie Craig, and Bruce (Karen), 11 grandkids, 9 great-grandchildren, loving Budgeon nieces Wendy, Robyn and Morag, and nephew Christopher. Predeceased by husband Eric Cheadle, daughter Molly Cheadle and beloved son-in-law Brad Craig.

Lovingly remembered by grandchildren Will, Robin and Ben Harris, Dylan, Brodie and Nicholas Craig, Dr. Wilder Leduc Cheadle, Sam and Arden Cheadle and Rex and Chance Devereux. They all enjoyed the warmth and wonder of her century home on 9th Street East, along with countless other guests over a lifetime of hospitality.

A Celebration of Audrey"s life will be held at 1:00pm on Saturday, April 29, 2023 at St. George's Anglican Church, 1049 4th Ave East, Owen Sound.

Donations to the Owen Sound Roxy Theatre, in lieu of flowers, would be appreciated. https://tickets.roxytheatre.ca/TheatreManager/1/online?donationcampaign=74

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