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Hats
off to her manners, grace, smile
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People
expected Queen Mother to live forever
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Nicholas
Keung
STAFF REPORTER
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Her gracious demeanour
and kindly smile reminded people of their grandmothers.
Since Sunday, hundreds of
mourners, including many visitors from around the world, have come
to Lieutenant-Governor James Bartleman's office at Queen's Park to
remember Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.
"She was like everybody's
grandmother. She just had that presence," said Julie Stuchbeoy, a
tourist from London who signed the book of condolences for the Queen
Mother, who died Saturday in the Royal Lodge at Windsor.
"Just like your own grandmother,
you thought she would be there forever."
Stuchbeoy isn't a monarchist
but said she lined up outside Buckingham Palace last year to greet
the Queen Mother on her 101st birthday. "I said to her it was nice
to meet you and have a happy birthday."
The Queen Mum smiled and
thanked her, recalled Stuchbeoy, who was at Queen's Park with friends
Jamil Ullah and Patsy and Steve Johnston.
The Johnstons said the Queen
Mother played a key role in the royal family and helped guide each
of its members through "thick and thin."
"We were having a nice walk
in the city and thought we should pay our respects and sign the book
to express what we have failed to over the years, of recognizing the
Queen Mum" as a matriarch behind the monarchy, said Steve Johnston.
"She will always be remembered for her hats and smile."
Torontonian Malcolm Dawson
has many memories of that smile in his numerous encounters with Her
Majesty in the past five decades, both in England and in Canada.
"I always remember her ladylike
approach, her friendship with the common people and her attitude that
she would talk to any person," said the 64-year-old member of the
Toronto Scottish Regiment, which recently received the added title
of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother's Own, the only military unit
in the world to carry her name.
During an official event,
Dawson, without knowing Her Majesty was standing right behind him,
told a friend that, "Canada loves her; Ontario loves her and Toronto
Scottish love her the most."
"I was talking in such a
bold manner and here Her Honour just had that smile on her face,"
said Dawson.
Manuel Olivera said England
was a significant ally of his native Portugal in wartime and the Queen
Mother was the backbone of the alliances against the Germans then.
"She was a strong but kind
lady. I want her to know that she'd be missed by the Portuguese people
in Canada," said the 49-year-old man, who met with the Queen Mum when
she was on tour to Toronto in 1989.
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