A TORONTO woman, 90, who is grieving the recent deaths of her husband and last surviving sibling, returned from her sister’s funeral on Wednesday to discover she’d been robbed.
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Mary Parkinson said four ornaments with deep sentimental value had been taken from the front garden of her Renwick Street house.
Mrs Parkinson’s sister, Daphne Russo, 88, was buried at Wallsend at midday.
The funeral was particularly distressing for Mrs Parkinson, coming just three weeks after the passing of her husband, Raymond, 92.
Mrs Parkinson had seven brothers and a sister.
“And now I’m the last one in my family,” she said.
“I got home about 4 o’clock but I didn’t notice the ornaments were gone until I went outside to water the plants at 5.30,” she said.
Mrs Parkinson loves her garden.
She spends two to three hours every day tending to an array of plants at the front, side and rear of the house.
“I’m an outside person. I don’t like being inside in front of the TV,” she said.
The four stolen ornaments were among seven that Mrs Parkinson had, one representing each of her seven children – Larry, Paul, Helen, Pauline, Mary Louise, Anne and Peter (deceased).
For Mrs Parkinson, the garden is not only a place of quiet reflection, but a spiritual place, too.
“When I’m out here I can see my brother, and I can see Ray. I get the sense that I’m talking to them. It’s hard to explain,” she said.
And even harder to understand why somebody would steal from her garden.
“It’s heartbreaking that anybody could be so mean,” she said.
“I thought about removing the remaining ornaments, but I really don’t want to pull them out and hide them away.”
Mrs Parkinson hopes that the person who has taken the ornaments can return them, no questions asked.
“I would like my ornaments back. They mean a lot to me,” she said.
Or, if the person would prefer, they could opt to discuss the matter with Mrs Parkinson personally.
“If you feel you want one of the ornaments, come in and talk to me. Tell me your situation, and I will consider it,” was her message to the offender.
“But please don’t steal from me.”
Mrs Parkinson’s garden is well known in Toronto. Neighbours and school children regularly stop to admire her work and discuss the new season’s additions.
“We’ve lived here 40 years, and it’s a very nice area. I feel very safe here,” she said.
“And being in my garden just brings me so much pleasure.”
Her children and grandchildren have rallied around her and are boosting security at the house, she said.