Emma Geraldine
Gillingham
1945 - 2026
Emma Geraldine Horton (née Gillingham) October 12, 1945 June 25, 2026
It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Emma Geraldine Horton, who left us on June 25, 2026, in Montreal, Quebec.
Born on October 12, 1945, in Clark's Head, Newfoundland, Geri grew up in rural Newfoundland with a heart full of dreams about exploring the world. She turned those dreams into reality by becoming a flight attendant. In 1969, she moved to Toronto and was hired by Air Canada, beginning a fulfilling 30-year career in the skies. She spent her first 20 years flying out of Toronto and her final 10 years based in Halifax. Geri loved her work deeply and frequently reminisced about her adventures with airline friends and her absolute favorite destination, London, England.
A force to be reckoned with, she was always impeccably put together and would never be seen without her lipstick perfectly applied and her nails flawlessly done, especially when heading to work. At home, she transformed into a gracious host who loved nothing more than cooking and preparing beautiful meals for her friends and family.
Geri's greatest joy, however, was her family, and every chapter of her life was shaped around them. She and Greig raised Amanda in Ontario before settling on a peaceful lake in Halifax, where they created a welcoming home for all Amanda's friends filled with warmth and good food. Later, they embraced a quieter life on Molega Lake, surrounded by woods and water. Yet nothing mattered more to her than being close to her daughter and granddaughters. After her granddaughters were born, Geri and Greig didn't hesitate to leave their lakeside home and follow Amanda to Montreal, eager to be part of their grandchildren's everyday lives. To Emma, family was everything her constant source of pride, purpose, and delight.
She leaves behind her devoted husband, Brian Greig Horton, and her beloved daughter, Amanda Sara Horton, along with Amanda's husband, Luc Vaillancourt. Emma was an incredibly proud grandmother to the apples of her eye, her granddaughters Anne and Maude Vaillancourt. She is also survived by her sister, Daisy Ruth Wagg, and
her brother, Neil Jordan Gillingham, and his wife Eve Gillingham, as well as many loving nieces and nephews.
A memorial service to celebrate Emma's remarkable life will be held in Gander Bay, Newfoundland, on July 13th at 2:00. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that donations be made in Emma's memory to the Grateful Patient Program at Hospital Ste-Anne where the amazing staff took care of her for the past few 2 years.
(https://www.fondshopitalsteanne.ca/main.php?p=45)
