“When tomorrow starts without me, don’t think we are far apart.

For every time you think of me, I’m right there in your heart.”

PAULINE (Paola Maria Aloise Elizabeth) Hayston nee Azzopardi

Born May 2, 1933 - Malta

Passed away October 17, 2020 - Calgary, Alberta

Daughter of Maria and Francis Azzopardi, beloved wife of Edward Hayston (predeceased), of St. Lambert Quebec, Pauline was born on the island of Malta on May 2, 1933.  In her younger years, she endured the wrath of the Second World War spending a lot of time in air raid shelters as the island was under siege. Refer to “The Malta Story.”  In December of 1954, she immigrated to Canada by ship via New York City then by train to Montreal, Quebec to join her husband Edward Hayston (also of Malta) who arrived 5 months prior to look for work.  They were married for 66 years and would live together in St. Lambert, Quebec for more than 50 years.

A loving mother and a very hardworking woman, Pauline served her family home-cooked meals despite also having a full-time office position. The smells and aromas of Pastizzi, fresh chicken soup and baked rice, lemon cake, and jam rolls often filled the apartment. Pauline cooked homemade meals on the weekends for the residents at a retirement home in St. Lambert.

Pauline was well known at her Parish of St Francis of Assisi for her delicious cooking and baking. She was also very talented in sewing, pattern making, knitting, crocheting, teddy bear making, quilting and often put these skills to good use by helping others with their projects and gifting quilts, knitted hats, mitts and scarfs, and teddy bears. Pauline was a member of The Teddy Bear Quilters at Maison Desaulniers, St. Lambert that provided bears for the Montreal Children’s Hospital and to South Shore Police Services to keep in patrol cars to help soothe children experiencing trauma.

Pauline continued quilting all her life, providing over 100 sensory lap quilts to other residents of the LTC facility in Stittsville, Ontario where she resided for a period of time, as well as to The Royal Ottawa Hospital, collaborating with her very dear friend and fellow quilter Beata Myhill. Together, they received a commendation for their charitable work.    

Always a loving grandmother, in her later years the grandchildren delighted in playing scrabble, bingo, and word games with their “Nana Banana”

Pauline will be fondly remembered and dearly missed by her three children, Joseph (Barbara), Celia, and Arlene (Richard); her grandchildren Emily (Sébastien), Marika (Tiberius), Eric, Aiden, and Rhiannon; and her great-grandchildren Céleste and Noémie. She is also survived by her beloved cousins in Malta: Josephine, Alfred, and Marie; and sisters-in-law Catherine of Calgary and Betty in England. 

Pauline did not shy away from new adventures and at the age of 86, she moved to Calgary, Alberta to spend some time with her son and daughter-in-law. On the early morning of October 17, 2020, at the age of 87, Pauline passed away peacefully at the South Health Campus with her son present. 

Before passing, Pauline wanted all her family and friends to know she loved them very much!

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation.

A service and celebration of life will be held at a future date in Ottawa at which time Pauline will be reunited with her husband, Edward.