BY HEATHER CAMPBELL
A fatal car accident on Highway 400 claimed the life of Pat Aitken, a well-known member of the Sudbury community, Saturday afternoon.
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AITKEN |
Dr. Bill Stedman, a minister at St Andrews United Church where Aitken had been a long-time member, happened to pass the accident himself and remembered thinking, ?it would be a sad thanksgiving for some family,? not realizing it was a member of his congregation.
?I received the information early Sunday morning before the service and had to make the decision of how to tell the congregation,? he says. ?Ironically Pat had led the service on Sept. 11th for the beginning of our theme, Celebrating Community. This Sunday, we will be closing the theme and holding her memorial.?
Friend and fellow congregation member, Judith Traulsen, has known Aitken for 20 years. They worked together, raised children together, and planned the annual fall fair together.
?She was a very caring person. She did everything with enthusiasm. She was part of our group of women who go camping and hiking in Killarney every year and this year we decided to take a picture, I?m very glad we did,? Traulsen says.
Aitken was also well known for her work in the media and communications field. She worked at CBC in the late 80s and early 90s. Peter Williams, a former colleague and now communications director for FedNor, was shocked to learn the sad news.
?There wasn?t anything she was afraid to try from spearheading a fundraiser, tackling the myths of mental illness to getting on air with me at CBC. She had her finger on the pulse of this town,? Williams says. ?It?s difficult when someone leaves so suddenly when there is so much more they have to contribute. She was a real leader?.
Aitken left the media field in the late 90s and spent a few years working with former mayor Jim Gordon as his policy advisor.
?She truly cared very much about people and making things better for those who suffered more,? Gordon recalls fondly.
Mayor Dave Courtemanche also worked with Aitken on several community initiatives.
?She was a bright, passionate person with an extreme sense of community,? Courtemanche says. ?She brought a genuine sense of passion and interest to the table.?
Aitken?s contribution to various community organizations, through work and volunteerism, was extensive. She was a quiet hero who is going to be missed by many people, most especially her family.
A memorial service to celebrate Aitken?s life will be held at the St Andrews United Church on Sunday, Oct. 16 at 2:30 pm.
