Rheta Loader

On Friday, March 11, 2021, Rheta Lilian Loader (nee Heal), passed away peacefully at Hanover District Hospital at the age of 94. Beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great- grandmother, sister, aunt and friend, Rheta was preceded in death by her father Alfred Heal, her mother Alvena (nee Burditt), and her sister Jean (Dick Gibb). Rheta is survived by her husband of 70 years, Kenneth Loader, her sister Gladys (Al Cross) and their children Linda and Allen, Jean and Dick’s children Brian and Martin, her son Norman (Anita Lanning), her daughter Barbara (Stephen Farrar), her four grandchildren Christine Marchetti (Bryan Marchetti), Michael Bahrey (Lisa Bahrey), Lisa-Marie Bahrey (Zubeen Gill) and Harrison Farrar (Robert Gemmiti) and her four great-grandchildren, Charlotte, Olivia, William and Sammy. Nana Rheta will be sadly missed by her long-time family friends, Don Sears and his children Brittany and Dylan, and Jane Murdock and her son Tyler. Rheta was born in Penticton, British Columbia on January 21, 1927 and she moved to Ontario in 1947, where she met Ken, the love of her life. Ken and Rheta, “his girl”, as he lovingly called her, married and lived in and around Toronto, eventually planting roots in Etobicoke where they raised Norman and Barbara. Rheta’s love of art is shown in many of her paintings that she created in her early years, lovingly still hung on display in their home and their children’s homes. Rheta also had a love of camping as is shown in many family pictures, including great memories in Innisfil and long road trips across Canada in their camper. Rheta and Ken retired in Hanover, Ontario where Rheta volunteered her time in the Legion Ladies Auxiliary, earning her the Ontario Citizen of the Year Award. Rheta made a lasting impression on the many people that have had the pleasure to know her. A celebration of Rheta’s life will be held at a later date when we can all be together again. Online condolences may be made at www.greybrucecremation.com.

May your path to heaven be met with a glowing and ever lasting peace.