Esther (Brown) Briers

Esther Bethyl Stewart (Brown) Briers

Our hearts are broken as we announce the passing of our mother, Esther (Brown) Briers, at Parkstone Enhanced Living, on January 1st, 2021.
Born in Florence on August 5, 1929, Mom was the daughter of the late Alexander and Jenny (Greenwell) Brown and was a member of Carman United Church.  She graduated from the Victoria General School of Nursing and returned home to start her nursing career in Sydney Mines at Harbourview Hospital, followed by positions at Northside General, and ended her career as an Occupational Health Nurse with Devco at both Prince and Princess Colleries.  Mom was born to be a nurse and cared deeply for all her patients, especially "her boys" at the mine (as she so dearly referred to them).  Mom believed you should be kind to everyone and she practiced that in her work life as well as with her family and friends.
Mom told everyone that she was fortunate enough to meet and marry the love of her life, Harold Briers.  Their love was one that all could see, especially when they would glide across the dance floor in each other’s arms. Together they proudly raised 5 children and deeply loved 9 grandchildren and 8 great grandchildren. Family was everything to Mom. She was the best mom, mother-in-law, sister, and Nanny that anyone could have and left lots of wonderful memories with us all.  
Mom is survived by her children David (Terri); Jeanne (Jody Jessome); Wendy (Jim Clarke), and Bruce (Lisa).  She was dearly loved by her grandchildren Matthew, Nicholas, Kelly, Taryn, Samantha, Alex, Stephanie, Cody, and Ryan and her great-grandchildren Elle, Gia, Royce, Sophia, Theodore, Emmett, Owen and Ian.  She is also survived by her dear sister Shirley (Russell) Gouthro, her sisters-in-law Margaret (Alex) Brown and Jean (John) Snell, brother-in-law John (Alice) Bruff: and many nieces, nephews and cousins.
Mom was predeceased by her husband, Harold in 2007 and her daughter Lynda (Justin) Fowler in November 2020.  She was also predeceased by her brother Alexander Brown (Dartmouth) and her sisters Christina Beetle (Florida) and Sheila McRae (Halifax).
Cremation has taken place and a service to celebrate mom's life will be held at a later date.  In lieu of flowers, donations in Mom's memory may be made to Carman United Church or a charity of one's choice.  Words of comfort may be forwarded to her family at www.jmjobesfuneralhome.com


       My Mothers Garden

My Mother kept a garden, a garden of the heart;
She planted all the good things, that gave our life its start.
She turned us to the sunshine, and encouraged us to dream;
Fostering and nurturing the seeds of self-esteem.
And when the winds and rains came, she protected us enough;
But not too much, she knew we’d need, to stand up strong and tough.
Her constant good example, always taught us right from wrong;
Markers for our pathway to last our whole life long.
We are our Mother’s garden, we are her legacy.
And I hope today she feels the love, reflected back from we.
By Anon