The Guelph of today might not look the same if not for the contributions of Anne Godfrey, says Mayor Cam Guthrie. The longtime Guelphite who was instrumental in many local initiatives died recently at the age of 97.
At the conclusion of Monday’s meeting of city council, Guthrie took a few minutes to remember the life of Godfrey, who served as a city councillor from 1975 to 1985, among a long list of life accomplishments.
In 1996, Godfrey was honoured by YM/YWCA as the first recipient of the ‘Community Life’ Women of Distinction Award.
She was the first woman to chair the city’s Financial Committee, was on the team that founded the United Way and chaired the committee that established the River Run Centre.
In addition, Godfrey served on many local boards, including the Children’s Aid Society, the Multiple Sclerosis Society, Big Sisters, the Guelph Arts Council, Women In Crisis, the Canadian Mental Health Association, Homewood Health Centre, and the Canadian Federation of University Women..
At Monday’s meeting, Guthrie read out a portion of Godfrey’s obituary, including the line: Her accomplishments and committees were too numerous to mention all of them, but let it be known that she was a formidable woman.
“I knew that quite well when I gathered with her before giving her the Mayor’s Award,” said Guthrie. “I knew I didn’t want to mess with her. She knew how to get things done.”
During that 2018 Mayor’s Award presentation, Guthrie was quoted as saying: “Guelph is the city we know today, largely because of Anne Godfrey”.
“As a council and as a full community we send our thoughts, our prayers and all of our best wishes to the friends and family of Anne,” said Guthrie. “And on behalf of our city I want to say thank you, Anne. Thank you for everything you have done for our city. You certainly have left an amazing legacy for us all to look up to.”
Godfrey died on July 11, one week before her 98th birthday. She is predeceased by her husband Gerry in 1975 and her daughter Lorian McCleary in 1971.
