Touzeau, Lillian Frances

Lillian Frances Touzeau was born to Ernest and Christine (Vaudin) Touzeau on June 22, 1920. They lived in the independent municipality of South Vancouver near 41st between Victoria Drive and Knight Road. Her parents and oldest brother had arrived in Canada from Guernsey, Channel Islands in 1911. Both her brothers attended UBC and one of Lillian’s dreams was to also study on the Point Grey campus to become a pharmacist.

Touzeau graduated from John Oliver High School in South Vancouver, after which she enrolled as student nurse at the Provincial Mental Hospital, Essondale in 1941. Lillian chose this profession as she had experience with mental health concerns; a neighbour and classmate suffered from depression and when the mother of this girl was unable to deal with her child she would ask Lillian to visit and ease the situation.

To Lillian, living with the other nursing students at the Nurses’ Residence was much like having sisters. The seventeen women in the Class of 1944 remained in close contact over many years. Lillian was an excellent student and was awarded the Deputy Minister’s medal for General Proficiency in 1944. From September 1943 – May 1944 she was president of the Student Nurses’ Association. In her report for the 1944 PMH Annual she wrote: “We have taken our difficulties to the training school and by talking over our problems we hope that the desires and ambitions of the students have been more clearly understood.”

Lillian required a leave of absence to provide hospice care for her mother in 1945. In 1946 she met Andrew Manzer, who had returned from the Second World War overseas and was employed at the Provincial Mental Hospital. They married in 1947 and lived near Campbell River until 1958 where they raised a family of 3 daughters. They moved to New Westminster and Lillian returned to work at the Woodlands School. She retired from there in 1980 at age 60.

Andrew died suddenly in 1989. Lillian remained active in the community as a volunteer for the Arthritis Association and in the kitchen at Century House Association. She practiced Taoist Tai Chi, was an avid reader of all kinds of literature. She died at Queen’s Park Care Centre in New Westminster, BC on the 26th of October in 2008.

Rules for Archival Description (Revised Version – July 2008)
ISAAR (CPF): International Standard Archival Authority Record for Corporate Bodies, Persons and Families (2nd edition - September 2011)

Created 11-03-2021
Updated 29-03-2021

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Biographical sketch written by Lillian Touzeau's daughters.