Palmer, Noeline (Pixie) Winnifred Smith

Noeline (Pixie) Winnifred (Smith) Palmer 1902 - 1986

Pixie Smith, daughter of George Carington Smith and Winnifred Dawes Smith, had one sister, Marion, below. She was born on Christmas Eve in 1902, and so was named Noeline. She strongly disliked her given name because she linked it to the children’s nursery rhyme “Jack Spratt could eat no fat, his wife could eat no lean”. Thus, due to her diminutive size, she came to be called Pixie.
Pixie grew up in Montreal, attended King’s Hall, Compton, and then married Leonard Charles Dunlop Palmer (1898-1982). She and Leo moved to Ottawa in Rockcliffe Park and raised two children, George (1924-2019) and Linda born in 1930.
Leo’s job with TWA involved taking care of visiting diplomats from around the world. Pixie was well-known in the Ottawa community as a gracious hostess and wonderful conversationalist. Her creative decorations for their annual Christmas party even made the Ottawa Citizen newspaper. Pixie was also a very accomplished seamstress.
Once George was grown, and following his career in theatre, Pixie often helped sew the costumes for The Ottawa Little Theatre Productions.
She and Leo travelled extensively throughout Europe. Pixie devoted her life to her family, supporting her husband in his career and then caring for Leo after he retired and when he suffered from PTSD due to his wartime experiences.
Pixie died in 1986, in Ottawa, and is buried in Beechwood Cemetery.

Eve Wickwire