It is with a heavy heart that Prince of Wales joins the skating community to say goodbye to Agnes Thistle; cherished Skate Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Inaugural Hall of Fame Member and Honourary Lifetime Member. Agnes passed away peacefully on Tuesday, April 9, 2019. Agnes was a lifelong skating champion.
In 2016 Agnes was honoured by Skate Canada when she was awarded her 50-year volunteer pin and named a Skate Canada Honourary Official for her long, meritorious and valuable service. In 2005 she was the Skate Canada Volunteer of Excellence Award recipient for her work in Newfoundland and Labrador and in 1996 was the winner of the Skate Canada Judge/Evaluator of the Year National Award.
A lifelong member of the Prince of Wales Skating Club, Agnes served the club in many capacities over the years. In 2003 the club in honour of Agnes’ many years of dedicated volunteer work donated to Skate Canada Newfoundland and Labrador the Thistle Shield presented at the Star Challenge (formerly Junior Provincials) to the club garnering the most points.
As a long-time member of the Skate Canada Newfoundland and Labrador Board of Directors Agnes held various board positions including Vice-Chairperson (Technical) and Skater Development Chairperson. She was Team Leader for a generation of skaters competing at the Divisional, Challenge and National levels and served as Canada Winter Games Team Manager for the 1991 and 1995 Games.
Agnes judged competitions and evaluated at test days all over Newfoundland and Labrador. Distance nor weather could stop her from getting to the rink. In celebration of her 40 years of skating volunteerism clubs and regions from throughout the province joined together in “Agnes’s Big Gift” – an all-expense-paid trip to the Canadian Championships held in Vancouver, BC where she was thrilled to be seated next to 1972 Olympic Silver Medallist and 1973 World Champion Karen Magnussen. Agnes was especially delighted this past November to personally congratulate Kaetlyn Osmond, 2018 World Champion and Olympic Gold, Silver and Bronze Medallist, who as a young skater was judged by Agnes.
In recognition of Agnes’s lengthy volunteer service and in her 50th season as a Skate Canada Newfoundland and Labrador member, the Agnes Thistle Invitational was added to the provincial competition calendar and includes awarding The Shining Star award donated by the Thistle Family. Agnes thoroughly enjoyed watching every single skater at this event along with helping to select the winner each year.
Agnes’s legacy to skating includes the love of skating she instilled in her daughter Shirley (Skating Coach), daughter-in-law Susan (Synchronized Skating Coordinator & Data Specialist), granddaughter Andrea (Skating Judge) and the countless members of the skating family she met in rinks throughout Newfoundland and Labrador and across Canada.
Our dear, dear Agnes truly embraced the joy of skating. She will be deeply missed.
Skate Canada Newfoundland and Labrador offers its deepest condolences to the Thistle family, relatives and friends.
Funeral details may be found at www.barretts.ca
