Mrs. Roxanne Priede of Grand Forks, British Columbia, was the 2012 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 2012, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On May 30, 2007, her eldest child, Master Corporal Darrell Jason Priede, was killed in a helicopter crash while serving with the Land Force Atlantic Area Headquarters.

Mrs. Priede, née Chartrand, attended Briarwood Vocational High School. While there, she met John Priede and the two were married on October 16, 1976. In 1979, the Priedes moved to Greenwood, British Columbia, where she chose a career as a stay-at-home mom for almost 15 years to raise their three children–Darrell, Denise and David–before accepting employment as a custodial contractor.

Mrs. and Mr. Priede enjoy outdoor activities, including going for long walks and camping. They also cherish spending time with their three grandchildren and other family members.

Mrs. Niki Psiharis, of Laval, was the 2013 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother and the sixth mother from Québec to be named by the Royal Canadian Legion. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 2013, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On June 20, 2007, her youngest son, Sergeant Chris Karigiannis, was killed when an improvised explosive device struck his vehicle approximately 40 kilometers west of Kandahar City, Afghanistan—less than two months before his scheduled return home.

Despite her terrible loss, Mrs. Psiharis has maintained a positive outlook and has been an exemplary citizen, committed to engaging youth in remembrance. Since 2009, Mrs. Psiharis has accompanied students, from her son’s former high school to the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa and is the driving force behind having these same students completing more than 100,000 volunteer hours in the community.

Mrs. Psiharis was born in a village of less than 200 people outside of Kalamata, Greece, and married Anastasios Karigiannis when she was 18. They immigrated to Montréal, Québec, in 1968 and had three sons–Peter, Spiro and Chris. In 1990, she was widowed when her husband succumbed to cancer, leaving her to raise three teenaged sons on her own.

Mrs. Psiharis worked in the textile and building maintenance industries, retiring in 2001.

Mrs. Gisèle Michaud, of Edmundston, New Brunswick, was the 2014 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother and the fifth mother from New Brunswick to be named by the Royal Canadian Legion. During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 2014, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

On June 23, 2009, her youngest son, Master Corporal Charles-Philippe Michaud, was mortally wounded after stepping on an improvised explosive device while on patrol in the Panjwayi District, southwest of Kandahar City, Afghanistan. He was transported to a Québec City hospital on June 28, 2009 and passed away on July 4 of that same year. Master Corporal Charles-Philippe has an older brother, Denis.

Mrs. Michaud was born and raised in Edmundston, New Brunswick. In 1971, she married Conrad Michaud. She worked in retail, but is now retired.

She has undertaken a number of activities to honour her son’s memory. She has hosted large delegations of soldiers from Master Corporal Michaud’s battalion in Edmundston on each anniversary of her son’s passing and on Remembrance Day. Mrs. Michaud, accompanied by her husband and her eldest son, travelled to Kandahar in November 2010.

Mrs. Sheila Anderson lives in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. She is the first National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother from the Northwest Territories since the Legion began this tradition more than sixty years ago.

During the national Remembrance Day ceremony in Ottawa on November 11, 2015, she laid a wreath at the base of the National War Memorial on behalf of all mothers who have lost a child in military service to Canada.

She lost her eldest son, Corporal Jordan Anderson, when a roadside bomb killed six Canadian soldiers in Afghanistan, as well as an Afghan interpreter, in the Panjwaii district southwest of Kandahar City on July 4,2007.

Mrs. Anderson (née Cossar) was born and raised in Toronto, Ontario. She eventually moved to Ottawa where she worked in a treatment centre for emotionally disturbed adolescents (Ottawa Carleton Regional Residential Treatment Centre) before she got married in 1977 to a High School teacher named James Anderson. They moved to the Northwest Territories where they have spent the past 38 years. She currently works as the Manager, Territorial Courts with the Department of Justice, Government of the Northwest Territories. Her son, Corporal Anderson, was the oldest of four brothers, Benjamin, Mathew, and Samuel.

She took a three-and-a-half year hiatus from her career in the government to pursue a Bachelor of Arts in Public Administration (UNBC) and graduated in May 2015. This past year, she also combined her love of cycling to helping raise funds through the Boomer’s Legacy Ride from Comox to Victoria. Funds raised through this program are used to help Veterans with PTSD.

Mrs. Anderson has always actively participated in Legion Remembrance Day ceremonies in Inuvik, Saskatoon, and Prince George. She has also laid wreaths for the fallen/unknown soldiers in Yellowknife. Her husband is also an ordinary member of Canada’s northern most Royal Canadian Legion in Inuvik.

Mrs. Colleen Fitzpatrick was born in New Westminster, British Columbia and raised in Vanderhoof. She lives in Prince George, with her sons, grandchildren and her husband Jim of 32 years.

As the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother, Mrs. Fitzpatrick laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on 11 November 2016 on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a son or a daughter in the military either in action or in the course of his/her normal duty. 

She lost her middle son, Corporal Darren Fitzpatrick, when he stepped on an improvised explosive device while on patrol in the Zahari district, near Kandahar City on March 6, 2010.

Mrs. Fitzpatrick and Jim raised three sons Michael, Darren and Sean respectively. She has worked in Human Resources for 15 years and is currently the Director of Human Resources for AiMHi – Association for Community Living, an organization that provides advocacy, support and services to people who have special needs.

Her son Darren received significant blood transfusions upon arrival at Kandahar hospital. The incredible medical attention and blood donations received allowed him two additional weeks with his family before his passing. She has become an advocate for blood donation working closely with Canadian Blood Services to develop a promotional video and blood donation campaign called “Remember the Power of Giving” for which she received a national award.

Diana Abel was born in Ottawa and later became an avid volunteer and entrepreneur in Western Canada. Having lived in several British Columbia towns and cities, she now resides in Brampton, Ontario.

As the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother, Mrs. Abel laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on 11 November 2017 on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a son or a daughter in the military either in action or in the course of his/her normal duty. 

She lost her only son, Corporal Michael David Abel, on May 3, 1993, while serving in Belet Huen, Somalia, as part of Operation Deliverance.

Her husband David C. Abel passed away in 2005 after they had raised their two children. David spent 12 years in the Royal Canadian Air Force. With her father, husband and son all having spent time in the Armed Forces, and her two grandsons who are current and past members of cadet squadrons, Mrs. Abel’s family has a significant history of military service.

She is a current volunteer and board member of a local non-profit organization called the Perpetual Bazaar, a consignment store selling items made by area seniors. In previous years, Diana worked with the local Catholic Church in Comox, British Columbia and served on the Catholic Women’s League. She also ran dressmaking and craft businesses and oversaw large craft shows in Sidney, British Columbia.

Diana moved to Brampton to be closer to her daughter Laura and three grandchildren with whom she spends a lot of time visiting and traveling.

Anita Cenerini spent much of her early life in Ontario’s northern and southern regions. She currently lives in Winnipeg with her husband Grant and their  son Jacob.

As the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother, Mrs. Cenerini laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on 11 November 2018 on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a son or a daughter in the military either in action or in the course of his/her normal duty.

She lost her son, Private Thomas Welch, on May 8, 2004, less than three months after returning from Afghanistan, Thomas died by suicide in Petawawa. 

Anita raised her late son Thomas and daughter Michelle with her first husband Daniel Welch. She was active in the Catholic Church, volunteering in the Children’s ministry and serving as the President of the Catholic Women’s Society. She also sat on the church board. 

In London, she pursued studies at the University of Western Ontario and Georgian Bay College’s Entrepreneurial program, worked at the University of Western Ontario and volunteered as a support person with the AIDS Committee of London. In Owen Sound, she volunteered as a victim support person with Victim’s Assistance. 

Returning to London, Anita’s family grew with her new husband, Grant Palmer, and his two older sons Michael and Thomas Palmer. Their youngest son Jacob was born and Anita spent the next few years caring for her growing family. Her son Jacob recently enrolled in the Canadian Armed Forces Primary Reserves with The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada, under 3rd Canadian Division, 38 Canadian Brigade Group at Minto Armouries, in Winnipeg. 

Anita ran in the 2017 Army Run in Ottawa in memory of her son Thomas Welch, and in support of those who serve in the military.

Reine Dawe’s early life began in the small town of St-Prosper, just south of Quebec City. She later graduated from Laval University’s physiotherapy program and entered a profession she enjoyed immensely until her retirement in 2013.

As the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother, Mrs. Dawe laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on 11 November 2019 on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a son or a daughter in the military either in action or in the course of his/her normal duty. 

She lost her son, Captain Matthew Jonathan Dawe, on July 4, 2007, while he served in Afghanistan.

It was during her physiotherapy studies that she first met her husband Peter Dawe, now a retired Lieutenant-Colonel who served close to 35 years in the Army. Reine became part of her husband’s wider military family. She also pursued professional continuing education and worked in a series of medical facilities often in military hospitals and clinics.

She and her husband raised four active boys. The Dawe boys were involved in everything from sports to music, and all four went on to follow their father’s example by joining the military. Philip, James and Matthew graduated from The Royal Military College. The eldest, Peter, did not attend the College but later obtained two Master’s degrees from the same institution. Peter is now a Major-General and Commander of the Canadian Special Operations Forces. Philip is a trauma surgeon at the Vancouver General Hospital and a Major in charge of the Canadian Forces Trauma Centre in that city. James retired as a Captain in the PPCLI after serving five years, including a tour in Bosnia. He now lives in Kingston, Ontario, and is Vice President North Atlantic of an American workplace supply company. Matthew, the youngest, was posted to 3PPCLI and served in Afghanistan where he died performing his duties as a platoon Commander.

As a volunteer with organizations such as Canadians for Women in Afghanistan and The Kingston Symphony Association, Reine focuses her time on issues that personally resonate with her.

Debbie Sullivan grew up in the countryside near Saint John, New Brunswick. She had two energetic children and rewarding work as a crisis counsellor, a truck driver and service in the Canadian Army Reserve. 

As the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother, Mrs. Sullivan laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on 11 November 2020 on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a son or a daughter in the military either in action or in the course of his/her normal duty. Throughout the year she will also be called upon to perform other duties honouring the Fallen from all conflicts.

She lost her son, Lieutenant Chris Saunders, on October 6, 2004, while he served with the Navy.

As a young girl, Debbie was a member of the Westfield United Church and choir, Canadian Girls in Training (CGIT) and Sea Cadets. She graduated from Rothesay Regional High School and pursued legal secretarial studies at Compu College in Saint John. Her son Christopher, was born in 1972 and her daughter Melissa a few years later.

When her children were young, Debbie volunteered helping seniors run businesses, pay bills, and network to get the help they needed. Later as a crisis line counsellor and member of a multi-disciplinary task force on crisis intervention, she volunteered with the Rothesay Regional and Saint John Police Departments. Debbie served in the Army Reserves from 1990-1994 working on administration, logistics, and recruiting.

While in Halifax to receive the Silver Cross, Debbie met with her son’s former mates and peers who performed a special ceremony to make her an honourary submariner – a true thrill for her. “My husband and I know that with young men and women like them, we are in good shape for the future”.

Josée Simard grew up in Les Mechins, Quebec. Over the years, she has worked extensively in public-facing roles for a variety of organizations such as the Regroupement des Femmes de la région de Matane, helping families in need. 

As the National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother, Mrs. Simard laid a wreath at the National War Memorial on 11 November 2021 on behalf of all Canadian mothers who have lost a son or a daughter in the military either in action or in the course of his/her normal duty. Throughout the year she will also be called upon to perform other duties honouring the Fallen from all conflicts. 

She lost her daughter, Corporal Karine Blais, on 13 April 2009, when the armoured vehicle she was traveling in struck a roadside bomb near Kandahar, Afghanistan.