jessie_may_shaw_ni
1940
Jessie May (Shaw) Nickson (BCom), passed away June 5 in Ottawa after a defiant battle with ALS. May was elected to Ottawa City Council in 1954, the first woman alderman. She resigned after two terms to accompany her husband and children to Australia, then worked at Statistics Canada after the family’s return to Ottawa. Following her retirement, she and her husband Rex traveled extensively, often as volunteers with the Canadian International Development Agency. She also remained active with the Ottawa Council of Women and National Council of Women of Canada. May enjoyed spending time with her family, playing cards, debating politics, and was never one to miss ‘happy hour’ on the verandah.