Obituary of Pauline Scharff (nee Belland)

A ray of sunshine peacefully left us on Thursday, April 22, 2021 after a long battle with cancer. Known by a variety of names and personas, Pauline Scharff (Mommabear, nanny, nan, and Polli - one she coined herself) was a whole lot of woman, wrapped up in a fiesty little package.

She always worked hard, smiling and rarely backed down from a challenge. She was the epitome of feel the fear and do it anyway. A social butterfly if there ever was one, she met and stayed in contact with people she’d met on her travels, usually to the sun. Gawd, she loved the sun. A Canadian April snowbank was no match for her tanning regime. She’d just plop her chair on top and lather herself up with the baby oil. She even ensured she had a tan in her weakest state, sitting outside in the sun in her final weeks of life.

A task master as a parent, she always balanced the need to make her daughters Kelly and Sherry strong and independent, while incorporating a healthy bit of family fun. One of our greatest recent memories with her, daughters and grandkids is her drawing in Pictionary. I don’t think any of us can think about it without the laughs.

She loved hard, but she loved her grandchildren Lauren, Sloane and Nyah the most. She spent hours playing with them, traveling around the world together, getting to know the real them and squeezing the heck out of them with her hugs.

She was often the instigator when it came to skinny dipping dares, scary games or movies, dress up parties or adventurous getaways (just not heights!).

Good or bad, Ms. Polli also boasted an incredible, jaw dropping “lack of verbal filter”. You always knew where you stood with her, and what she thought about your outfit, life choices or ideas...

Anyone who knew her knew that her place in Florida held a special place in her heart. She built her own life down there, and when she had to leave it the last time, a little piece of her died. She mourned it, as well as all of the friends she left behind there.

She is predeceased by her parents, Rolland and Claire Belland, siblings Claude, Yolande, Robby and her first infant son. Survived by Gary, Basil, Shereen, Linda, Brenda, Wayne, Tina and countless nieces, nephews and in-laws from both the Belland and Scharff families.

In the clearer days leading up to her passing, Pauline talked about her life and her afterlife. “I had a good life - I was a good mom and grandma”. She said if there was a place where she could meet up with Gib (her former husband) and her brother and sister in law, Doug and Patricia, she would. “That would be nice,” she said.

We will miss you with every breath, every day Pauline, Mommabear, Nanny, Nan, Polli. You were so many things to us, now it is time for you to rest. We will love you forever.

We welcome friends and family of Pauline to join us in her memory for a Graveside Service on Friday, July 16, 2021 in St. John the Evangelist cemetery, 162 Front Street, Campbell's Bay, Quebec at 1:30 p.m.  A Celebration of Life to follow at Brauwerk Hoffman Brewery, 1298 Route 148, Campbell's Bay, Quebec.