Lynda Joan Byce

It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Lynda Joan Byce, who died peacefully at the Ottawa General Hospital on January 5, 2025, at the age of 78 following a brief battle with cancer.

Born on March 8, 1946, in Toronto, Lynda was a woman of remarkable intellect, an adventurous spirit, and an unwavering dedication to her family and community.

Lynda’s academic journey led her to the University of Waterloo, where she earned both a Bachelor of Science and a Master’s in Mathematics and Computer Science. She later obtained a Bachelor of Education in Mathematics and Computer Science from Queen’s University. These accomplishments paved the way for her distinguished career as a computer programmer and manager at IBM and Nortel until its dissolution.

Outside of her professional achievements, Lynda dedicated herself to service. She was a First Aid Instructor and Trainer with St. John Ambulance for 22 years, earning the Instructor of the Year Award in 2023. Lynda was also a member of the Canadian Ski Patrol System and the Canadian Ski Marathon Patrol for over 30 years, combining her love for the outdoors with her commitment to safety.

A long-standing member of Scouting, Lynda devoted nearly 40 years to Scouts Canada, especially the 23rd Nepean group. She held leadership roles at the group, area, and council levels, attending numerous Scouting Jamborees across Canada and Europe. Her distinguished service was recognized with the Silver Acorn Award shortly before her passing.

Lynda embraced life with an adventurous spirit. She was an avid geocacher, logging over 16,000 finds and actively contributing to the community through caches and events. She enjoyed whitewater and flatwater canoeing and kayaking, as well as both cross-country and downhill skiing. Her love of downhill skiing began while living overseas in Germany, where she explored the slopes of Austria, France, Italy, Switzerland, and later returned with her family and grandchildren in 2018. She also treasured camping throughout Europe during her time abroad. Many weekends in Europe were spent hiking on Volksmarches through the German countryside.

At home, Lynda expressed her creativity through baking, crafting intricate cakes not only for her children and grandchildren—affectionately known as "grandma cakes"—but also for teachers, geocaching events, scouting celebrations, and other special occasions.

Lynda leaves behind her husband, Bill Reed, her sons Jim Reed (Melanie) and Ken Reed (Aeron), and her cherished grandchildren, Anne, Liam, Dylan, and Jeremy. She is also survived by her nephew, Joe Byce (Ariane), and was a loving aunt to many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her brother, Bruce, and niece, Tiffany.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Cole Funeral Services at 2500 Baseline Road, Ottawa on Saturday January 18th, 2025, from 2-5pm.  Speeches will be around 2:30-3pm  

In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests donations be made to St. John Ambulance, your local Scout group, the Arthritis Society Canada, or a charity of your choice in Lynda’s memory.

Lynda’s legacy of love, adventure, and service will remain in our hearts forever.