Feb 5 1923 – Oct 23 2021 Verna passed away peacefully on a glorious autumn afternoon in her orchard home in Southeast Kelowna, surrounded by her children, at the time of her choosing with the comfort of medical assistance.
She is survived by her children Roger (Ali), Sue (Wally), and Linda (David) along with grandchildren Jennifer, Katherine, Kyle, Alex (Celestine), Lisa (Aaron), Sara (Ben), Heather (Julian) and Trevor, also great grandchildren Fiona, Simon, Linnaea, Rosie and Leo. She is also survived by her brother Lawrence “Dutch” (Freda). She was predeceased by her husband, Trevor (1993).
Verna was brought up exploring the natural environment on the outskirts of Tisdale, Saskatchewan and grew up watching the rhythms of nature in the plants and animals of the lagoon on the family property. In the winter she, along with her brother and their friends, loved to skate along the miles of frozen water ways, sometimes holding torches they lit in a bon-fire.
She valued education highly, earning a Bachelor of Home Economics from the University of Manitoba and graduating in the field of Social Work at the University of Toronto in 1945.
Verna made friends everywhere she went. She was especially helpful to kids in the neighbourhood when they needed someone to listen to them, understand and accept them.
In her last years she lived on an orchard in Southeast Kelowna where she loved to watch the plants, the animals, and the passage of seasons.
Verna was also defined by her enduring curiosity, her search for understanding of human nature, and the joyful laugh she shared with everyone about nearly anything.
Verna’s love of nature was instilled by her dad, Earl, and has been passed onto the next three generations including onto her children, her grandchildren and her great grandchildren. One of her last wishes was for us to look for her in the quiet places of the natural world and find her there now that she has returned to the stardust from which she came. She will continue to be an inspiration in the art of living for many generations to come.
Private Family arrangements being made.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.firstmemorialfuneralkelowna.com
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