Violet Delrose Moore

Violet “Delrose” Moore passed away February 2nd, 2010 at the Weyburn Special Care Home at the age of 91 years. Predeceased by her mother and father, Jennie Hazel (nee Allen) and Soloman Moore, she is survived by two sisters-in-law, Lavine Rivard of Weyburn, SK and Peggy Lohse of Estevan, SK and numerous nieces and nephews.She was born March 21, 1918 to Soloman Maitress and Jenny Hazel Moore who immigrated from Eastern Ontario and settled in the Colgate area in 1911. The hardships endured by her parents while trying to build a better life for the family on the prairies, which she often recalled, instilled the love of the farm in Delrose. After an unfortunate accidental poisoning on the farm during these early years, the Moore family returned briefly to Ontario. Delrose’s mother found employment in Detroit, and this is where Delrose attended elementary school. Her father having had his fill of the factories and city life once again, moved his family back to the Colgate area to continue the farm life. Delrosse attended the local school, and then at great sacrifice by her parents she attended Regina Normal School. Delrose went on to continue her education at the University of Saskatoon on a scholarship, which had very limited funds. After obtaining her teaching degree, she taught for awhile but the pay was very little, and sporadic at best. Then the War broke out, with the allure of higher paying jobs back east, Delrose left teaching and returned to the east where she took employment at the Ford Motor Company in Windsor, Ontario where she was employed by both Henry and Edsel Ford. After working for the company for seven years and operating a rooming house on the side, in 1948 she decided to return to Saskatchewan and her parents in Colgate. Delrose and her father had a great love of dogs, not only were these dogs used on the homestead farm for various hunting and survival purposes, but being an only child with much isolation in the early years, many of these working animals were childhood playmates to Delrose. These experiences fostered Delrose’s great interest to be involved within the first established Weyburn Stray Pet Society which later was given the name of the Weyburn Humane Society. Drawing upon the historical importance of preserving the early survival and daily required artifacts by the brave who immigrated and settled within Weyburn and area, Delrose was involved in the establishment of the first Museum in Weyburn. Delrose also helped to establish one of the first board and room facilities in Weyburn, by moving the Cecil Hotel into the city of Weyburn. This was intended for the single working people coming into the city, who didn’t have a place to call home. This operation then gave way to Delrose operating on of the first outpatient mental health boarding houses, until it was destroyed by fire in 1972. Delrose continued to open her own home to those in need until 1997 when structural damage forced its closure. Delrose always believed that everyone had a right to a roof over their head and an education, no matter their situation in life, whatever they required, Delrose would do her best to tudor them or find it for them, and asked little in return for her efforts. Delrose was a gather of things, always believing that at some point in time it would be useful to someone, and often she did find exactly what was needed. She always believed that a fresh coat of paint could make anything look new again. Rarely did one ever find Delrose down in the dumps. Her outlook on life was always positive no matter the situation. Delrose and her positive attributes will be greatly missed by those who did know her best, a loss to those who thought they did, and a greater loss to those who did not. Delrose personally best summed life by using a quote from Bob Ingersal: We are born into this world both naked and bare We go through this world of sorrow and care To a world we know not where But if we’re good fellows here We’ll be good fellows there.A Private Family interment will be held at a later date. For friends so wishing, donations may be made in memory of Delrose to the Weyburn Humane Society. Arrangements entrusted to Fletcher Funeral Chapels Ltd., Weyburn, Sask. (306-842-5432)