Anne Parker

Three days shy of their 71st wedding anniversary, our dear Mom Anne, left us to join her beloved husband, Brian (January 2025), and her son Michael (October 1978). Anne passed away peacefully at Riverview Health Centre on Monday, July 13. She is lovingly remembered by daughters Linda (Robert), Laurel (Todd), grandsons Shane and Quinn, and many nieces, nephews and family friends. She was also predeceased by her parents Roy & Barbara Stevenson, sister and brother-in law, Janet and Gary Bartleman, in-laws Lorne and Gwen Parker, niece Sharon Parker.

Anne was raised in Morris MB, attended Normal School in Winnipeg and began her teaching career in Domain in the early 1950’s. Her father Roy asked Brian Parker to spare on his curling team, a golden opportunity to introduce him to his daughter, Anne. This meeting was no coincidence! Anne and Brian were married in 1955 and settled on the original Parker family farm in Sanford. Mom and Dad were partners from the start with Anne continuing her teaching at Sanford Elementary School during those early years, contributing key income while they were getting their farm up and running. Linda was born in 1958, Michael in 1960, and Laurel in 1965.

As a new mother and farmer’s wife, Anne quickly became a jack-of-all-trades. She was a gardener, chauffeur, piano and homework tutor, office manager for Prairie Pride Enterprises, Sunday School teacher, seamstress, gardener and chef. Mom likely delivered as many 3 course meals to the field as were ever consumed at the table. Above all the bustle, there was always time for a board game or a bedtime story. On the farm we worked together and played together, making fun times out of berry picking, bike riding, canoeing and skating on the river.

In 1976, Mom returned to school, this time as a student. She took evening classes at the U of M and graduated with her Bachelor Arts in 1978. She valued education over almost all else that she could give us, encouraging us to pursue the careers and opportunities of our dreams. With her love of learning, Mom was an avid reader, Cribbage and Bridge player and fitness enthusiast. During our school years she would jog 2 miles before breakfast, always timing herself. This wasn’t common practice in those days and folks would invariably stop her on the meridian and ask if she needed a ride, much to her amusement. Jogging was later replaced by daily one-hour walks, rain or shine. Linda & Laurel would tag along when at the cottage and can vouch that Mom was a speedster. If a daughter stopped to tie a shoelace, there was no waiting. She was out of sight! Into her 80’s, you could still find her each morning at the cottage working through her fitness regime of stretches and weights.

Mom loved to live by the water. The Sanford home was on the La Salle River, Vancouver residence (1988 – 2008) with ocean view, and Sioux Narrows cottage on Snake Bay, LOW Ontario. She also loved reading, birds, sunsets, full moons, flowers, their many family dogs, wine, and laughter.

When tragedy struck in 1978 with the passing of son Michael, Brian and Anne found the strength to create new joy with each other, daughters, son-in-laws and grandchildren whenever and wherever it could be found. They embraced city life from 1980-1988 with a home in Westwood. As a “city girl”, Mom took up a new career in Real Estate – this helped feed her clothes fetish and she became an Escada frequent flyer, to her daughters’ delight. Both Laurel and Linda ‘borrowed’ her clothes which often spurred her favorite comment, “I own nothing but my Name!”

In 1984, Mom and Dad purchased the cottage at Sioux Narrows which became their “Happy Place” for the next 40 years. They had many dear friends at the lake and enjoyed fishing, gardening, road trips to surrounding areas, and everything the close community of Sioux Narrows had to offer. Mom and Dad were active participants in the Seniors Centre, attending potluck dinners, the annual Sioux Narrows Art Festival and hosting a stop at the July Poker Derby. Many cottage renos took place over the years including a garage, a sunroom bump-out and a guest Bunkie. When the drone of the power tools became too intense, Mom would head back to Winnipeg to hide out until the project was completed. Mom hated noise! Her favorite channel on the TV was O-F-F. Mom and Dad were happiest when family, friends and relatives came to visit the cottage, filling the guest rooms and dining table with stories and laughter. In early years this included the annual “Parker White Moose Golf Classic”. When Mom and Dad moved from Vancouver back to Winnipeg in 2008, they resided at the cottage from late April until freeze up.

Mom and Dad took every opportunity to travel, both with Dad’s work and with friends and family. In earlier years Mom would often accompany Dad on business trips to various locations. They loved organizing annual family/friends camping trips to Clear Lake and Detroit Lakes. In later years, friends and family trips expanded to Barbados, St Lucia, Aruba, Costa Rica, Austria Swarovski tours, Panama & Caribbean cruises, and hosting friends and family alike in Vancouver. Their time in West Vancouver opened a new 20 year window of travel where they joined HomeLink for home exchanges worldwide – London, France, Greece, Italy, Florida, Spain, and Arizona to name a few.

Mom survived unimaginable loss but taught her daughters how to rise above the tough times. She was strong, loving, resilient, nurturing, funny, always kind, open-minded, loyal, generous, hardworking, and incredibly smart. One of Mom's greatest gifts was her unwavering commitment to family. She believed relationships were too precious to let resentment or misunderstandings stand in the way. Her greatest wish was that we would always have one another, no matter what life brought our way. She created a mother-daughter relationship that was equal parent and friend and raised her children to be lifelong friends.

Laughter appeared more than once in Mom’s story. She would find joy in life’s simplest moments. She was an extraordinary mother, wife, mother-in-law and Gramma.

The last few years were tough ones as dementia stole precious time from us, but there were fleeting moments when she was still there with us, and we are grateful for those. If desired, donations may be made to Alzheimer Society of Canada or Riverview Health Centre Foundation.

At Mom’s request, a private family interment and celebration of life will be held in September.