Thelma Olive Nerland was born on October 17th, 1927, at the Pobbst Nursing home in Gleichen, Alberta, the sixth of eight children of Iver and Pearl Nerland. Thelma grew up on the family farm near Gleichen. With her twin sister, Jewel, and other siblings, she attended a country school until grade 9. For high school, she and her sisters were sent to live in dormitories at the Cluney High school. Thelma was active in sports and the Nerland sisters were sought after dance partners at the local dances. She graduated in 1945 and picked berries working at a cannery that summer and spent 1946 – 1947 looking after her mom who was very sick and bedridden.
Growing up her dream was to become a nurse. Thelma got to start her dream in 1947 to take her nurses training at the Holy Cross hospital in Calgary, Alberta. She always talked about how blessed she felt to have been able to pursue her passion. Thelma was a proud graduate of her nursing degree in the class of 1950. She loved her friends from her training, Louise and Pat. She felt so good contributing to people as a nurse and her gentle kind nature supported every individual patient’s life.
Thelma met the love of her life, Dr John William Cooper (everyone called him Jack), in Chemainus, BC. They both described their first interaction as “love at first sight”, and anyone who knew them would agree. They were married on August 28th, 1957, at 3:30pm at the Chemainus United Church. They had two beautiful children, Carolyn in 1958 and David 1960. She loved her flower garden with hydrangeas, red geraniums, petunias, begonias with her favorite being her roses.
Thelma understood the truth of the power of living life with love, truth and the strength and presence of Gods support in each moment. Her faith was rooted in deep conviction. Her mentor, guiding light and spiritual teach, Dr Emma M Smiley was a grounding influence for her in her life through the challenging times and moments of great joy instilling this understanding of her relationship and connection with God. Thelma loved being a Victoria Truth Center Sunday school teacher.
Thelma loved her four grandchildren, Madelyn, Nolan, Odell, and Forrest, and her two great grandchildren, Gemma, and Hudson.
She had a passion for writing and poetry which is portrayed by her many written poems about love, life, roses and most importantly her golf poem “A Golfers Dream” & “Ode to Golf”. She wrote that the most precious possession we have is our ability to think; to begin each day to think above the line and make the choice to live, life lovingly. Let yesterday go and move forward to a new day. A new day filled with joy and enthusiasm.
She always said every day in every way I get better & better. And she did!
Thelma went to Norway and Scotland in 1979 with her brothers and sisters and Nova Scotia, PEI in 1985 and Norway.
Jack and Thelma lived in a beautiful home on Plymouth Rd in Victoria until their retirement. They built a home and moved to the Arbutus Ridge golf community with a view of the ocean, and she loved to golf every day.
John William Cooper passed on August 23rd, 1995, in Duncan BC.
Thelma moved to Calgary in 2005 and moved into a retirement facility with her sister Dora. They were in rooms side by side on the same floor and supported each other for 11 years. The funniest story was when Dora and Thelma entered in a walking contest at the retirement home in their 80’s. Thelma would get up early and walk hallways to up her game and hopefully beat Dora and she did not tell Dora she was doing it. In the end Thelma beat Dora and won the entire contest. Dora was upset that she beat her. Thelma said it was the first time she ever beat Dora at anything.
Thelma moved to Kelowna on Feb 4, 2016, to be closer to her daughter Carolyn. Thelma spent the last 5 years of her life in a wonderful quite suite on the 4th floor in Sandlewood retirement resorts and had a view of the orchards, farmland, cattle, and creek below. She was active participating in Wii Bowling, the Wii curling team, playing loonie bridge, and going on the tread mill after breakfast every day for 20 minutes at an elevation of 1.5. Her exceptionally competitive nature supported all the activities offered and she helped others up their game. She loved sitting in her rocker and look out her window and read her books about spiritual leaders and listen to her favorite music. She loved Engelbart Humperdinck and Bocelli. She would putt in her room to practice to be ready for the next golf adventure. Her favorite times were when Carolyn would take her to the driving range rain or shine and when they rented a golf cart and golfed 9 holes. She would always tell Carolyn what she was doing wrong and what needed to be corrected to get a good swing.
She also was enthusiastic about watching her sports, yelling at the TV. She loved hockey and baseball and of course golf! She would get loud when the Blue Jays did not play well.
Her brilliant strength of efficiency was her extraordinary efforts she made at managing her finances with explicit detail right up to the last day. She knew where every nickel was always and did not spend anything that she did not absolutely need. Her gracious goal was to leave as much abundance as she could to her grandchildren to give them a leg up in their lives for education or purchasing a home.
Thelma passed in her sleep peacefully on March 27, 2021, with her clarity and connection to God in her mind, body, and spirit.
Her twin sister Jewel passed in her sleep at the age of 87 on February 19, 2015.
She will be missed by her family and friends.
After she passed her good friend from Sandalwood shared – “I will miss seeing Thelma’s smiling face at Wi Bowling games. She was a great bowler and was a pleasure to know her”. Another person shared she was quiet and kind.
Her favorite: 23rd Psalm
The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want
He maketh and taketh me lie down in green pastures; the leadeth me beside the still waters
He restoreth my soul; he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for though art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies:
Thou anointest my head with oil, my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life:
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever.
Thelma was the last surviving sibling from the Nerland lineage. She was predeceased by her husband of 38 years, Jack; parents Iver and Pearl Nerland; brothers Orlan, Lawrence and Norman Nerland; sister Jewel Pierson, Inga Schneider, Ivy Baroldi, Dora Brown, She is survived by her children: Carolyn (Don) Cooper-Mcouatt, David Cooper; 4 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.
Arrangements entrusted with First Memorial Funeral Services, Kelowna, BC 250-762-2299
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.11.3