Vivien Lorraine Legaree

Vivien Lorraine Legaree (nee Olson) of Atikokan, Ontario died after a brief illness on April 15, 2013 with members of her family at her side. Born in Rainy River, Ontario on April 16, 1937, Vivien was raised in Arbor Vitae (Rainy River District) on her parents’ farm. She spoke often about the war time shortages of her childhood and the one room school house that she attended. As a young adult, she worked in the hunting and fishing camps of Nester Falls before moving to Atikokan and then spending some time in Calgary before marrying Donald Lawrence Legaree on April 24, 1958. She and Don spent the next 17 years in Atikokan while the Iron Ore mines were booming. In 1975, they spent a year in Medicine Hat before returning to Atikokan.

Vivien was an avid reader and was responsible for instilling the love of all things literate in her children. She loved the outdoors, forests, trails, lakes and all things natural in northern Ontario. Her children, grandchildren and great children inherited these traits and remember many occasions when a short walk meant an excursion to the beaver damn or out to a local lake. In recent years, Vivien spent many hours researching her family history, having coffee with her friends and enjoying the exploits of her grandchildren.

She is survived by her husband of 54 years Don, son Ian (Shawna Lampi-Legaree) of Yellowknife, daughters Robin (Brent) Johnson, Lorene (Jeff Lehman) Legaree and Kristi Legaree of Atikokan and son Blaine (Terri-Ann) Legaree of Fort McMurray, brothers Ronald Olson of Dryden, Gordon (Anita) Olson of Bergland, Ralph (Adrienne) Olson of Bergland, sisters Anne (Marvin) Strom of Atikokan and Laurel (John) Cote of Dryden.

She was also the proud grandmother of Beau (Lindsay), Jacob (Carolyn) and Rachel Johnson; Alexander, Stephen (Cindy) and Sean Legaree; Paige (Brad) Gascoigne, Meredith Ivall and Grant Legaree; and Judah, Levi and Elijah Legaree and great grandchildren Eli and Ethan Johnson, Burke Veroba-Legaree, Quinn Johnson and Lincoln Gascoigne.

She is predeceased by her parents Arthur and Thelma (Schram) Olson and sister-in-law Phyllis (Ronald).