Norma Tanner

Mom never took her independence for granted, often remarking how grateful she was to have been blessed with such reasonably good health into her 90s. She found something to do every day, be it baking blueberry muffins, cooking a roast or stew if company was coming from out of town, vacuuming, dusting or doing the laundry. She insisted on washing her floors on a weekly basis. If one of us was visiting, she would allow us to vacuum and we may have been allowed to scrub the floors in the bathroom.

Mom was born in Kenora on March 5, 1929, a Tuesday. Her family settled in LacLu after emigrating from Sweden. Mom was the only member of the family born in Canada, but was proud of her Swedish roots, and while not a big hockey fan, her interest would often perk up when she discovered the yellow and blue of the Tre Kronor were playing on TV. She enjoyed food that reminded her of her heritage: Swedish pancakes, thin bread, pickled herring and rice pudding come to mind. Growing up, she attended school in LacLu, a short walk from her family’s home.

Mom moved to Kenora in her teens, working at the Kenricia Hotel and then as a waitress at Jackson’s Bakery. She made some lifelong friends during this time. One night, at a dance at the old rowing club on Main Street, she met Keith Tanner. They would eventually marry at the old church in LacLu on Sept. 30, 1950. Gerry was born a year later, and Ross came into the world in 1956.

Mom and Dad enjoyed travelling to many places during their almost 62 years together. Whether it was Missouri, Toronto, or Edmonton, to visit family; flights to Florida and Arizona and bus tours to other southern states, good memories were made. Their trip of a lifetime had to be flying Down Under in 1992 with other relatives for a Tanner family reunion with kin in New Zealand and Australia.

Mom was predeceased by Dad in August 2012. She was also predeceased by her parents Eric, in 1953, and Charlotta Anderson, in 1961; sister Esther Johnson in 1977, brother Gunnar Anderson in 1980, and sisters Betty Cederwall, in 2001, and Hildur Jackson, in 2008.

She is survived by sons Gerry (Janie) of Dryden and Ross of Winnipeg. She will also be dearly missed by grandchildren Brittany (Carleton) Banks of Kelowna, and Erick (Andrea) Tanner of Lake Country, B.C. Mom got to meet great-granddaughters Leota Banks and Florence Tanner when they visited Kenora with their parents. And she recently met, via video call, her new great-grandson Anderson Banks, who was named in her honor.

Mom also leaves behind numerous relatives in Canada and the United States, including her brother-in-law Jack (Kathy) Tanner in Tacoma, Wash. Nephew Len Jackson of Kenora, who grew up with Mom in LacLu, will miss their daily phone chats.

She made many friends in the Kenora area with her friendly demeanour, including residents at Benidickson Court where she lived the past 14 years.

She always commented on how the view of Coney Island from her apartment window reminded her of the view from her childhood home at LacLu.

The family would like to thank the staffs at Lake of the Woods District Hospital and Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre, along with the two crews at Ornge air ambulance service, for the care they provided to Mom.

A celebration of life will be held on Friday, July 5, 2024 at 2:00pm at the Super 8 - Minis Hall, Kenora, Ontario.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Lake of the Woods District Hospital Foundation.