Flo was born in 1932 in Crane Valley, SK on the farm to her parents George and Annie Reid. She was the youngest in the Reid clan of fifteen kids, her siblings ranging from twenty months to twenty-four years old at the time (she became an aunt at the age of four!). Flo always said there must not have been anything else for her parents to do after checking the cows.
Throughout her childhood, Flo and her family moved from town to town throughout rural Saskatchewan before settling in the Cold Lake, AB area. Sadly, in addition to her father’s passing in 1942, Flo witnessed six of her seven brothers being called away to serve in World War II, all of whom fortunately and thankfully returned home safely.
In 1950, Flo married Lawrence Hillcox in a double-wedding with her sister May. They had four daughters; Louise, Hilda, Brenda and Wendy and son Butch. Flo always cherished the outdoors, most places she settled she had a large vegetable and flower garden. Even after becoming a single mom, she would often pack up her 5 young kids, and venture on day trips to the French Bay on Cold Lake.
She met husband-to-be LaVoy in Cherry Grove, AB in 1968 then soon moved to Creston BC, where they welcomed daughter Sheri into their combined family of 10 kids. Flo & LaVoy operated the Wheel-In Café with baby Sheri entertaining the truck drivers while they ate. Flo and her family moved back to Grand Centre in 1971, where her cooking career had her employed at military mess halls in the area, including CFB Medley and Primrose Air Weapons Range.
Flo and LaVoy were married in Cold Lake in 1974 and stayed in Grand Centre until 1976 when they moved to a cabin on Marie Lake. The cabin was a perfect spot for Flo and her love of the water. Despite having to haul drinking water from the lake and venture to the outhouse on the hill, this was her favorite home and she fondly recalled their time there; bonfires on the beach, boating on the lake and much time spent with the many life-long friends they had there.
The orange water haul bucket followed Flo, LaVoy and Sheri south to settle in Magrath in 1981. Flo’s favorite colour is red, and rumour has it that LaVoy bought their home in Magrath largely due to its red carpet floors.
Flo’s continued love of the water and having her family close prompted them to purchase a campsite at the CWR Boatclub near Cowley AB, in 2004, a place they enjoyed immensely for many years with their kids, grandkids, other family and the many friends they made there. The orange water bucket came with and still resides there.
After LaVoy’s passing in 2013, Flo adopted Daisy, her four-legged companion. They braved the wind in Pincher Creek for a short time before venturing to sunny Penticton for a few years. She came back home to Alberta in 2015, residing in Calgary where she remained until her passing. In every location her family was always close by. Flo especially enjoyed the bi-annual Reid family reunions which always required a great amount of space to host, at times hitting close to 200 family attending (thanks to sister May, brother-in-law Kenny and the Prodgers clan!).
Flo, Mom, Gramma, Great-Gramma and Auntie is sadly missed and will be remembered by her son Butch Hillcox, daughters Hilda (Jim) Bailey, Wendy (Danny) Pokrupa and Sheri (Derek) Gray; her grandchildren Rhonda (Keith) Becker, Candice Bailey, Jamie (Ryan) Nelson, Trevor Burden, Karey Burden, Tanya (Robin) Brayer, Pauline Knox, Shanna Gray and Kenna (Brett) Lemke; great-grandchildren Nicole, Searra, Courtney, Dakota, Katana, James, Austin, Mason, Corbin, Kassidy, Kaitlynne, Willow, Winter and Isaiah.
Flo was predeceased by her husband LaVoy Bossert, former spouse Lawrence Hillcox, her daughters Louise Burden and Brenda Knox, parents George and Annie Reid, her nine brothers; Tommy, Harvey, Tuck, Howard, Gordon, Warnie, Elgin, Lloyd and Ervin, and her five sisters; Laura, Lena, Mary, May and Bea. The Reid siblings are together again, rest in peace.
A Celebration of Life will be held at the CWR Boat Club in the summer of 2022, pandemic conditions allowing. Announcement and details to follow.
If so desired, memorial donations may be made directly to the Canadian Cancer Society https://cancer.ca/en or the Canadian Kidney Foundation at https://kidney.ca.
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