Olive Jean Staples (Dahl; nee Delaney)

Olive, 91 years, passed away peacefully at Brookside Lodge on May 5, 2015. She is lovingly remembered by her sons, Ken (Sandi), Rob (Peggy), Norm (Rose) and Stepsons, Bill (Kathy), Rob (Colleen), Dan (Kathy), 12 Grandchildren and 7 Great Grandchildren as well as many relatives & friends. Pre-deceased by her first husband Julius Kenneth Dahl (1987) and second husband, Jerome Melville Staples (2008).

The family would like to extend a special thank you to the staff in the Garnet wing of Brookside Lodge for the wonderful, loving and caring way they tended to Mom’s every need. We can’t thank them enough. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society in Olive’s name.

My Mom, Olive Jean was born on Sept 18, 1923 to Avard and Anne Delaney. They lived on a 10 acre piece of land at the corner of Bose & Archibald Roads..... today called 64th Avenue & 144th Street.

Across the road was a 5 acre parcel of land owned by her husband to be, Julius Kenneth Dahl, hereafter to be referred to as Kenny Sr. Kenny Sr lived in the Cedar Cottage area of Vancouver, now known as the Trout Lake district. Kenny Sr would travel on the inter urban trolley out to his one room log cabin adjacent to Olive's parents farm. This is how they first met.

Olive and Kenny Sr married in 1948 and bought a double lot on Killarney Street in Vancouver for $120.00, where they started building their new home. Kenny Sr was helped in the building of this home by his brother-in-law, Robert Guerney, from Seattle.

Mom & Dad started their family in 1951 with their first son, Ken Jr, followed by 2 more sons, Robert & then Norman, the baby of the family. Mom was kept busy chasing us 3 young boys around with her trusty wooden spoon in hand. We spent many happy weeks camping in our large tent down at Point Roberts, while Dad would commute back & forth to work.

Mom enjoyed listening to music while she knitted. She was an avid knitter and made lots of baby blankets, many of which, she donated to different programs. Mom loved to travel, having been to Hawaii a couple of times and especially enjoyed all of her 11 cruises. She cruised to Alaska, Hawaii, did a couple of Pacific Coastals as well as a few Pacific Northwest cruises. She also did a Transatlantic from Spain to Galveston Texas, as well as a few others. She enjoyed her trip to Disneyland and even went on some of the rides.

She always liked going out for car rides on a sunny day and then being treated to lunch. She never got tired of going out somewhere. No matter how frail or weak she was, she was always up for a car ride.

Sometime after Kenny Sr passed away, she sold the house in Vancouver, but not before she met her second husband, Jerome Melville Staples. They were married on February 14, 1989. Jerry had built a house near the corner of 142nd Street & 64th Avenue. Olive and Jerry lived there until his passing. Olive stayed in the house, but it was a little isolated from neighbours, so she moved into Arbourside Court, an independent living facility in Newton.

Mom really enjoyed going to the Bethany United Church every Sunday with her friend, Tilly. She always said how much she liked fellowship after the service, having tea and chatting with friends, new and old.

As years passed, she became more and more confused with the layout of the building, now suffering from a bit of short term memory loss. At the request of her children, she temporarily moved into an assisted living facility called Magnolia Gardens, in Langley, until an opening became available at Brookside Lodge in Surrey.

She truly loved the Garnet wing of Brookside, where she received wonderful loving care. She especially enjoyed the bus outings, until her fall on December 30, 2013, when she broke her hip. She came through the surgery with flying colours, but would be confined to a wheelchair due to her frailty.

Mom passed away peacefully on May 5, 2015. In the end Dementia had robbed her of most of her memory, but she still had a gleam in her green eyes when one of her sons or an attentive staff member approached.

She led a full and wonderful life and will be sorely missed by family, friends and the Brookside staff.

Mom has moved onto a place where others have already gone and they are now celebrating her arrival. She was a great Mother, wife, friend and companion.

Goodbye Mom, we love & miss you already.

Ken