Thelma May Lade

With sadness we announce the passing of our family’s finest jewel, Thelma Lade. Thelma moved on to glory peacefully and comfortably in her sleep on Saturday, April 3, in the place she knew as home for the past several years, The Residence at Morgan Heights in Surrey. Her life was distinctly defined by “music and family”, and she has left a remarkable legacy in both.

Found in the words of a song she played so well, “Make me a blessing to someone today”, it was the theme that ran through her life. A beautiful, selfless, devoted, hard-working and talented mother of 5, grandmother of 17, great grandmother of 28, and a fast friend to countless over the years, she never failed to offer her smile and bring a chuckle with her quick wit and subtle, uncontainable sense of humour!

She will be remembered by most for her outstanding skills on the piano, blessing literally thousands of people through the years with her playing, both professionally and most significantly and generously in volunteer service to the church.

An only child born in Vancouver, she was raised by a kind and doting father and a serious mother who spotted her gift early on and was keen to watch her succeed. Self-taught starting at the age of 4, she claimed it as a gift from God which she was grateful to possess and committed to sharing. She shared it extremely well, serving first at a young age as a piano accompanist and soloist for her school and church, and continuing throughout life mainly in service to the church, which included playing for the choir and for countless weddings and funerals throughout the years. An added accomplishment during her time at the Evangelistic Tabernacle in Vancouver (formerly St. Giles) was teaching herself to play the enormous pipe organ, with a complex console of layers of keyboards, dozens of stops and an additional pedal keyboard that would intimidate any pianist and require formal training to operate. As with the piano, she was drawn to it and decided she would figure out how to play it! She certainly did that, and no one was more thrilled and proud of her than her family was whenever she would crank it up!

As a newlywed to Paul in 1949, life took her to Trail B.C. for a number of years which were spent roughing it out in the ministry together, and growing a family on little means. Paul preaching and Thelma playing the piano, eventually with their 5 little kids lined up in the front pew where they could keep an eye on them. She took great pride in the family’s appearance so in addition to herself, her children were always dressed up and the girls’ hair curled as if every Sunday was Easter.

The next move was to Vancouver where they rented a house for a year and chose a lot to build on in upper Delbrook overlooking the city and harbour in newly developing North Vancouver. Then with the move, adding to the household by taking in Thelma’s wheelchair bound mother to care for in a basement suite. The North Van home became their lifelong prized possession and Thelma loved her kitchen with a view! She worked hard to keep the household humming for all and contributing to make ends meet. Woodward’s helped with that, with Thelma rarely missing “$1.49 day Tuesday!”, and it’s likely the clerks knew her by name after her loyalty so heavily demonstrated through the years! She would tell you, and it appeared clear to us that she enjoyed baking, cooking, sewing and creating on a budget. Unlike being overloaded with it all, she was challenged by it, and took on her responsibilities matter-of-factly, driven by love, pride, and gratitude.

While holding a job as pianist for two funeral homes in Vancouver she ran around in her Volkswagen between North Van and Vancouver, which required her at times to navigate back and forth across the city under strict schedules to get from one engagement to the next to cover several in a day. This while taking on 3 or 4 church services a week plus any practices involved. As if it weren’t enough she agreed when the music teacher at her children’s elementary school asked if she would be the accompanist for the school choir, also involving many practices and more venturing around the city! Through the years a steady stream of individuals and organizers came to her on a regular basis to seek her piano playing for accompaniment or for entertainment at their special events, usually for little or no compensation. She always said yes unless already committed, and she managed it all with a smile and no complaints. She had her husband Paul’s support throughout her life until he passed in 2019, and she would say she couldn’t have done it without him. She treated him with love and respect always. They were a team and both approached their tasks with vigor, independently but in harmony.

Following Paul’s stroke in 2016, due to a failing memory and hearing loss, Thelma’s care required her to move to spend her final years at The Residence at Morgan Heights where she continued to entertain and bless people with her piano playing and sense of humour. She never stopped dressing for the day, hair done, wearing full make-up, fine clothes, jewelry laden, and carrying her favourite purse! She cherished the regular visits from her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends, and never missed a beat with her wise cracks which the children enjoyed as much as the adults. The family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to the staff at Morgan Heights for their outstanding care of both Thelma and Paul, as they went above and beyond to keep them together as a couple and to care for, comfort, and serve them as if they were family.

Paul and Thelma were gems in a special generation who will long be remembered, respected, and missed. It is comforting to know they are now reunited and together with their many relatives and friends who went before them, and Thelma’s arrival will bring more beautiful music that knows no bounds to them all!

Thelma is predeceased by her husband Paul, and survived by her children Wes Lade (Carol), Darlene Pekrul (Al), Melodie Richards (Dave), Laurel Thomas (Jim, deceased), Carol Carlson (Julian), grandchildren, great grandchildren, and in-laws David Lade (Dolly, deceased) and Peter Lade (Lorna), Ruth Moore (Paul), and numerous nieces and nephews.

“Thank you for your music Mom, for your outstanding example, and for your precious gift of

unwavering love, dedication, and devotion to your faith and family!”

Due to the unfortunate circumstances and restrictions that COVID-19 has brought us all, the family is unable to plan any formal service arrangements at this time.

For anyone wishing to make a charitable donation on Thelma’s behalf, please consider her favourite charities below, or a charity of your choice.

https://www.covenanthousebc.org/contact-us/

Covenant House Vancouver, 326 West Pender, Vancouver, BC V6B 1T1

http://Samaritanspurse.ca

Samaritan's Purse Canada, 20 Hopewell Way NE, Calgary, Alberta, T3J 5H5