Overton, Debra Monday, 05 Jun 2006
Williams Lake, BC
Debra Marie Overton, nee Dinneen, was born to Paul and Doris Dinneen September 8, 1951 in Yreka, California.
She died June 5, 2006 at 150 Mile House.
Deb moved with her family to Canada from Montague, California in 1967. They had purchased a small ranch in the Alexis Lakes area called Martin Meadow Ranch.
After a short time they then moved to Knife Creek where they purchased another ranch called the Knife Creek Ranch.
Deb attended high school at Williams Lake Junior Secondary, then Columneetza Senior Secondary.
Three months before graduation her family moved back to California in April of 1969.
While attending WLJS, Deb had met the love of her life, Gerald Overton.
Although separated by a great distance they kept a close relationship. After attending summer school, Deb graduated and returned to Williams Lake in September of 1969.
She worked as a secretary for Lignum Ltd. and married Gerald on April 19, 1971. She left Lignum Ltd. in 1972 when she became a mother to Tabatha. The following year Trudy was born and the young family moved to 150 Mile House in 1974. In 1978 Gerald Jr. was born and once he was attending school, Deb went to work for Marshall’s 150 Mile Store as a clerk and bookkeeper.
Deb was very active in the 150 Mile Community Club, the 150 Mile School and Williams Lake Minor Hockey Association where she was registrar and statistician for many years.
Deb will always be remembered for her smile and laughter. Deb cherished her family, her flowers and her birds. She will be forever missed by Gerald Sr., Tabatha and Bryan (Reid), Trudy and Sean (Bailey), Gerald and Fallon Overton, grandchildren, Bryan, Montana, Dakota, Tristan, Shaelynn, and baby to be. Her parents Paul and Doris Dinneen, Post Falls Id., sisters Cathy (Keith) Justice, Yreka, California, Karen (Dave) Cammock, Warspite, Alberta, brother Patrick (Francine) Dinneen, Rathdrum, Id.
Deb was pre-deceased by her brother Paul (Joan) Dinneen of Roseburg, Oregon.
McIntosh, Maxine Thursday, 01 Jun 2006
Williams Lake, BC
After a lengthy illness Maxine McIntosh passed in peace with family and her husband Ken by her side.
After prayers sent from her spiritual friends Maxine went without fear, on June 1, 2006 in the Chilliwack Hospital, knowing how much her family loved her.
Maxine was born January 1, 1951 in Killarney, Manitoba.
She was the eldest of a family of four children and grew up in Minnedosa, Manitoba.
All through school Maxine always got very good grades and always excelled at everything she did. After high school she continued to be successful, getting her teaching degree at the University of Brandon.
Teaching children was Maxine’s passion in life and she taught children for over 25 years in Williams Lake.
She was also involved with the Special Olympics, which she loved and through it made many friends.
Maxine and her husband, Ken, enjoyed playing bridge and won many tournaments. Most important, to Maxine, were her children and her family. Even in her illness she never missed a family event.
It was very important to Maxine to spend time with her children, so would take them on trips every year. They have many great memories as a family in exotic places during holidays.
Maxine being very spiritual made some wonderful friends through a women’s group in Williams Lake.
Unfortunately after Maxine’s stroke she was forced to leave her friends and retire from teaching early.
She and her husband, Ken, moved to Chilliwack to be closer to her son, daughter and grandchildren. There they shared a beautiful home with her family.
Maxine spent many hours on her flowered patio, watching Ken plant the garden, enjoying visits from her son Ryan, daughter Ashley, and watching her two grandsons, Aden and Blake, play in the yard.
Her heart each morning would be filled with happiness when Blake would come down to give snuggles and have chats with grandma. These last few years, although struggling with her illness, Maxine found great joy and comfort in the time she spent with the people she loved the most.
Maxine is survived and deeply missed by her husband Ken Bech, son Ryan McIntosh, daughter-in-law Kathy McIntosh, daughter Ashley Greeff, father Earl Strong, stepmother Erla Strong, mother Mavis Strong (Suton) deceased, sister Carolyn Adrian, brother in-law Ken Adrian, brother Glen Strong, sister In-law Susan Strong, sister Joanne Strong, grandsons Aden and Blake McIntosh, god daughter Candace Campbell, nieces Caulette Campbell, and Carrie Tyerman, nephew Adam Strong, niece Christie Strong, nephew Eric Sandstrom; and by many aunts, uncles, great nieces and nephews, cousins and many friends.
No memorial will be held as requested by the immediate family. A small celebration of Maxine’s life will be held privately amongst family in Alberta. Memorial contributions can be donated to the Stroke Foundation or the Special Olympics in Maxine’s honor.
Lambe, Hugh Saturday, 27 May 2006
Williams Lake, BC
Longtime resident of Williams Lake, Hugh Lambe, passed away May 27, 2006.
Hugh was born in Vancouver on February 2, 1921. He was the youngest of five children born to Harriot and Curzon Lambe.
He served four years in the infantry tank battalion during the Second World War with the Lake Superior and Westminster Regiments. He served at the front in England, Belgium and Holland. He finished his military career as lieutenant.
Hugh was shot in the leg in Belgium and spent several months in hospital, but considered himself lucky to have survived the war without a permanent disability. He joined the Williams Lake Legion Branch 139 shortly after moving to town and was an active member for many years including doing a term as president. He just received his 40-year pin last November.
He married Kaye in 1947 and they moved to Burnaby. They had three children, Lorene, Michael and Glenn while residing there. Hugh worked for his father in an import-export business while he lived at the coast.
In 1957 Hugh moved to Williams Lake and bought the Williams Lake Taxi business, which he operated for 12 years. During those years he was somewhat of an entrepreneur.
While running the taxi business, he operated the town “ambulance” from his station wagon taxi and often assisted the Coroner Joe Tull with his transportation duties. He also provided a limousine service to the airport and while waiting for fares, he directed the airplanes in on the runway in front of the terminal. He also initiated the bus service around the town with a Volkswagen van he purchased, but business was too slow.
Potential riders were more interested in calling a taxi instead of “waiting” for the bus. Hugh opened the first travel service in William’s Lake. In 1972, he started work at Gibraltar Mines as an oiler, gradually moving up to a maintenance supervisor until his retirement in 1986. He drove the bus to Gibraltar for years because he claimed it gave him “more leg room.”
Hugh loved fishing and took many vacations with Kaye to Port Angeles to visit with his cousin Ralph. They spent hours out in the ocean fishing for Spring salmon.
After retiring, he and Kaye became museum board members. Hugh spent countless hours with other members converting the old Health Unit building into the new museum. They started the project 1987 and the museum opened in 1991. Hugh loved to putter and could make anything out of old boards, so he was affectionately dubbed Mr. Fixup by the staff there.
He received a lifelong membership on retiring as a board member. Kaye and Hugh also volunteered at the Red Cross equipment loan cupboard for many years, with Kaye managing the public relations and Hugh cleaning and fixing up the equipment.
Hugh and Kaye also loved to travel and made many enjoyable trips over the next few years. They visited many places including Europe, England, the Maritimes and Palm Springs.
They often travelled with their lifelong friends, Bob and Marguerite Court. Hugh and Bob grew up together in Vancouver from young boys and had remained close friends all their lives.
Hugh also loved to garden and was especially proud of his roses.
He kept a beautiful yard at their house down by the lake.
Hugh and Kaye moved from their beloved property last year into the assisted living apartments at the Seniors Village.
Hugh loved life and enjoyed his seven grandchildren: Dallas, Heather, Wade, David, Serena, Stephanie and Devona. He also leaves behind five great-grandchildren: Nick, Kaitlyn, Andy, Evan and Luke. Hugh loved them all.
He was a kind, gentle, quiet man and will be sadly missed by his wife of 58 years, his family and friends.
At his request, a small service was held at the Seniors Village on Wednesday, May 31, attended by all his family and a few close friends.
In Hugh’s memory, any donations may be made to the Cariboo Hospice Society in Williams Lake, or a charity of your choice.
Fairburn, Erwin Friday, 05 May 2006
Williams Lake, BC
Erwin R. Fairburn died May 5, 2006 after a long, hard-fought battle with cancer.
Erv, as he was known by his friends, was born in Craven, Saskatchewan on March 23, 1925 to Russell and Rosetta Fairburn. They had homesteaded near there, where he was raised with his brother Ray and sister Irene. They all worked hard on the farm.
His children heard many stories of growing up with his brother and sister from driving teams of horses to fighting at school.
He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in September 1943 and was then sent to Regina to do his basic training.
His aim was for the sky, but all he got was the garage, being a mechanic and driver. He was stationed in different locations, first out of Regina then Vancouver and was even sent to work on the Alaska Highway during the war. It was in Vancouver where he met and married his first wife, Joyce, in December 1945.
After he left the Air Force in September of 1946 they were blessed with their first son Wilfred. It was then that he took his small family north to the Cariboo and Tatla Lake and then returned to Vancouver when Judy was born.
Of course being that jobs were kind of scarce in those days settling down in one spot was not an option sometimes, as the family went from Surrey to Greenwood and on to Grand Forks where Erv and Joyce had their three boys Wayne, Ernie and Garth.
Erv picked up jobs at Woodwards Stores, Grand Forks School District, Horovatin Brothers Ltd., Cooks Lumber, and Oliver Valley sawmill.
In 1952 Erv got a job with CP Rail in Midway and at this time moved back to Grand Forks and continued to work for CP Rail. Joyce always said they moved 13 times in one year, never having time to unpack anything. The family heard that story a few times. It was then in 1953 that Erv finally decided to settle in Williams Lake.
He found work as a mechanic at the Williams Lake Garage and from there to the Department of Public Works and on to Wright Lumber Ltd. and also the B.C. Power Commission. When Erv and Joyce arrived in Williams Lake it was Erv’s intention to apply for Crown land and make a home for his wife and children which they did, as well as have three more children.
Between growing vegetables in the garden and raising pigs and chickens and cows to feed the family it was hard in those days to keep everyone happy. But everybody did his or her share of hard work.
It was in 1964 that Erv started working as a guard for the RCMP station. He enjoyed working there and always said the best matron he ever worked with was Liz White. He worked there until his retirement in 1990. Retirement started a little rocky because of an accident he was in but once over that, it was a happy time for Erv and he got to spend more time outside tending to his trees and flowers.
When he wasn’t busy with gardening he was usually being helpful to one or another of his children or grandchildren, running errands or down at Zellers for coffee with the gang or at Barton’s with Timbits for Monica and the girls. Or he would get in the car and take a drive.
He had a great memory for retaining jokes and stories and he always had one ready. As he always use to say, “laugh and world laughs with you, cry and you cry alone.”
He leaves behind him eight children: son Wilfred (Becky), daughter Judy (Ray), son Wayne (Bonnie), son Ernie (Ramona), son Garth, daughter Lorraine (George), daughter Tina (Lou), son Clint (Cindy). He also leaves 19 grandchildren, 10 great-grandchildren his dear friend Winnie, and many others he considered his extended family.
The family appreciates all the care and help they received from his doctors, home support nurses and homemakers and the hospice program.
A celebration of life for Erv will be held on July 22 from 1-5 p.m. with the eulogy at 3 p.m. at Erv’s home at 950 Hodgson Road.
