McCallum, Millicent Monday, 10 Dec 2007
Williams Lake, BC
Millicent Lena McCallum, long time resident of Williams Lake passed away December 10, 2007 at Nakusp, B.C. She resided at Halcyon House assisted living in Nakusp at the time of her passing. Millie was born in Hewart, Saskatchewan on October 18, 1918. She was pre-deceased by her husband George in 1997, son Harry Cull, daughter Gladys Yahnke and grandson David Andrew. She is survived by son Andy (Issy) McCallum, daughters Margaret Andrew, Alma Cook, Martha (Nels) Mikkilsen, Myrtle Cook, Jean (Bill) Klaudt, Louise Almasi, 33 grandchildren and 47 great-grandchildren. Millicent and her husband George were awarded the Order of Canada in 1992 for their faithful and dedicated service to the often lonely and underprivileged.
Munro, Roderick Wednesday, 06 Feb 2008
Williams Lake, BC
Roderick John (Jack) Munro of Williams Lake, B.C. passed away February 6, 2008 in Williams Lake, B.C. at the age of 86. A Celebration of Life will be held Monday, February 18, 2008 at 1:00pm at the Royal Canadian Legion. Donations can be made to the Cariboo Foundation Hospital Trust.
LaPrairie’s Funeral Services entrusted with arrangements
Field, Gordon Thursday, 24 Jan 2008
Williams Lake, BC
Gordon Clarke Field of Williams Lake, B.C. passed away January 24, 2008 in Williams Lake, B.C. at the age of 69. No service by request. Interment to follow at Williams Lake Cemetery at a future date.
LaPrairie’s Funeral Services entrusted with arrangements
Bluda, Paul Monday, 21 Jan 2008
Williams Lake, BC
Paul Alex Bluda of Williams Lake, B.C. passed away January 21, 2008 in Williams Lake, B.C. at the age of 64. Funeral service will be held Monday, January 28, 2008 at 11:00am at Sacred Heart Catholic Church. Father Andrew L’Heureux officiating. Donations can be made to the 139 Children’s Fun
Court, Marguerite Friday, 18 Jan 2008
Williams Lake, BC
Marguerite Lovina Court of Williams Lake, B.C. passed away January 18, 2008 at the Cariboo Memorial Hospital at the age of 85. Memorial service will be held Thursday, January 24, 2008 at 1:00pm at St. Peter’s Anglican Church. Rev. Susan Hermanson officiating. Donations can be made to Central Cariboo Hospice Society.
LaPrairie’s Funeral Services entrusted with arrangements
Sill, Minnie Tuesday, 08 Jan 2008
Williams Lake, BC
When Ulkatcho elder Minnie Sill passed away at Cariboo Memorial Hospital on Jan. 8, 2008 an important link to the old ways was lost.
Minnie was only 72 but she lived a hard and rigorous life. She never went to school and received her whole education the traditional way from her elders.
She must have had good teachers because she could speak six languages, Southern Carrier, Northern Carrier, Tsilhqot’in, Shuswap, Nuxalk and English. She was also very adept in her life in the bush, raising 13 children while living the rich lifestyle of the Ulkatcho people.
From an early age Minnie learned the skills of hunting, trapping, fishing, preparing meals and keeping people fed using the bounty from the land. She worked along side her husband Pat Sill building fences and cabins, cutting hay and travelling throughout the country with her large family, moving with the seasons.
Minnie was the second oldest of eight children born to Joe and Mary Cahoose of Salmon River, an expansive flatland and series of meadows along the Dean River, about 60 kilometres north of Anahim Lake. Her siblings included sisters Tilda Sill, Joana Cahoose and Agness Toney, and brothers Timothy Cahoose, Alexie Cahoose, Lashaway Cahoose and John Cahoose.
Born in Bella Coola on Oct. 19, 1935, Minnie and her mother were brought home to Ulkatcho country by horseback by her father, Joe Cahoose, 160 kilometres along the Nuxalk Carrier Grease Trail, over the Rainbow Mountains to Salmon River.
“Don’t go too fast, I love my baby, ” Mary is said to have told her husband.
Like other Ulkatcho families, Joe and Mary had their own meadows, trapline and hunting territory near Salmon River, where Joe shared a ranching operation with his three brothers George, Andrew and Tommy Cahoose.
“All the brothers shared a ranch at Salmon River, ” says Susan Hance, Minnie’s eldest daughter.
Susan says her mother used to sing a lot when she was young.
“When she gets across the river when she was a teenager, people remember hearing her sing. Sometimes they told her to stop singing because they were afraid it would cause an earthquake.”
Minnie was known as a powerful person. One time she had a premonition that she was going to lose one of her children, and she beseeched the Great Spirit to take her horse instead. The next day her favourite horse died.
“She gave us a hint how to be sensitive to spiritual things, ” says one of Minnie’s other daughters, Gloria Eglin. “If you don’t speak to her in Carrier she gets mad at you. She passed on her wisdom and knowledge of spirituality to members of her family.”
Susan says her mother was the matriarch of the family.
“She was like a queen. She held our family together.”
Maybe it was her singing that attracted him, but Minnie caught the eye of a young man, Pat Sill, when she was barely a teenager. It is said Minnie was quite beautiful as she was growing into womanhood and she had many suitors.
“She was so pretty everyone was fighting over her, ” says Gloria.
Pat rode his horse 60 kilometres from the Blackwater to Squirrel Cabin on his trapline just to be with Minnie, notes son Kenny Sill.
“There was love in the air when Minnie and Pat got together. He swam his horse across Tsanaih Lake to visit her, ” Susan adds.
In the summer of 1951, Minnie and Pat Sill were married by the bishop in Anahim Lake.
“Mom was only 15, ” says daughter Maureen Sill. “When they got married she had all these different coloured ribbons on her dress.”
A year later Susan was born, followed by Cassidy, Maureen, Bella, Gloria, Gabriel, Douglas, Emily, Kenny, Berl, Derreck, Michael and Charlotte.
“There was no birth control in those days, ” says son Douglas. “You could blame our large family on the cold nights, long winters and living in a log cabin.
“That was before global warming, ” he laughs.
Pat and Minnie raised their kids at Uskisula, their traditional hunting area in the country down the Dean River, north of Anahim Lake, and successfully passed on the skills to them how to live in the bush. This included hunting, trapping, fishing, working with horses and cattle, building log cabins, and living in harmony with the seasons. They knew where and when to go to harvest the resources from the land, even though it meant travelling hundreds of miles by horseback throughout the year.
After attending the “Indian” residential school in Anahim Lake, Susan says she was supposed to continue her education at the mission in Williams Lake, but her mother intervened.
“Mom pulled me out of going to the mission, ” Susan says.
From her 13 children, Minnie had over 100 grandchildren and great-grandchildren at the time of her passing.
She leaves to mourn her husband, Pat, and children Susan Hance, Cassidy Sill, Maureen Sill, Gloria Eglin, Bella Parker, Gabriel Sill, Douglas Sill, Kenny Sill, Emily Sill, Berl Sill, Derreck Sill, Michael Sill and Charlotte Sill.
Also her siblings John Cahoose, Tilda Sill, Timothy Cahoose, Alexie Cahoose, Lashaway Cahoose, Agness Toney and Joana Cahoose.
Funeral services for Minnie will be in Anahim Lake on Tuesday, Jan. 15 at 10 a.m.
Beaman, Gladys Tuesday, 08 Jan 2008
Williams Lake, BC
Gladys Marie Beaman of Williams Lake, B.C. passed away January 8, 2008 in Williams Lake, B.C. at the age of 77. Celebration of Life will be held Saturday, January 12, 2008 at 12 noon at the Horsefly Community Hall. Donations can be made to the Hough Memorial Fund or donation of choice.
LaPrairie’s Funeral Services entrusted with arrangements
Everett, Robert Friday, 04 Jan 2008
Williams Lake, BC
Robert Gerald Everett (Gerry) was born in Vancouver, B.C. to Ruth and Robert Everett along with his twin brother.
Unfortunately his twin died shortly after birth.
At the age of five, Gerry’s baby sister Susan was born. Gerry and his family remained in the Lower Mainland during the early years of his life.
At the age of 17, Gerry joined the Canadian Navy, proudly serving for three years. After his time in the Navy, Gerry went to work for his father driving fuel trucks for Standard Oil (Chevron) and highway long haul trucking.
In 1969, the birth of Gerry’s daughter, Kelly, and his love for horses gave him the desire to change careers, enrolling to school in Porterville, California to complete the study and training in horse shoeing.
Two years later Gerry moved his family to Penticton, B.C. where he began full time in horse shoeing.
In 1972, Gerry completed the vocational training program, farrier training in the B.C. Department of Education. Three years later Gerry moved back to the Lower Mainland where he continued horse shoeing and driving truck.
Gerry and his daughter, Kelly, moved to Williams Lake in 1980 to start their new life together. They bought a house with property and got into the horse side of life.
Gerry gave up trucking to be home at night with his daughter, and horse shoeing became his career, something he took extreme pride in.
Not only was he one of the best, he was a scientist in understanding the foot and legs of the horse. Gerry was asked to teach the horse shoeing course at the University of Saskatchewan, but never got to fulfill that goal.
Gerry had three grandchildren come into his life: Takeena in 1991, Jordan in 1992, and Kolton in 1955.
His grandchildren were the apple of his eyes. He bought each of his grandchildren their own horses, so they could enjoy the animal as much as he and his daughter had. His grandchildren will be taking on the responsibility of their papa’s joy (the horses) in Creston, B.C.
In 1997, Gerry had a severe stroke, which disabled his ability to go back to the career and lifestyle he loved.
He learned over time to walk and talk beyond anyone’s expectations. He was determined to get back to the life he loved, and continued living life to the best and fullest with his daily struggles.
He continued hunting with and thanks to his close friends, got to ride horses a couple of times and enjoyed the company of living with his mother and having time with his grandchildren at his place and theirs.
Gerry unfortunately was rushed to VGH hospital on Christmas Day, 2007. Unfortunately Gerry was unable to recover and passed away on Jan. 4 with his daughter and son-in-law at his side.
Gerry will never be forgotten ... he was a man of many jokes, stories and drinks. He loved his friends, his careers, his customers, his horses, dogs and cat and mostly his family.
The guy we loved and will always remember ... Our hero, our #1 redneck
The Everett/Moore family would like to thank the hospital staff for their efforts and professionalism (Cariboo Memorial and VGH), the friends who went those extra miles to help and support the family and to everyone who sent flowers, cards and food. Finding the right words to show our appreciation is almost impossible. Thank You.
Shaw, Rose Friday, 28 Dec 2007
Williams Lake, BC
It is with great sadness that her family announces the passing of Rose Marie Shaw.
Rose passed away on Friday, Dec. 28, 2007 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Rose was born in Unity, Saskatchewan on Sept. 23, 1935 and traveled throughout B.C. until settling in Williams Lake in 1974.
She worked as a licensed log scaler for the B.C. Forest Service and then Lignum Ltd. until her retirement.
Rose was pre-deceased by her son Brett Shaw.
She is survived and greatly missed by her children Scott (Jackie), Myles (Tracy) and Janet Maher (Steve) and her grandchildren Shawn, Brittany and James.
The family would like to thank Dr. Ann Carter and nurse Tanya at Cariboo Memorial Hospital for their compassionate care.
As per Rose’s request there will be no service.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the Canadian Cancer Society.
