- British Columbia, Canada, Marriage Index, 1872-1935 -
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Elsie Patterson (Fellers)
1926-2002
Elsie Patterson a long time resident of Dawson Creek and area passed away on May 12th, 2002 in the Dawson Creek Hospital, at the age of 75 years. A funeral service was held on Thursday, May 16th, at 2:00 pm from the South Peace United Church in Dawson Creek, Reverend Gary Henderson officiated interment followed in the Brookside Cemetery.
Elsie was born on October 19th, 1926 at Bonnie Glen, Alberta.
They traveled from Cheateau Montana by covered wagon to Bonnie Glen where Elsie was born.
Homesteading there for three years, then travelling on to Mclennen where they spent a winter. In the spring their journey took them west to Dawson Creek to the area now known as Fellers Heights. Elsie was one of thirteen children. Elsie attended school in Fellers Heights.
Together with Elsie’s husband Bruce Patterson they raised fourteen children. Her children would tell you how all in a row they would get their chin tucked in hand while she combed many heads of hair. Elsie also had thirty six grandchildren and forty seven great grandchildren. Elsie’s grandchildren will tell you she was always soft spoken even in the heat of their disagreements. Elsie’s home was always open to runaway grandchildren, she loved everyone of them.
While Elsie’s kids were growing up she did lots of sewing (Without Patterns). She passed this talent on to some of her daughters, and the girls that couldn’t sew wound up with paint brushes and hammers. Elsie’s sons could tell you they became experts at being on call for a possible quick move, building, fencing and back-hoeing. Needless to say among Elsie’s children and extended family it is possible to find an extreme diversity of talents and occupations.
Elsie’s home was a non stop coffee shop, the coffee pot was always on for her many life long friends. Whether it be an auctioneer or heck there was even room for a wayward bronc-rider. You could always count on Elsie for good sound advice, there was never a time she would ever answer any question with, I don’t know.
Elsie and Bruce were caretakers at the fairgrounds for many years, while there Elsie adopted and raised many orphaned foals. Elsie loved to play Bingo, two years ago she hit the jackpot and won $20,000 so instead of building her own shed she bought a new one at the Co-op.
"Pretty Nice Shed" she said.
Elsie was predeceased by her husband Bruce, on January 24th, 2000, and her daughter Nora on May 31st, 2001.
Elsie will be fondly remembered and sadly missed by all who loved her.
She is survived by her children:
Pat (Jack) Thomas, Jerry (Carla) McClarty, Lori Ouderkirk & (Glen McNolty), Bob (Marilyn) McClarty, Margo (Vern) Boyle, Lois (Chris) Lefferson, Wally (Jeanine) Patterson, Donna (Les) Hooper, Lance Patterson & (Laurie Abel), Cheryl (Roger) Huyld, Fay Patterson & (Kerry Sledge), Doug (Debbie) Patterson, Beverly Patterson, (36) Grandchildren, (47) Great Grandchildren, Sisters Ruth Tenburg, Jean Fellers and Lila Fellers, numerous nieces & nephews. Friend and Companion "Wicket" Extended family Sheila Hanshaw, (Pete Milne) and all of her many friends.
Arrangements were under the care of Reynars Funeral Chapel and Crematorium Dawson Creek, B.C.
Elise Alexandrine Eugenie Vincent
1911-2002
Mrs. Elise Vincent was born Elise Besson on March 7, 1911 in Roynac France.
She was married in the fall of 1929 to Leon Adrien Vincent. The family moved to Morocco at the onset of World War II. They lived in the Fez region until they immigrated to Canada, settling in the Dawson Creek area on their Golata Creek farm.
Widowed in 1963, she managed the farm with her sons Claude and Michel. She was an avid gardener and loved her flowers. Her vegetable garden was renowned in the district. In her “spare time,” she did a lot of knitting for everyone in the family children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She loved reading. She traveled extensively, visiting her children and their families, who often resided in far flung areas.
Following her son Claude’s death in January 2000, she moved to Osoyoos with her younger son Michel to be near her daughter. She resided there until she passed away on May 10, 2002 at 87th Street.
She is survived by her brother Jules and his wife and son Michel in Osoyoos, her daughters Mireille in Oregon, Josette and Solange in Seattle, their spouses and children.
Agnes Groner
1910-2002
Agnes was born on Dec. 22nd 1910 at Bridgeford, Saskatchewan. She passed away on May 7th, 2002 in the Pouce Coupe Care Home at the age of 91 years. A funeral service was held on Saturday, May 11th, at 1:00 pm from Reynars Funeral Chapel. Reverend, Gary Henderson officiated interment followed in the Mountain View Cemetery at Groundbirch, B.C.
Mom had a wonderful life, and it is a shame that some of the youngest great grandchildren never had the opportunity to know the real Agnes Groner. She was a people person, always good natured, generous and full of energy.
In January, 1993, she started writing her memoirs. The first paragraph showed great promise and goes as so :
"I of course, can’t remember my arrival December 22, 1910, totally unexpected. Mom had no clothes ready for me and mom claims Dad made my first shirt. Apparently I was very, very tiny. Mom said they could have put me in an ink bottle. This I can not understand either because I have never seen an ink bottle that would hold a baby of any size. So much for my arrival, I was named for the lady who delivered me."
After three pages she stopped writing about herself and returned to writing about her mother and grandfather. That was her style, although always proud, she was never self-centered.
Mom almost never had the long wonderful life. She used to tell of getting chased by a bull as a young girl and barley making it to the fence on time. Later as a teenager, she was hit and run over by a car. Luckily, the cars were built high in those days and she fell between the wheels. All of us in the family owe our very "being " to the fact that she was spared that day.
I don’t know a lot about Mom’s early years, but I do know that she liked the outdoors and hiking with her brothers. She was the eldest of ten children and no doubt had to be the mother to some of them. She grew up tall and slim and enjoyed basketball in high school. She went on to Normal School (college) and after one or two years became a teacher. She taught for two years in school houses on the prairies and endured the hardships of the thirties like everyone else in Saskatchewan. She married Delwin Morrison in 1931. Her first daughter (Betty) was born in Moose Jaw in the late thirties. Then with the war the family moved to Victoria, B.C. where there was work in the shipyards for Delwin. The family was completed in Victoria, first with a boy (Murray) and then another girl (Dellene).
Following the war there was little work in Victoria and at age thirty-nine Mom bravely started her new life as a teacher in the Peace Country where she taught for 22 years. Agnes and Delwin went their separate ways in 1951.
Mom thrived on work and spent hours on course preparations for eight grades in one- room school houses all over the South Peace. She would head out into the cold, blowy, snowy dark mornings at seven o’clock with survival blankets and candles in the trunk of her car. She would then get back at supper or later. She would work on correspondence courses to upgrade her teaching certificate until well after midnight, and then get up at six to start another day of teaching. She carried out this rigorous routine throughout her forties and fifties, but on Saturdays she did sleep until noon. On Sundays she baked buns, bread and pies and served up marvelous dinners (This is how she captured Bruce and his children).
After years of correspondence courses and Summer Schools in Victoria and Vancouver Mom received her Bachelor of Education degree at the University of B.C. in 1971. By this time she had retired from teaching.
Mom loved the Peace Country and some of her greatest times were with Bruce picking blueberries in the mountains of the Pine Pass or hiking into Hart Lake.
Mom and Bruce moved to the warmer climate of Victoria in the early seventies to spend a very enjoyable retirement, growing their own fruits and vegetables and serving those lovely Sunday style dinners to guests. And when you went home you were given a bounty of food to take with you. Of course if you stayed at Mom’s too long you had to endure her homemade TV dinners which she was fond of digging out of the ice crystals at the bottom of the deep freeze.
Mom loved people and loved her card games, bridge was her favorite game and often the games would last well after midnight. If there were not any bridge players Mom had several other card or board games. She played a good game of crib and scrabble even after she lost her ability to do other things.
Solitaire was another of her favorite pastimes, she would work hard at a cleaning chore and then sit down for a game of solitaire before tackling the next chore. The cards were her substitute for smoking or drinking, she never drank liquor not even soft drinks, her choice of drink was always a good cup of tea.
At their home in Victoria they had two apple trees. Mom never liked to see anything go to waste so she made apple pies as the apples ripened. Dozens of apple pies, one year she baked 100 apple pies. Then she would give them away, to her church group or to friends who came along.
She loved to walk, in Victoria she would walk two miles to church every Sunday. She usually got a ride home and would reward the person with lunch or one of her special apple pies.
Mom always stayed close to home during strawberry season. She would make strawberry shortcake or freeze the berries. Any extra’s from her small garden or her fruit trees that she didn’t can or freeze she gave to friends or neighbors.
She was very generous and would give away any thing a person took a fancy to. We jokingly told her we should buy her gifts with her name on them so she wouldn’t give them away to the next person that came along.
She liked to do creative writing, she painted, Knit, made rugs and quilts. She loved color and wasn’t afraid to use it in her knitting, although the results were some times alarming.
During Easter break or any holiday during her teaching career mom would suddenly decide to go to Lloydminster to see her mom. She didn’t plan ahead she’d just decide on the spur of the moment and off she would go. Then just as abruptly she would head back home.
Bruce didn’t like to fly so after his passing in 1986 mom decided to do some traveling. She spent time in China, South America and New Zealand.
Mom loved to dance and have fun. At times, she and we would laugh uncontrollably at the silliest things and once started we couldn’t stop. Those are some of the very best memories.
Mom looked at the world through rose colored glasses. Seeing the good in people and enjoying every minute.
Mom moved back to Dawson Creek and into Rotary Manor on January 11th, 1996. On February 7th, she was placed in the Pouce Coupe Care Home.
Mom was proud of her children, grandchildren and beautiful great grandchildren and if we can be even half as hardworking, generous, tolerant and considerate as she was we will honor her life.
God bless you Mom.
Agnes was predeceased by her husband Bruce, sisters Irene and Jean, brothers Jim, Pat, and Fred.
She will be lovingly remembered by her daughters, Betty (Bill) field, Dellene (Gary) Sewell and son Murray Morrison. Her sisters Myra (Arden) Ritchie, Inez McNalty, brothers Bill (Gina) Ross, and Edwin Ross.
Step son Lance (Tiiu) Groner, and step daughter Brenda Dunlap.
Grandchildren Donna (Garry) Laveck, Ayn Lexi, David (Brenda) DeWetter, Kenny (Dixie) DeWetter, Kim (Ron) Beattie, Vincent (Debbie) Sewell, Terena (Kim) Lindley, Loren (Diane) Sewell.
Step grandchildren Doug (Esther) Field, Dawn (Ken) Abel, Debra Field, Denna (Rob) Johnson, Laurie (Calvin) Stewart, Aaron Dunlap and Todd.
Great grandchildren, Devin Laveck, Rylee Laveck, Brooke Lexi, Rory Yackel, Jared Yackel, Lacy DeWetter, Clarke DeWetter, Lee DeWetter, Deseree DeWetter, Catlin DeWetter, Chad DeWetter, Tammie DeWetter, Matthew DeWetter, Blue Beattie, Lacey Beattie, Ben Beattie, Jessica Sewell, Logan Sewell, Savanna Lindley, Mason Lindley, and Dayna Sewell,
Step great grandchildren Erin Johnson, Melissa Johnson, Andrew Stewart, Sophie Stewart, Also step grandchildren Crystal Field, Melissa Field, Allison Field, Amanda Abel, Cory Abel and Jaycee Abel, and one step great great grandchild Dylan Thola.
Arrangements were under the care of Reynars Funeral Chapel and Crematorium Dawson Creek, B.C.
Lena Christine Swanberg (Moe)
1913-2002
Lena was born in Bardu, Noray on Oct. 28, 1913. She was one of six children, her parents were Gabrielle and Olaf Moe. At the age of eight, she moved with her family to Canada. They landed in Halifax and from there took a train to Sexsmith and settled in the Valhalla Centre.
In 1929, she met and married Sven Swanberg. They homesteaded in the Poplar Hills District near Valhalla Centre from 1930-1936. Lena’s first three children were born at home, Elsie, Orville and Sylvan. Her youngest son Dale was born at the Beaverlodge Hospital.
In 1936, they moved off the homestead to Valhalla Centre. Here they started a trucking company, which is still in business today.
In 1950, they moved from Valhalla Centre to various work locations in the area. In 1953, they settled in Dawson Creek. Sven retired in 1964 and passed away in 1971. In 1997, Lena moved into the Peace Lutheran Care Centre in Fort St. John where she quickly became known to all as grandma. She resided there enjoying many outings with family as long as her health allowed.
Lena was well known for her incredible cooking and baking. On birthdays the grandchildren often got a cake from grandma, yum. She won many ribbons and trophies at the area fairs for her handicrafts and baking, Lena also won the hearts of many men in the camps where she used to cook.
Other favourite pastimes ofLena’s were bingo, jigsaw puzzles, bowling and her yearly trip to Reno.
There are many favourite memories people have of Lena, like the time Tammy tried to teach grandma how to ride a bike. I remember spending time in the kitchen with grandma learning to cook. It was hard to duplicate the recipes because she always just put a little bit of this and just enough of that. Grandma had a wonderful ability to make something tasty out of whatever was at hand. Everyone remembers her pails full of doughnuts.
Lena was predeceased by her brothers Art and Gunner, as well as her sistsers, Marie and Inky, grandson Dwain, and great grandson Ryan. She is survived by her four children, their spouses, 12 grandchildren, 21 great grandchildren and 8 great great grandchildren. Services were held on Wednesday, May 15 from the Peace Lutheran Church in Fort St. John followed by a service and burial in Valhalla, Alberta on Thursday, May 16.
Hamre’s Funeral Chapel, Fort St. John, B.C. 785-6273
Kathlene Ryan
Mrs. Kathlene Ryan of Red Deer passed away peacefully in her sleep at home on Wednesday, May 15, 2002 at the age of 90 years. She is survived by her daughter Donna (John) Krebes of Edmonton and her son Frank Ryan of Red Deer.
Funeral services were held at Sunnybrook United Church in Red Deer on Tuesday, May 21, 2002 at 11 a.m. with the Reverend Mary Ellen Moore officiating. If friends desire, memorial tributes may be made to the Alberta Cancer Foundation, Bag 5030, Red Deer Regional Hospital, Red Deer, AB T4N 6R2.
Sympathies may be forwarded to the family by email to: tributes@parklandfuneralhome.com.
Arrangements in care of Parkland Funeral Home and Crematorium Ltd., 6287 67A Street, Red Deer, AB T4P 3V9. Phone 1-800-481-7421.
Gertrude Graham
1918-2002
Gertrude Graham, mother, grandmother and grandmother, of Lethbridge and formerly of Dawson Creek passed away on May 7, 2002 at the age of 83 years.
A memorial service was held on Monday, May 13 at 10 a.m. from Martin Brother’s Funeral Home in Lethbridge, Alberta. Father Dennis McDonald officiated with interment following at the Lethbridge Cemetery.
Gertrude Demers was born in Lethbridge, Alberta on September 29, 1918. She married Charles Bernard Graham on February 4, 1938 and with their daughter Gwen, they moved to Dawson Creek where Charlie worked hauling supplies for building the Alaska Highway.
Their second daughter Lorraine was born in St. Joseph’s Hospital in Dawson Creek.
Charlie and Gert lived in Dawson Creek until 1973, when they moved to Williams Lake to be closer to their daughter Gwen and family. In 1974, they retired in Vernon, B.C. where they resided until 1991 when they decided to move back to the area where they were born.
Gert was predeceased by her husband Charlie in 1999.
Gert, Mom, Gramma and Great Gramma will be fondly remembered by her many friends, daughter Gwen Major (Bernie) from Kelowna, daughter Lorraine Hildebrant (Don) from Fernie, granddaughter Donna Major in Barriere, grandsons Neil Washington (Lyndall) presently at the University of Philadelphia and Guy Major (Sandy) in Monroe Washington as well as great granddaughters Lindsey and Hayley Major and Adrienne Washington.
Gert is also survived by her brother Gus Demers (Ev) and sister Betty Zook (Elvin) both in Lethbridge, Alberta.
Orval Hawthorne
1926-2002
Orval Hawthorne a resident of Dawson Creek, B.C. passed away at the Dawson Creek Hospital on May 4th, 2002, at the age of 76 years.
Orval was born on January 18th, 1926 on a farm near Beaverlodge, in the Albright district of Alberta, to William and Elsie Hawthorne. Orval was the youngest of six children, he attended school in North Beaverlodge, and finished his schooling in Hythe. Orval farmed in the Hythe and Doe River areas. During the summer he farmed and in winter you would find him on the trapline, out on the Pine, Sukunka, and Murray rivers.
In later years he moved to Dawson Creek, where he enjoyed his retirement.
Orval was predeceased by his mother Elsie, his father William, his sisters Evelyn, and Dorthy, and brothers Buster, and Clinton.
Orval will be sadly missed by his sister Corinne and family, nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends.
Cremation, with interment to follow at a later date in the family plot at Hythe, Alberta.
With respect for Orval’s wishes no service will be held.
Arrangements were under the care of Reynars Funeral Chapel and Crematorium Dawson Creek, B.C.
