Obituary of Verna Ellen Oliver

Verna Oliver, a longtime resident of Dawson Creek, B.C. passed away peacefully in the Dawson Creek Hospital with family by her side on Thursday, October 22, 2015 at the age of 88 years. Verna's parents were Americans of Norwegian descent. In the 1920's they moved from North Dakota to a farm just outside of Melfort, Saskatchewan. Verna was born on May 10, 1927 in the farmhouse that she would also grow up in. Born a farmer's daughter, Verna lived a simple but not always easy, life. She wouldn't have wanted it any other way. Verna was only fourteen when her mother became ill and she had to leave school in Grade 8 to help out on the farm. She did so for the next seven years, until she reached the age of 21 when she decided farming was not the life for her. She left the farm in the capable hands of her younger brothers, Elmer and Kenny, and headed for Dawson Creek. She lived in Dawson with her Aunt and Uncle, Linda and John Isberg. It wasn't long before she met the young man who was living next door. Verna and Eldon were married less than a year later on August 16, 1949. It was a wonderful and happy marriage that lasted 61 years until Eldon's passing in November of 2010. Shortly after marrying Eldon, she gave up being a telephone operator and became a homemaker. Soon she became a mom as Janet was born in January 1951, followed by Dianne in September of 1952. In 1956, Eldon built them a new home on Cornwall Crescent and they lived there until the girls were out of school in 1969. Eldon and Verna then got transfered to Edmonton. Verna went out and got her second out of the home job as a salesperson at Reitmans which she enjoyed very much. They also lived in Slave Lake for a couple of years where Verna worked at IGA and got her Driver's License at the age of 52. Eldon was again transfered back to Edmonton and they lived there until their final move back to Dawson Creek in 1999. Eldon and Verna were not social butterflies. They liked visiting and being visited, and occasionally travelling to community rodeos and picnics, but overall they were both very much family orientated and most of their spare time was spent on family acitivites. Outside of the home Verna was not much of a participant, but she was always there in a supporting role whether it was Janet and Dianne in Brownies and Girl Guides, Burke and Brett in baseball or hockey, and especially with Eldon in broomball, horseshoes or all varieties of baseball. Eldon was a baseball fanatic and she would travel with him to the tournaments, social functions, and dances. In his retirement years, Verna travelled with him to three Seniors World Series in Texas, Florida, and Arizona. Family trips were either back to the farm in Melfort, or camping trips around Nothern B.C. and Alberta. One of their favorite places was going fishing along the Sukunka River. She and Eldon lived a simple life, but a simple life well lived. Verna was predeceased by her loving husband of 61 years, Eldon, her parents Carl and Ellen Aasen, and her brother Ken Aasen. Verna is survived by her daughters Janet Oliver (Ed Broad), and Dianne Lauder-Ash (Brian Ash), her grandsons Burke and Brett (Leanne), her great grandchildren: Bryson, Jamin, Neala, and Evon, along with numerous nieces and nephews. A Memorial Tea was held on Wednesday, October 28, 2015 at 1:00 PM from Reynars Tea Room. Interment will be at a later date. For friends so wishing, donations may be made in memory of Verna to the Dawson Creek and District Hospital Foundation, 11100-13th Street Dawson Creek, B.C. V1G 3W8. Very Respectfully Reynars Funeral Home and Crematorium