Obituary of Winnifred Anderson

Winnifred Beatrice Brown was born on March 15, 1921 to Clarke Wallace Brown and Mary Elizabeth Phipps. Winnie's birth certificate reads section 20, township 27 range 13 west of the third meridian. The farm was four miles North of Forgan, Saskatchewan Grandma's Dad liked to remind her that she was born on the worst storm of the season. She was the second born, her oldest brother Langford - March 8, 1918 sister Olive - June 25, 1923 and Alvin - September 2, 1927. They grew up intrigued that their Dad filed for a homestead in 1907 at the age of 16. The farm continues to be in the family to this day and in 2007 they received the Century Family Farm Award from the province of Saskatchewan. Her mother was also a pioneer moving west from Owen Sound, Ontario. Grandma's Mother passed away on February 10, 1929 and in 1932 her Dad married her mother's sister Myrtle Elliott in Saskatoon. Aunt Myrtle had been widowed in 1930; she had four children, Howard born in 1917, Grant in 1919, Kenneth in 1928 and Lois in 1930. Aunt Myrtle and family were no strangers to them as they visited often. They welcomed the addition to their family and they became one. Vera was born to Clarke and Myrtle in 1935. As a youngster, she was fond of sports, and was the first out of school at recess and noon hour to touch for cat. She received a King George the 5th Jubilee medal for the most points at a field meet in 1935. She also received a King George the 6th Coronation medal. Grandma completed her schooling in Forgan and planned to attend normal school to become a school teacher but before the year was up she had met her future husband, Mervin. Grandma and Grandpa Mervin were married in Saskatoon on September 14th 1941 and moved to Vancouver which was a very different life for a farm girl. Mervin worked at Dominion Bridge making guns during the war. Gail was born on July 13, 1942, and Bev was born on June 9, 1945. Grandma went to work in 1951 at Woodward's Department Store in Vancouver; she worked there for 20 years and was proud to be an employee of Woodward's. She then worked for a family friend managing a restaurant for four years before moving to Trail in 1976 where she worked at Delamont Jewelry store. Grandma worked at McLeod's store until her retirement in 1986. In 1980 Grandma and Grandpa moved to Chetwynd, and resided at Aunty Gail and Uncle Ted's property until her passing. Grandma became a great grandmother when her first great grandchild, Kanaye was born on July 21, 1985. That is when Grandma became known as "GG" and Grandpa as Papa. Along came Nash, born on July 30, 2010, great, great grandchild, then "GG" became "GGG". There aren't too many children that can say they have a great grandmother let alone a great, great grandmother. Grandma was a die hard sports fan; she played and watched many sports, such as curling, carpet bowling, fast ball, and darts and even golfed when she was 90 years old in Yuma, Arizona in 2011. Grandma was still curling when she was 80years old. She said to Jack Thomson that she thought she better give up the game as it was getting too hard to get up out of the hack. Of course Jack's response was "use the stick"! Grandma was a great bowler in her day too. She had the high 3 and high game in many leagues she belonged to in 5 pin and 10 pin bowling both in Vancouver and Chetwynd. Grandma volunteered at the British Empire Games in 1954 and was thrilled to see Roger Bannister and John Landy in the "Miracle Mile". The first time two sub four minute milers had been in the same race! In 1962 Grandma went to San Francisco where the Giants played the Dodgers and Sandy Koufax pitched a 1 - 0 game. Grandma enjoyed curling and traveled with Bev and Carol Berlinger to Regina to watch the Olympic Trials in 2001. Grandma and Bev went to the Canada Cup each year since it started in 2003, and also attended the Tournament of Hearts in 2012. Grandma traveled around the province to Senior Games with the Chetwynd Seniors Carpet Bowling Team. Grandma always enjoyed both the companionship and the games competition. Grandma was a member of the Order of the Royal Purple, lodge #308 and took great pride when she served as the Honored Royal Lady. Grandma enjoyed the service work that she did as a Royal Purple member and what the Royal Purple stood for. She also was a member of the seniors and enjoyed playing cards, bingo and attending senior's functions. She was known to throw a few darts at the Legion as well. She went to Hawaii in 1973 and 1976. She went to Europe with Grandpa and her cousin Pat Nesbitt for a 45th D-Day anniversary in 1989. They traveled to Germany, France and England to the places that Grandpa had served during the war. Grandma said to her cousin Pat "Did you ever think that two little farm girls would some day be looking at the Eiffel Tower?" Grandma traveled several winters to Indio, California where she stayed at the Happy Wander with her cousin Pat and Grandpa whenever he decided to tag along. Grandma went with Bev to Nova Scotia in 1999. Grandma went on two cruises with Vera Lekavy, one in 2003 where they cruised to Los Angles and in 2006 they cruised through the Panama Canal, with ports of call along the way and Grandma loved it. Grandma, Mum and I went to New York in 2005, where Grandma out walked us both! We didn't have tickets to a ball game, but we went to Yankee stadium just the same. Grandma was a "National League" fan with Cardinal being her favorite team, of course that was after the Dodgers moved west! Grandma flew to Yuma Arizona in 2011 to meet Bev and drove home in the motor home with her. Grandma also made many trips to Kamloops to visit Bev and family. Grandma made several trips to the Prairies with Aunty Gail and Uncle Ted. After Aunty Gail's passing, with Uncle Ted to visit with family. She especially enjoyed our family reunions. She never missed one since the first family reunion was held at Sylvan Lake, Alberta in 1984. We have had eight family reunions since then. Grandma really enjoyed traveling and had fond memories of all her trips. Grandma loved to garden and always planted many flowers and vegetables, which rewarded Grandma with a beautiful display of colours and vegetables that she canned and made jam. Her favorite flower is a tulip. She baked cookies, pies and brownies. Her cookie jar was always full. She was always dressed beautifully for every occasion she may have been attending, lipstick, earrings and a matching necklace. She was a true lady through and through. Grandma had excellent health up until this year, she didn't pass up on many opportunities to try new things or go on an adventure. Family was very important to Grandma which she held dear to her heart. She especially had a special place for Uncle Ted, her son-in law, and missed him terribly this past year. Roger and Cameron Allan were special to Grandma as she had a hand in their up-bring in Vancouver and she asked "Cammie" to be a pall bearer along with her grandchildren. She said they were the sons she never had. Eulogy presented by Granddaughter, Christine Grandma was predeceased by: Mother Bessie Brown, father Clarke Brown and step-mother Myrtle Brown. Brothers; Langford and Alvin Brown; Howard and Grant Elliott. Sisters; Olive Huck and Vera Abeig. Sisters-in-law; Elsie Brown and Dorothy Elliott. Husband, Del and daughter Gail Farnsworth, grandson Garth Demmans; granddaughters Eileen and Elaine. Sons-in-law Ted Farnsworth and Roger Demmans. Survived by: Brother Kaye Elliott, wife Olga; Sister Lois Forsberg, husband Don, Brothers-in-law Glen Aebig, Charles Huck wife Verna. Daughter Beverley Demmans, five grandchildren; Brett Farnsworth, wife Wendy, Dee Manahan and Ron Bruce, Brad Farnsworth, wife Rhonda, Christine Baker, husband Barry and Lee John Demmans. Seven great grandchildren; Kanaye Renfrew, husband Craig, Kody Manahan, Brittany Alexander-Baker, Kristin Farnsworth, Brody Farnsworth, Hailey Baker and Shae Baker. Two great great grandchildren, Nash and Ella Renfrew. Many nieces and nephews, including great nieces and nephews and one cousin Dorothy Clarke, husband Wilbur.