Carole Alma Maguire (Fraser) was born to William Thomas and Mary Irene Fraser in Binscarth, Manitoba December 4, 1934. The family moved to Waskada, Manitoba where she would reside with her two older brothers Bill and Gordon. She was very musical and excelled at the piano so was soon asked to play in her brother Bill’s band. After high school she went to Normal school in Winnipeg where she earned her teachers certificate. Her first job posting was in the Elgin School teaching Grades
Sylvia Ellen Gilliard was born in the RM of Cameron on November 26, 1946 to Emile & Beulah (Dunn) Charles. She was the 4th youngest of ten children – Beatrice, Melvin, Earl, Leona, Norman, Bob, Sylvia, David, Donald, & Emily.
In her early years, Sylvia attended elementary and middle school in Maple Hill and Lauder and high school in Hartney. After completing her education, she moved to Souris to work at the dental clinic, a job she held until she married.
She married Rene Gilliard in 1965, and together, they bought the family farm near Deleau, where they raised their four children – Richard (1966), Valerie (1967), Cheryl (1977), & Kelly (1979).
Sylvia worked alongside Rene on the farm, raising beef cattle, dairy cows, and pigs. Once the kids were old enough to be self-sufficient, Sylvia began working off the farm as a Retail Clerk at Saputo Cheese in Souris, then later as a waitress at Chicken Chef. Rene & Sylvia farmed full-time until 2007, when Rene lost his battle to cancer. Sylvia then rented out the land while she continued living in the family home. After 51 years on the farm, Sylvia moved into the Cameron Lodge in Hartney in 2018 and then sold the farm in 2020.
Throughout her life, Sylvia was a bundle of energy, always ready for friendly competition. She was an avid card player, often hosting family card games that went into the early morning hours. As a young girl, she played baseball on the Hartney girls’ softball team, and later in life, she was a founding member of The Leftovers slow pitch team, a multi-generational family ball team. Keeping with the family sports theme, Sylvia spent many winter evenings & weekends at the curling rink with Rene and the kids, where they balanced their competitive spirit with family fun.
Sylvia passed away on August 2nd, 2024, at the Souris Health Centre at the age of 77. Warmest thanks to Dr Cram and the hospital staff for their compassionate care before her passing. A special thank you to Robyn Denbow & the Homecare team for their support during her years in the Cameron Lodge.
Sylvia was predeceased by her husband Rene, parents Emile and Beulah, sisters Beatrice (brother-in-law Henry) and Leona, and brothers Melvin (sister-in-law Joanne), Earl, Bob, David, and Donald. Sylvia leaves to mourn her children Richard (Laurie), Valerie, Cheryl, and Kelly (Phil); grandchildren David Davis, Andrew Davis (Morgan), Kevin Gilliard (Kayla), Ryan Gilliard, and Dylan Swaenepoel; great-grandchildren Skyler and Savannah, Nolan and Brooks, and Harper and Saylor; brother Norman (Diane); sister Emily (Steve); and sister-in-laws Linda, Evelyn, Rose Marie, and June.
A celebration of life was held on August 13, 2024 at St. Jean’s Catholic Church in Grande Clairiere, followed by a reception at the hall. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Alzheimer Society or to Cancer Care Manitoba in Sylvia’s memory.
Gary was born on January 5, 1950, in Killarney MB to Franklin and Olive McDowell. Gary’s primary years of education were in Killarney. The family owned a dairy farm but in 1962 sold the farm in Killarney and bought a dairy farm in Deleau. Gary then attended Deleau and Hartney school. Gary moved with his family for a short time to Carenport SK but would move back to Souris and marry his soul mate Karen Denbow May 23, 1970. In 1973 Karen and Gary would welcome a son, Darrell and in 1975 a daughter, Shelly.
Gary had many occupations throughout his years, baker, cheese maker, water plant operator, farmer, landscaper, life insurance agent, real-estate salesman and appraiser, developer, auctioneer. He was a man of many talents!
In 1997 Gary and Karen moved off the farm to Souris MB and his son Darrell and wife Mina took over the farming operation.
In retirement Gary enjoyed going south for the winter. He started a karaoke club at the good life park in Mesa Az and enjoyed sharing his talent of singing Elvis tunes.
Gary was called home to his heavenly father on July 31, 2024. Gary was preceded in death by his parents Franklin and Olive, brothers, Ron and Alvin and a still born daughter, Julie. He is survived by his loving wife Karen of 54 years, son Darrell (Mina) McDowell, daughter Shelly (Jeremy) Hoerer. Six grandchildren and three great grandchildren.
Funeral service was held at the Centennial Centre, Hartney, Manitoba on Tuesday, August 6, 2024. Private interment in the Deleau Cemetery. In memory of Gary, donations may be made to the Gideon Bible or to the Turtle Mountain Bible Camp.
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Sheila, 82 years, beloved wife of the late Dixon Jasper, mother of Michele (Kevin), Brenda (Graham) and Kevin, grandmother of Abby, Issa and Mary. Sheila passed away at the Souris Health Centre on July 29, 2024. A memorial service for family and friends was held at the Centennial Centre, Hartney on Thursday, August 15,2024. Private interment in the Riverside Cemetery, Hartney, Manitoba. In memory of Sheila, donations may be made to Cancer Care Manitoba or to the Souris Palliative Care Fund c/o Prairie Mountain Health Box 10 Souris, Manitoba R0K 2C0.
Kenneth Harvey Austin ~ January 17, 1955 – July 28, 2024
“Turk” spent most of his childhood in Hartney hanging out with the boys. He was always on the sidelines cheering on the Hartney Imperials ball team and the Hartney Blues hockey team.
Ken started working “on the gang” with C.P. Rail which led to a life-long career in the C. P. Rail yard in Calgary, Alberta.
He decided to once again call Manitoba home and lived here until his passing.
Turk will be remembered for his love of playing cards, watching movies and playing Bat out of Hell (by Meatloaf) loudly and repetitively.
Ken was predeceased by his mother Pat Austin and Uncle Tom Austin.
He is survived by some cousins, some good old friends from Hartney and close friend, Lois Charles.
A time of fellowship will be held September 14, 2024 from 2 – 4 at the Hartney Legion.
Donations in memory of Ken can be sent to: Safe & Warm c/o Samaritan House Ministries 820 Pacific Avenue, Brandon, Manitoba R7A 0J1
It is with great sadness that the family of Lillian Joyce Atchison announces her passing on July 20, 2024. Lil was born December 15, 1932 to the late Roland and Sarah Kruger. She married the love of her life Ted Atchison on June 20, 1951. Lil farmed with her husband Ted on their farm located in Findley, Manitoba. Later Ted and Lil bought the Belleview store which they ran together until their retirement in 1998.
Lil is lovingly remembered by her sons Tim (Shelia), Larry (Caroline), daughter Tina (Pat) and daughter-in-law Jackie. She is also survived by her brothers John, Sonny (Darlene) and Jim (Shirley) and Sisters Mary, Patsy (Elliot), and Eleanor as well as many grandchildren, great grandchildren, nephew and nieces.
Lil was predeceased by her parents and her husband as well her son Les and grandson Terence.
A private graveside service was held at the Pipestone Cemetery.
Bill, 87 years, beloved husband of Sandra Wismer, father of Shawnna, Jeff, Stacey and the late Lance, step-father of Ron Timmins and Stewart Timmins, Bill passed away in the Hartney Community Health Centre on July 18, 2024. A private graveside service was held at the Souris & Glenwood Cemetery at a later date. In memory of Bill, donations may be made to a charity of your choice.
Pastor Les Alder
On July 18, 2024, at the age of 94, John Leslie Alder went home to be with his best friend, Jesus.
Les was born September 2, 1929 in Crystal City Manitoba to Carmen and Laura (Mack) Alder.
He was the 3rd oldest of 9 children and grew up on the family farm near Mather Manitoba.
Along with his siblings Les attended the Graham school through grade 8 and then to Crystal City for high school.
Les drove a cream truck to earn money for Bible School. He attended Winnipeg Bible Institute from 1948 -1950. It was there that he first saw the love of his life singing in the choir. To help with expenses Les work for CN Rail, a job that he loved very much. He worked at Crescent Creamery and as a car mechanic for a time.
Les and Eileen were married on September 16, 1950 in Winnipeg. They then went to Edmonton to attend Northwest Bible College. Upon graduation they went into full time ministry.
Over those years they served in Alberta, several places in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Iowa and Nebraska USA.
Along with their family they lead evangelistic services from 1976-1981 while Les worked for Alder Brother’s Glass.
Les and Eileen enjoyed a few years of retirement helping out around Manhattan Beach Retreat Centre, enjoying their little cabin on the lake there and going back and forth between Manitoba and BC. Les and Eileen shared 56 years of marriage until Eileen’s death in December of 2006.
Les met his second sweetheart, Elsie Dornian in Souris Manitoba in 2008. They were married in August of 2010 and enjoyed 11 years together on an acreage west of Souris until Elsie’s death in 2021.
Les first felt his calling to ministry at Manhattan Beach Retreat Centre, then know as Manhattan Beach Camp as a teenager. He fulfilled that calling over the next seventy plus years. In between times he enjoyed tinkering in his shop, building machines, fixing broken things to be better than when they were new, making “things”, leather work, wood work, building and repairing buildings. When Les realized that he needed a forge he decided to build one. The same happened when he needed tools for his lathe, he just made them. Along with his welder and many other tools, he repaired and built many things around the acreage that he spent his final years on. He has left his finger print in many places. The thing that he loved best was telling people about Jesus which he was busy doing up to the day before his death. His heart desire was for everyone to know Jesus. He must have left his print on your life too or you wouldn’t be here today. He would say to you, “Jesus Loves You my friend.”
Les is survived by his children, Ruth (Mark) Tombs, Lynne (Larry) VanBeek, Carole (Mike) Baker. Grandchildren, Matthew (Amy) Tombs, Sarah (Chris) Gonzalez, Lauren VanBeek, Takara Baker, Tanya Baker, Harley Baker, William Baker and great grandchild, Emma Tombs.
Brother’s, Gordon (Lorretta) Alder, Lloyd (Sheila) Alder, Roy (Anne) Alder, Ron Alder and One Sister Joyce (Norman) Mitchell and numerous nephews and nieces.
Les was predeceased by his Parents, Wife Eileen and Wife Elsie, Brothers Garth Alder and Tom Alder. Brother- in – law Eddie Canfield. Sister – Kaye Canfield. Sister – in – laws Myrtle Alder, Ester Alder and Ardella Alder.
In memory of Les, donations may be made to MBRC Box 62, Ninette, Manitoba R0K 1R0 or to ERDO 2450 Miltower Court, Mississauga Ontario, L5N 5Z6.
A memorial service was held at My Church Winnipeg 955 Wilkes Avenue, Winnipeg on Thursday, July 25, 2024. Also a memorial service was held at Faith Community Baptist Church, Souris, on Saturday, July 27, 2024. Private interment in the Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg. I
Jerry, 76 years, beloved husband of Ginny Hardy, father of Pam and Steven, passed away suddenly at his residence on his family farm near Deleau on July 13, 2024. A memorial reception for family and friends was held at the Deleau Park, Deleau. Manitoba on Sunday, July 28, 2024. A private interment service was held at the Deleau Cemetery. In memory of Jerry, donations may be made to a charity of your choice.
Mervin Lloyd Brown was born in Carroll Manitoba on January 23, 1936, the seventh of eight children to Norman and Ida Brown. He attended school at Neelin and Treesbank for the first few years of his life before seeking employment, where he worked for local farmers, and spent some time working on the railroad. On June 28, 1960, he married Sheila Thornitt and moved to Alberta for a short time before moving back to Brandon. Their son Philip was born in 1962 and another move took them to the junction of Highways 2 and 18 where they operated a service station and restaurant. When Philip started school they moved back to Brandon where Mervin worked for Cancade’s Manufacturing. Not long after that he started working on a paint crew for the Department of Highways and shortly after received a full time position with the Manitoba highways department based out of Wawanesa, where he retired comfortably at 55.
While working for the Highways Department, the family purchased a 40 acre parcel of unbroken land on the Number 2 Highway. Over the next year they spent most of their spare time carving what would become an award winning acreage into the brush. The final product was a home where they raised dogs, cattle, and had a market garden. Mervin later moved to a property he had previously purchased along the Number 10 Highway. For the next 25 years he lived there and continued his two favorite pastimes, gardening and raising cattle. He remained there until he moved to Victoria Landing with his partner Evelyn in 2016.
In 2022, poor health forced him to move to Hartney Personal Care Home where he passed away on July 13, 2024.
Anyone that knew Mervin knew he worked hard and loved to have fun. Not much in life was handed to Mervin and most of what he had were the fruits of his hard work. If you couldn’t find him out in his yard working then your next bet was his favorite chair where he liked to take his afternoon nap.
Mervin loved the country and the trees, but he had a strange relationship with the latter. His obsession with trees started in Brandon, where his 25 year old spruce trees were half the size of his neighbors as a result of his obsessive pruning. This continued to the farm where trees were cleared by the hundred, only to be replaced by ones that could be more easily pruned. Unfortunately for the trees, Mervin also loved his wood stove.
Mervin wasn’t much of a cook as Philips’ only memory of him using the stove was leaving the kettle on and burning the bottom out of it. Mervin wasn’t a religious man, but he sure did like the saying “Jesus Christ”. He liked it so much that even as Alzheimer’s progressed he never did forget it.
Some of his other favorite pastimes included the harness races, music, dancing, the slots, fishing, curling, playing cards, a good movie, and raising dogs.
In his younger and wilder days, Mervin dislocated his shoulder after being pulled on a pair of skis through the ditch by a car. It was horsing around like this that always brightened up his day, and made him so memorable to family and friends.
He never liked to be the center of attention but he loved to laugh and have fun. Throughout his life his laughter could fill a room, and we hope it continues to do so wherever you are now.
Mervin was predeceased by his parents Norman and Ida Brown. His wife of 35 years Sheila Brown (nee: Thornitt). Siblings Audrey (Russell) Angus, Russell (Stella) Brown, George Brown, Elmer (Audrey) Brown, Ray (Marion) Brown, Don Brown, infant brother Ralph Brown.
Mervin is survived by his son Philip (Tammy) Brown and grandson Luke Brown. Sister-in-laws Emily Brown and Margaret Brown and numerous nieces and nephews.
A private graveside funeral service was held at the Carroll Cemetery. In memory of Mervin donations may be made to the Hartney Community Health Centre c/o Prairie Mountain Health Box 280 Hartney, Manitoba R0M 0X0.