INEZ BONNIE RINN

Condolences & Memories (2 entries)

• I retired from teaching 8 years ago and have kept with me many fond memories of those "good ole days" ...I could tell many stories, but the one that has touched my heart the most involved Inez and a little boy named Harold. Inez, being such a vibrant energetic person searched for extra things to do after she retired from HSC...one of which was to volunteer in my Primary classroom in Langruth. She came regularly every Tuesday and Thursday to listen to little ones read. Then one day along came Harold, a transient student who was old enough to be in Gr.3 but was placed in my Gr.1 & 2 classroom because he still hadn't learned to read. Inez took this stubborn reluctant fellow under her wing and he became her pet project. I'm sure the name Inez means "one who loves a challenge". She was determined that little boy was going to love reading by the end of the year. She brought fun word games, new books and even snacks. Inez had been a teacher herself for many years in her early days so she knew how to motivate a child. Soon Harold's favorite person became that kind loving lady who came twice a week to be with him. When it was impossible for Inez to make it on her two regular days, she came whenever she could and sometimes that was more than twice a week. If she was in town getting groceries, she dropped in to spend some time with "her boy". This little boy who used to miss school whenever he could became a perfect attender and one who was overheard saying, "I love school because I love to read"....and that was thanks to Inez.. Harold didn't want to miss Mrs. Rinn's visits and asked where she was every day. I never knew when Inez was going to pop in at the school. When we had our first terrible snow storm and school was cancelled, the phoning committee contacted everyone on their list. At 9 o'clock sharp I got a phone call. It was Inez calling from the store. "There's nobody at the school", she said. I was so ashamed that I hadn't thought of calling her but I never dreamed that she would take off in such a storm. Her name became the top name on our phoning list. Inez had such a positive attitude towards life. She was a risk taker and never backed down from a difficult task. I learned so much from Inez and being around her always lifted my spirits. She became one of my favorite people and I will always think of her as a very dear friend. - Posted by: Doris Sigurdson (friend) on: Nov 23, 2012

• I met Inez when she entered the Cytology Training program which I was teaching at HSC. Over the years we became friends. Five of us tried to schedule going out for dinner twice as year as one by one we retired from HSC. She was always so proud of her family, telling us of their latest activities. When she was living in Winnipeg, her heart was always at home in Langruth. We often talked of plants and gardens. We were fortunate to visit her home and summer place at the lake, obviously a favourite place. She was a warm and gracious hostess. Inez was often off to somewhere, Edmonton, Iceland, into Winnipeg for a concert. She was a warm, loving woman. I admired her energy, courage, and positive attitude, always ready to try something new, involved in some activity. Bless you Inez, you will be missed. With love, Sharyn - Posted by: Sharyn Morris (Friend and Co-worker from Health Sciences Centre) on: Nov 22, 2012