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IRENE MARY VANSTONE
Date of Passing: Nov 10, 2015
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryIRENE MARY VANSTONE (née SCHMALTZ) On Tuesday, November 10, 2015, at the Riverview Health Centre, our much loved mother, grandmother, sister and aunt passed away. Irene is survived by her children, Valerie, Dianne, Ellen, Jay (Kaneena), Michael (Casey) and Lindsay; grandchildren, Ruth, Eliza, Jakab, Clare, Leo, Rena, Alec and Miles. Her brothers, Stanley, Norman, Leonard (Anne) and Gregory (Delores), sister-in-law Eilleen, brother-in-law Martin Mayer, and all her nieces and nephews out West remember Irene as a loving sister and aunt who was always the life of the party. She was predeceased by her husband, George Lewis Douglas Vanstone; brother Clarence and sister Lima. On August 13, 1924, Irene was born, in Beiseker, Alberta. She was one of seven children who worked hard to help make the family farm a success, but the farming life was not for her. After high school, she went to Calgary to train as an R.N. with the Grey Nuns at Holy Cross Hospital, and later joined Trans Canada Air Lines as a stewardess. While based in Winnipeg, Irene met Doug and married him in 1951. Though her memory failed on many fronts in the twelve years since his death, when Irene did remember her husband, it was with affection: "He was a real gentleman." She returned to nursing off and on over the years as she raised six children, loving both the job and the dear friends she made in the medical community. At one point she worked with geriatric patients at Riverview Health Centre in its previous incarnation as the Municipal Hospitals. But Irene's favourite job by far was taking care of newborn babies in the nursery at Misericordia Hospital. All her grandchildren (and their grateful parents) benefitted hugely from her expertise and utter devotion to infant care. According to Irene's wishes, a private service will be held in Wojcik's Funeral Chapel, 2157 Portage Avenue. The family thanks the staff at Riverview Health Centre CD1 for their kind and compassionate care. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Villa Rosa. villarosa.mb.ca Wojcik's Funeral Chapel, 2157 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB in care of arrangements 204.897.4665. For those who wish to sign Wojcik's online Guest Book please visit our website at www.wojciksfuneralchapel.com
Publish Date: Nov 14, 2015
IRENE MARY VANSTONE On Tuesday, November 10, 2015 Irene died at the Riverview Health Centre at the age of 91 years. A longer obituary notice to follow. Wojcik's Funeral Chapel, 2157 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, MB in care of arrangements 204.897.4665. For those who wish to sign Wojcik's online Guest Book please visit our website at www.wojciksfuneralchapel.com
Publish Date: Nov 13, 2015
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 14, 2015
Condolences & Memories (3 entries)
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I met Irene and Dianne on the corner of Osborne and Carlaw while walking to Grade 1 with my mom 58 years ago. Dianne was my first real friend. Irene and my Mom stayed friends for years through many of our airforce moves. So many memories....playing hide and seek in that awesome house, "Lindsay kisses," riding the monkey trails with Dianne, being interviewed by the police when Dianne and I saw a naked man on the trails (remember Naked Ned?) and poor Irene having to reword what the officers needed to know but we couldn't understand, writing a song on the piano about it (how naive we were), being awestruck at Irene's collection of foil from cigarette packages, wondering how long the ash could remain on the end of her cigarette, Doug in his easy chair, Princess the German Shepherd from next door, pet white rats (Casperina Marie Bernadette). How fun to connect with Jay years later when he married the lovely Kaneena from my home town, Gimli. And on they go...as life moves on. Irene, I am so sorry I never came to visit you in these last years. Vanstone family, I am so sorry for your loss. My mom and Irene will be having a "g and t" right about now. - Posted by: Deb Pearce Thordarson (Family friend) on: Nov 17, 2015
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I met Irene through my long time friendships with Dianne and Ruth(30 years!), Jay and Lindsay (30 years plus!). Anytime that I connected with Irene I always appreciated her sense of humour, her bright spirit and her loving and caring way with her family. I admired how she had been able to become a nurse and raise 6 children back in a time when many women were encouraged to not have such ambition. Irene would come to see me for massage over the years and she would always have some new shocking or surprising joke or story up her sleeve. She always made me laugh and listen when I spent time with her. She struck me as a very down to earth human being who cared about others, liked to enjoy herself and liked to not take things too seriously. I enjoyed her company. 26 years ago when my youngest daughter Justine was a newborn, Irene and Dianne offered to babysit her and my other 2 daughters Amie and Erin while my husband Gary and I had a night out.Ruth would have been 4 at the time and she was there too, of course. They had a house full of kids that night. This was a kind and much appreciated offer and within 5 minutes of watching Irene scoop Justine up in her efficient and baby-loving arms, I felt completely at ease to go out and enjoy the evening.It was obvious that she really loved new life. Thank you Irene for that evening and for raising such a wonderful and interesting family who I have had the privilege of knowing and being in my life for so many years. I'm sure you will miss her. My heart is with you all as you say goodbye to her tomorrow. -Kathie - Posted by: Kathie Josephson,Gary Laidlaw,Amie , Erin and Justine Josephson-Laidlaw (friends of the family) on: Nov 15, 2015
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Our Prayers and sincere Condolence's are with your family. - Posted by: Vivian & George Palardy (Schmaltz) (First Cousin) on: Nov 14, 2015
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