ALICE RUDGE FORREST (MCNEIL)

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

ALICE RUDGE FORREST (MCNEIL) February 3, 1914 - September 21, 2007 A bell is not a bell 'til you ring it A song is not a song 'til you sing it And Love in your heart wasn't meant there to stay Because Love isn't Love 'til you give it away And so it has been for almost 94 years, a life that practiced giving her Love in some small way - every day. Alice was born to Scottish immigrants William McNeil and Mary Graham, the fourth child of six brothers and sisters; Winnifred, Ivy, Louis, Doug and Bill. With her passing comes the close of the immediate McNeil family. Raised and educated in Winnipeg's West End, she attended Principal Sparling and Daniel McIntyre schools. Upon graduating, she went to work at Eatons' in order to help with the family needs. While at Eatons' she met and married her love, Ross and they were married in September of 1932 sharing 50 years of marriage until Dad's death in 1983. Other than a brief few years of employment at Unemployment Insurance after the family had grown, Mom's grand design was her Family and the word Home conjures her image immediately. Her philosophy was to do something kind for someone each day and that practice was mirrored in the countless number of people who were recipients of her thoughts and deeds. The gift of her eyes for educational research was her parting gift in hope that someone would benefit from their use in the future. Her little gifts of Love were usually offered in the form of some neatly packaged treat as a little something for you along with a kind note of care or encouragement - each package decorated with an ever present sticker of one of her favourite little creatures or a flower. But, most of all, it was the gentle way in which she carried out her day to day living - always seeing beyond sorrow, sickness or daily challenges and forever having the ability to find happiness and appreciate the beauty in living. The tiniest act of thoughtfulness shown to her was accepted with absolute joy - delighting in card games and board games so that she could be near to her loved ones. She was genuinely interested in knowing about others and would remember details of those accounts in future conversations. Always happy and smiling, she was our gentle hero of strength - the kind soldier of direction for our family, the first one to contact if you were happy or sad, had some sort of news or simply wanted to talk - always at the window to wave goodbye when you left her. Her memory will always be in our hearts, but her unconditional Love will never be replaced. Time it was - Oh, what Time it was, it was a Treasury Now all these thoughts of you, are locked in a Memory Predeceased by her loving husband Ross and granddaughter Sharla-Lyn. Left with the happy memories of this dear life are her children, Donna Gratton (Dick) of Phoenix, Jacqui Blanchard (Dave) of Winnipeg, Ross Forrest (Sharon) of Winnipeg, Bill Forrest (Maureen) of Winnipeg. Her beloved grand-children, Dan (Darla), Michelle (Larry) and Colleen (Stephan), Shannon (Jerry), Kelly (Elizabeth), Jeffrey (Sharon) , Robert (Cindy), and Emily and Matthew. She was also Gee Gee to Vanessa and Stephanie, Ben and Ali, Haezal and Greta, Andrew and Samantha, Nicholas, Cody and Whitney and Hayden and Kelsey. She will be missed by her sisters-in-law, Enyd (Winnipeg), Myrtle (Penticton), Terry (Vancouver) and Merle (Edmonton) and her many nieces and nephews. And, of course, her dear friends whom she loved so much. It was clear that they were abundant by the number of cards and notes she received at any time of the year. A memorial service will be held at Chapel Lawn Funeral Home, 4000 Portage Ave, on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 12:30 p.m. Flowers gladly accepted or donations to World Wildlife Fund, The Winnipeg Humane Society or Special Olympics Manitoba are gratefully suggested. Arrangements entrusted to: Chapel Lawn Funeral Home 885-9715

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 22, 2007