VERLA SARAH BIRD

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VERLA SARAH BIRD Peacefully with her family by her side on Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at the Douglas Campbell Lodge, Verla Sarah Bird of Portage la Prairie, beloved wife of Ellis Bird passed away at the age of 79 years. Funeral service will be held at the Portage Alliance Church on Saturday, January 31, 2009 at 1:30 p.m. with Pastor Ray Willms officiating. Interment will follow in the family plot at Evergreen Memorial Gardens. Verla was born on August 30, 1929, daughter of Frank and Lily Bell in the Beautiful Valley District. She received her education at Dundonald, West Prospect, MacDonald High School and PCI. She then attended normal school in Winnipeg after which she taught school at Little Saskatchewan School, Rob Roy School and MacDonald School. In 1964, she began teaching with Red River Community College Adult Education in several Manitoba locations, retiring in 1993. In 1952 she married Ellis Bird and they resided in Portage where they raised their family of two daughters and one son. Verla attended the Gospel Hall, the Trinity United Church and the Portage Alliance Church and had been an active member of the UCW at Trinity United Church. At the Alliance church she volunteered at the church tape centre. Since 1964 she had been a member of the Toastmistress, a member of the Canadian Order of Foresters from 1952 until 1990. Her special times were spent with her children and grandchildren. Verla will be fondly remembered by her family for making birthdays, holidays and family gatherings memorable. Predeceased by her parents, two brothers; Alvin and Bob, three sisters Ruth deGalen, Irene Bell and her twin sister Verna McRorie. Verla is survived by her loving husband Ellis, her three children; Lisa and Bruce Sneesby of Westbourne, Shauna-Lei and Jim Leslie of Rural Portage, Cameron and Betty of Warman, Saskatchewan, seven grandchildren; Sheldon Sneesby and fiancée Lindsey, Marshall and Jen Sneesby, Lawana and Murray Spratt, Branden Leslie, Jordan, Brianna and Jillian Bird, three great-grandchildren Bailey Sneesby, Connor and Travis Spratt. Also surviving is her brother Keith (Jackie) of Gold River, BC, sisters; Evelyn Mason of Portage, Bunnie Marshall of Kamloops, BC, Barbara Anne (Joe) Holmes of Brandon, brother-in-law Victor Bell of Selkirk, sister-in-law Dorothy Bell of Edmonton, and many nieces, nephews and friends. Friends may call at the funeral home for visitation on Friday evening from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Should friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to the Douglas Campbell Lodge care of Portage District General Hospital Foundation, 524 Fifth St. S.E. Portage la Prairie, MB R1N 3A8, or to the Portage Alliance Church Memorial Fund, 2375 Saskatchewan Ave W., Portage la Prairie, MB R1N 3B2. A tribute DVD in memory of Verla will be produced by the Omega Funeral Home, condolences may be sent to the family care of Omega Funeral Home, 83 Royal Road South, Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, R1N 1T8 or friends may leave a message of sympathy on our web site www.omegafuneralhome.com Dedicated to those we serve .

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 29, 2009