LOIS ELEANOR FERGUSON

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LOIS ELEANOR FERGUSON On Tuesday, November 3, 2009, Lois listened to her favourite music one last time and peacefully left to join her Creator, surrounded by her loving family and dancing rainbows from the crystal prisms in her room at Kin Place in Oakbank, Manitoba. Lois was born June 24, 1919, and grew up on the farm near Rossburn, Manitoba, one of eight children born to Eileen and Wilson Stitt. At the age of 20, she moved to the big city and lived with cousins, the Vincents, as she explored jobs ranging from a fish-and-chip store, packing chocolate puffs at Paulin Chambers Biscuit Company, housework, and summer work on a houseboat on Lake of the Woods. These jobs led her back to school, to take the Burroughs Bookkeeping and Business Machine Courses, after which she immediately gained employment with Imperial Oil, where she worked for nine years. Lois enjoyed going to movies, and one evening she and her friends met three Ferguson brothers. It was love at first sight. Lois married Theodore Ferguson in 1951, and a new life began as the couple farmed together at Elm Grove, for over 50 years. Family tradition and values meant everything to Lois, and any occasion was a reason to have a family dinner. Everyone had to have their own birthday cake, and her angel cakes were prize-winning every year at the local fair. Lois was very proud of her family and took great interest in their lives. She especially enjoyed time with her grandsons, whether going for a ride on a quad with Travis or in Stuart's big red truck (both at age 90!), listening to Ellery play piano, or hearing about Darryl's studies. She was thrilled to have four great-granddaughters and held them with heart and arms wide open. She had a quick wit and positive outlook on life and was frequently heard to say, I'm so glad to be me. Lois was predeceased by her husband Theodore in 2004. She was also predeceased by sisters Dorothy Brown, Florence Kemp, and Shirley Reid; by brother Jim Stitt; and by her brothers-in-law Earle and wife Joanne, and David and wife Pamela. Memories of Lois' life are cherished by her three children, son Neil and wife Diana; son Donald and special friend Diane Keam; and daughter Frances and partner Al Baronas; by four grandsons Travis and wife Marie; Darryl and fiancée Kelly; Ellery and wife Emily; and Stuart; and by four great-granddaughters Ciel, Ani, Katrine, and Téa. She is also cherished by her brothers Evan Stitt and wife Alice in Victoria; Cliff Stitt and wife Alice in Vernon; and Gerald Stitt of Penticton; and by her sister-in-law Margaret Stitt of Winnipeg, as well as nieces and nephews, and numerous friends and relatives. In recent years, Lois told us Have fun when you're young. She loved meeting people, visiting and joking with them, and maintained that sense even when she spent a full year in Ste. Anne's Hospital waiting for a room at Kin Place. The last five months of her life were lived fully at Kin Place in Oakbank, where she participated in every music event, every exercise class, and every party she could find. She especially enjoyed all the celebrations around her 90th birthday. The family is forever grateful for the tremendous care of Dr. Fredette and staff at Ste. Anne's Hospital, the home care staff over the years, special assistant Shelly; and also for the tremendous love, compassion and caring of all the staff at Kin Place, especially Mav who loved us through Mom's last hours. A service to celebrate Lois' life will be held on Saturday, November 7, at 1:00 p.m. at the Transcona Funeral Chapel, 1800 Day Street, with Rev. Dawn Ballantyne-Dixon officiating. Interment to follow in the family plot at Sunnyside Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations in Lois' memory may be made to Kin Place, Ste-Anne's General Hospital, or the St. Boniface General Hospital Foundation.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 06, 2009