MABEL ISABELLE PITURA

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MABEL ISABELLE PITURA Mabel Isabelle Pitura passed away March 19, 2011 in her sleep at Lion's Personal Care Home. She lived 97 years - a life full of energy and love. She was born in 1913 in Listowel, Ontario in a big family: Mom and Dad, Sophie and Valentine Keeso, four sisters and three brothers. Growing up, her best friend was her cousin, Babe. We'd go up into our attic and get dressed up in all of the old clothes, or we'd go downtown to see movies like Tarzan of the Apes' and then go to the Atlas Restaurant for a sundae. She stopped school before high school, worked in the knitting mills, and then spent several years caring for her parents. In 1935 she left Listowel to visit her sister, Irene, in Kirkland Lake to help care for her growing family. She was more than an aunt to Marion, the two became best friends for the rest of their lives. In a Christmas note last year, Marion reminded Mabel how all the men used to chase her - particularly a young newspaperman in Kirkland Lake named Jack Maunder. Mabel went skiing regularly at Swansee Ski Club with Marion and Marion's dad, Rene. On the bus ride home Mabel remembered: I asked Perce to sit somewhere else so the seat beside me would be empty in case Jack wanted to sit beside me. He did! Mabel and Jack were married in 1937 and had three boys: Les, born while Jack worked in Sudbury; Cliff and Mike born in Montreal. The young family moved to Winnipeg in 1949, when Jack was appointed public relations officer for the C.P.R. Just in time for the flood, remembered Mabel. She was hostess for many of Jack's public relations functions, including those connected with the great Grey Cup trains of the 1950s and a royal visit. Jack died unexpectedly in 1958 and Mabel took up the task of single-handedly supporting her young family. Albert Boothe of the Winnipeg Free Press remembered her easy way as a hostess and hired her as general receptionist for the newspaper's editorial offices. Among her best friends at the paper were Bob and Edna Noble and Anne Harris. Mabel made many lifelong friends too at her cottage at Matlock, including Don and Laura Johnston, Wayne and Rita Hildahl and many others. In 1968 Mabel left the Free Press and married Carl Pitura. She inherited a whole new family of grown children: Carl Jr., Valerie and Susan; and a whole crop of new babies and grandchildren. Her scrapbooks of the 1970s and 1980s are bursting with pictures of grandchildren growing up in all the branches of her family - Maria and Rosanna in Hallowe'en costumes; Danny and David taking a bath together; school pictures, Christmas gatherings, pictures of her and Carl on trips to Cuba, Hawaii and of course, Matlock. A proud moment was Maria winning a silver Olympic medal in rowing. Carl and Mabel moved to Riverside Plaza shortly before he passed away in 1983. Mabel continued with busy activities at Riverside for many years - her daily swim in the Riverside pool, a member of John Black Church, friendships with many, including Art, Bunny, Marnie, Eunice and Audreen. She and two friends headed off for a long driving trip through the Rockies when she was in her 80s. She remained in her own apartment until she was 95 and then moved to Lions Manor. While at Lions, and almost to her last day, she maintained a tradition that had started at Matlock - her five o'clock drink of scotch. In her last week, the drink turned into sips. A service celebrating her life will be held at Augustine United Church, 444 River Avenue, on Saturday, April 2, at 2:00 p.m. Donations in her memory will be gratefully accepted at Continuity Care, 2-120 Maryland Street, Winnipeg, MB R3G 1L1. Funeral Arrangements In Care Of WHEELER FUNERAL CHAPEL 211 REGENT AVE. WEST AT BOND 224-1525

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 26, 2011