ALICE LUCILLE ALBERTA TOONE

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ALICE LUCILLE ALBERTA TOONE At the age of 91 years, our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and great-aunt, passed away peacefully at Meadowood Manor in Winnipeg, Monday, June 19, 2017. Alice joins Richard John Cornish (Jack) Toone, her husband of almost 66 years who predeceased her in 2010. She is survived by her son, John (Patricia), her daughters, Gail (Ron) and Mavis, and her grandchildren, Jennifer (Michael), Caslyn (Robert) and John (Carol), Kent, Cory (Gwen), Sean, Brendan, Aidan, Marlise, Ryan and Shannon, great-grandchildren MacKenzie, Emma, Elliet, Jackson John, Gus, Gloria, Luke, Sam, and Beckett, nieces Roseann, Lynda-Sue and Doreen, and nephews Jim (Nadia), Barry (Marta), Gary and David. Alice was predeceased by her parents, sisters and brother, granddaughter Kimberly, and son-in-law Guy. Mom worked for United Grain Growers before marriage and until she became a mother. As her children became older, she delighted in working weekends in the downtown Eaton's candy department managed by a woman, her good friend. Dad partially subscribed to the notion popular at that time, that a woman should not work outside the home, particularly when that woman often spent more money on candy for the family than she made working. The kids had no complaints. Woman's rights weren't an issue to Mom. Well before her time, she was a woman who neither solicited nor needed a man's permission to do what she wanted to do. She was firm in her resolve like her own mother, Agnes Welsh, who in the early 1920s, was the evangelical non-denominational pastor of a 400 member church in Winnipeg. Mom was a deacon at Broadway First Baptist Church, and she was one of the founders and a deacon-treasurer of St. Vital Baptist Church now Willowlake Baptist Church. Her final church was the Meadowood Manor Church. She attended church on Sunday and Morningsong almost every morning, except for Wednesday morning cribbage. "He always has a good message," she would say of Pastor David Holland. She was a voracious reader of "uplifting" books, fiction and of course scripture. She did her daily scripture readings and devotions right to the time that she could no longer read. She had an unwavering belief in God and Christ, and had absolutely no doubt that she would join Dad in heavenly afterlife. She had no fear of death and did her best to pass her faith on to each of us. Among many other organizations, Mom was involved on the Board of Canadian Baptist Missions Overseas travelling to Africa, including Kenya and Zaire, as well as Turkey and other overseas countries. She was heavily involved in World Women's Day of Prayer, and the Christian Women's Organization. She sang in many choirs including the Meadowood Manor Church Choir. Mom loved the staff and the family is very grateful for the patience, kindness, care and compassion of all those who work and volunteer at Meadowood Manor Personal Care. They are living saints. Loving her family, Mom took great joy in hearing about and following important events, accomplishments and news about each and every family member. She was always available to talk to anyone about anything at any time. Always a Lady, Mom was polite, well dressed, well-coiffed, bejeweled but not excessively, even after dementia eroded her life. We were taught manners and were reminded that with our table manners we could dine with the Queen without embarrassing the family. Generous, always sharing joy, conversation and food, Mom was kind and appreciative. She was an inspiration to her daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters as to how a woman should achieve and live her life, and in like manner inspired her male progeny. We miss her dearly, our Lady, our Mom. The last thing she wrote in her journal was "My life on earth is truly passed. I've loved you all to the very last. Weep not for me, but courage take, And love one another for my sake." Cremation has taken place and a private family service will be held. The family gratefully declines flowers, but if you wish, a donation may be made in Alice's memory to Meadowood Manor Foundation Inc., 577 St. Mary's Road, Winnipeg, Manitoba R2M 5B2.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 24, 2017