IDA ALICE

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IDA ALICE McLEAN November 23, 1923 - August 21, 2004 It is with great sadness that our family announces the passing of our mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, auntie, sister-in-law, and mother-in-law, Ida Alice McLean (nee Anderson) of Fairford on Saturday, August 21, 2004. She leaves to cherish her memory, her 13 children: five daughters, Eileen (Alex Spence), Harriet McLean, Shirley (Mark Grindey), Hilda (Howard Leveque), Runa McMahon; and eight sons, Robert (Beverley) McLean, Chris (Karen) McLean, Gordon (Joanne) McLean, John (Sheila) McLean, Raymond (Jean) McLean, Allan (Gladys) McLean, Jacob (Bernice) McLean, and Daniel (Sharilyn) McLean; 31 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews too numerous to mention; her sister-in-law Priscilla (Roy) Thompson, and brother-in-law, Steve McLean. Ida was predeceased by her husband, Noel Robert McLean on May 31, 1992 and most recently, by her sister Harriet Anderson on June 6, 2004, and nephew William Joseph Anderson in 2004. In their early years of marriage, Ida and her husband, Noel, gave their hearts to the Lord as their personal Saviour. Noel became a minister of the gospel shortly thereafter. Idas favourite scripture was "Train up a child in a way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it." Prov. 22:6. They would never miss a Sunday morning to bring all of their children to a church service taking up two rows of front pews. The girls would be wearing dresses and all the boys wore suits. Today, all of the 13 children are saved and faithfully serving the Lord. Nine of them are now ministers of the gospel including two grandsons. When Ida turned 80 years old, she wanted all of her children to come together to see her. She told them that her work to raise up a family of ministers was finished. She indicated that she had lived and enjoyed her life to the fullest and that her time on earth was coming to an end with a longing desire to be with her Lord and Saviour. She encouraged her children to love one another and minister the gospel. After she blessed them, all her children got up and quoted scripture found in the book of Proverbs 31:28 where it states, "Her children arise up, and call her blessed; . . .". Her children all together said to their Mom, "Mom, You are blessed!". "As for me, this is my covenant with them, saith the Lord; My spirit that is upon thee, and my words which I have put in thy mouth, shall not depart out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy seed, nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed, saith the Lord, from henceforth and forever," Is. 59:21. The viewing will be held at the Arnason Funeral Home on Tuesday, August 24, 2004 from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m., the Wake service on Wednesday, at 7:30 p.m. at Fairford Pentecostal Church, and the Funeral on Thursday, August 26, 2004 at 1:00 p.m. at Fairford with interment to follow at the St. Helens Cemetery with Pastor Rev. Alex James Anderson officiating. The active Pallbearers will be her grandsons, Steven Leveque, Jason Spence, Marty McLean, Aaron McLean, John Alfred McLean Jr., and Aaron Leveque. Crossbearer will be her granddaughter Christina McMahon. The Honorary Pallbearers and Ushers will be her seven adopted sons; the Anderson Brothers, John, Walter, Alex James, Joe, Sam, Harold and Brian. The family would like to thank the doctor, nurses and staff at the Lakeshore General Hospital Palliative Care Unit for the excellent and compassionate care they provided. The family would like to extend their thanks to Maxine and Clifford Anderson, Wilma and Garf Sinclair, Bertha Sumner, Evangeline Traverse, and Edith Gagen, and Marina Letandre for the time they spent with us and for the lunches and snacks they brought to the hospital. You are all very dedicated and have a special place in our hearts forever for the kindness you have shown. A very special thanks to Eva Woodford who was there for us when our mother passed on. Thanks to the Chief and Council of Pinaymootang First Nation for their support and many other people that came to visit the family. Arrangements by: Arnason Funeral Homes Ltd. Ashern - Lundar (204) 768-2072

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 24, 2004