ELEANOR MARKS

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ELEANOR MARKS With deep sadness her family announce the passing of Eleanor Marks (Worster) on October 4, 2004. Eleanor was born August 6, 1934 to Henry and Katherine (Schelthelm) Worster. Eleanor was an attractive and talented girl who sang and acted during her school years. She worked as a steno for the Manitoba Medical Association, Canada Packers and Manitoba Hydro after graduation. She married Lorne Frank Marks on February 25, 1956, and made the transition from city girl to Newdale farm wife with her characteristic can-do attitude in 1964. The girl who couldnt cook when she was married, became an excellent baker, cook and seamstress. Her children looked forward to the smell of fresh baking as they came in off the bus. She loved to garden, making her yard beautiful and enjoying fresh fruit and vegetables. She was proud of the self-sufficiency that she and Lorne developed, and preserved and froze garden produce and raised chickens and turkeys along with their beef cattle. With Lornes support, she continued to sing for weddings and funerals, in choirs and with "The Rhythmaires". She entertained at Robbie Burns Nights for several years with Irene Gamey of Strathclair at the piano. Eleanor was a founding member of the Strathclair Drama Club, and was active with the club as long as she was able, acting, singing, dancing, directing, designing and painting sets and providing helpful criticism. Her favourite roles were "Golde" in Fiddler on the Roof and "Bloody Mary" in South Pacific. She took up painting as a hobby and was thrilled this spring to have one of her pieces purchased for the Manitoba government permanent collection and exhibited at the Legislature. Eleanor was never afraid to try her hand at anything and she did most of the things she really wanted to do, from refinishing and reupholstering her furniture to travelling to the east and west coasts and to Hawaii. She loved her home and family. Eleanor was predeceased by her husband, Lorne, in 1997. She is survived by her children and grandchildren, Jim and Irene (Thomas) (Gimli), Cathy and Ian Gerrard (William, Andrew, Danielle) (Strathclair), Glenn and Diane (Erica, Nicole, Jason) (Winnipeg), Bill and Rebecca (Becky, Megan, Mary, Yvonne, Rosie) (Lewiston, Idaho) and Ray (White Rock, BC) by her sisters, Marie Scowby (Maple Ridge, BC), Helene Popp, Margaret and Jim Russell, Eva and Ed Mosley (Winnipeg), and Marlene and Tom Shand (Lac du Bonnet) by her brothers and sisters-in-law, Leona and Jack Foster, Stan and Anne Marks, Laurence and Joyce Marks (Winnipeg), Marj and Bob Drysdale (Brookdale), Gaynor Marks (Cartwright), Bob and Wendy Marks (Saanichton, BC), Barb and Greg Graham (Brookdale) and her nieces and nephews. Eleanor wanted to thank all her friends and visitors, especially long-time friend Jerri Bennett of Shoal Lake, "general factotum" Roslyn Aikman, and the Home Care team, doctors, nurses and aides of Morley House and the Shoal Lake-Strathclair Health Centre. A memorial service will be held at Strathclair United Church at 2:00 p.m., Friday, October 8. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Strathclair United Church, Strathclair Community Centre or Morley House of Shoal Lake.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 08, 2004