FLORENCE MAUDE TURNBULL

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FLORENCE MAUDE TURNBULL Florence Maude Turnbull (nee Blair) aged 82 passed away peacefully at home with family at her side on Saturday, January 22, 2005. Born in Ochre River, MB on October 4, 1922, to William James and Ethel Blair. She was raised on a farm in a horse-n-buggy era, educated in Ochre River and later married John Turnbull. Together they moved to McCreary with family in 1956. Florence was an active leader with the McCreary 4-H Club. She obtained her Medical Record Technician Certificate while working at the McCreary Hospital. In 1969 Florence began a new career at the Misericordia Hospital in Winnipeg until 1986, retiring to be a third parent to her newest granddaughter Meghan. Florence actively participated at Theresa's Heaven, a senior's drop in centre within her apartment block. Her apartment was the centre point for all family visits far and wide. Florence led a good life and met each new challenge with an optimistic, yet down to earth outlook. In early 2003 she packed up and left Winnipeg leaving behind many good friends and family to stay with her sons Darcy and Arnold and their families in Snow Lake, MB, until the summer when she travelled to her new home in Ottawa to live with her daughter Debra and family. In Ottawa, Florence was not stymied by her condition; she loved exploring her new surroundings. At every opportunity she hustled and was at the ready to go in no time. She especially enjoyed trips to the local Farm Boy Grocery store, where she would be found engaged in conversion with the friendly fellow shoppers. Florence was the connecting fibre of our family; her honest shoot from the hip constitution earned her the respect and admiration of all that met her. She had a knack for meshing past generations and values into our daily lives. Her tireless efforts in research and building a family tree kept strong family connections via the internet as our lives drew us physically apart. Thank you Mom, for the love you put into each piece of knitted handiwork that you so unselfishly gave to keep us warm and snug. Florence was predeceased by her parents, William James and Ethel Blair; brothers, Gordon and Robert and daughter-in-law Lorraine. She will be lovingly remembered by sons, Arnold (Cheryl) and D'Arcy (Gladys) of Snow Lake; daughter Debra (Gary) of Ottawa, ON; grandchildren, David (Shanna), Robert (Samantha) of Snow Lake, Kathleen (Alti) Murray of Elkford, BC, Richard and Robin (Terri) of Snow Lake, Meghan Gerelus of Ottawa; and great-grandchildren; sisters, Leonore Strang of Dauphin, MB and Marian (Ted) Crabtree of St. Catharine's, ON; nieces, nephews, extended families and friends. She loved you all very much. Cremation with interment at Ochre River Cemetery at a later date. Memorial donations may be made to the Lung Association for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis Research.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 29, 2005