BEA SMIDER

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BEA SMIDER On June 16, 2005, Bea Smider of Souris, MB passed away peacefully at the age of 87 at her suite in Souris Personal Care. Her daughter Barbara and close friend Lorraine Couling were at her side. She will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by her daughters, Marlyn Horton (Duane) of Edmonton, Barbara Kotyk (Robert) of Winnipeg, and Margaret Jerome (Reg) of Sherwood Park; and her seven grandchildren, Andrew and Brandon Horton; Penny and Lynley Kotyk and Jill, Ross and Rebecca Jerome. Bea Smider was born Beatrice Johnstone Kidd on June 13, 1918 in Edinburgh, Scotland. Bea was predeceased by her husband Frank Smider, her eldest child Ian and her sister Margaret. During The Second World War, Bea worked for the British Military building pontoon boats. It was also at this time that Bea met her future husband Frank, who was then a Canadian soldier on leave in Edinburgh. Bea came to Canada in 1947 by propeller driven aircraft on one of the inaugural flights of Pan-American Airlines to finally arrive in Winnipeg, MB. Bea and Frank Smider were married on July 1, 1947, in Melita, MB. Bea and Frank lived with their family in Bear Creek, SK, then moved to the Hartney and Souris area where they lived for over 50 years. While living in Hartney, Bea was involved with both the Rebekkas Order and the Royal Canadian Legion. Bea was a member of the CNIB. Through the CNIB, she went to Winnipeg and learned both Braille, and keyboarding skills on the electric typewriter. Bea was also a voracious reader, and through the CNIB Talking Books program, she enjoyed on average, over 300 talking books a year. Bea loved having her own private suite at Crescent Manor in Souris, and independence was a key ingredient to her spending many happy years there, as a senior. A large part of Bea's life during this time, involved her taking many trips via Greyhound bus to both Edmonton and Winnipeg to visit her daughter, grandchildren and sons-in-law. Bea was very devoted to her seven grandchildren, and she took great interest and pride in each of their individual interests, personalities, and achievements. Her generosity and love of her family, is without question a large part of her lasting legacy. Her perspective on life was seen through an unmatched sense of humour, a quick wit, optimism and lots of positivity, which was tempered with just enough cynicism, to allow her to see things as they were. Funeral services were held at Riverside Cemetery in Hartney on June 21 with Rev. John Oldenkamp officiating. Kowalchuk's Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 29, 2005