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Reta Thompson

Reta Thompson

Passed on: July 11th, 2014

THOMPSON, Reta May
May 15, 1925 – Moose Jaw, SK
July 11, 2014 – Calgary, AB
Sadly we say goodbye to a wonderful and loving wife, auntie and great-auntie to our extended family. With her husband Jim of almost seventy years at her side, Reta passed away on Thursday, July 11, 2014 at the age of 89 years.
Reta was born and raised in Moose Jaw, SK and attended Victoria School and later on, graduated from Business School. Reta was a professional executive secretary and with her high intelligence, great organizational and considerable management skills, was executive secretary to company presidents and executive officers of major businesses on several occasions. These highly prized talents took Reta and Jim to many areas of our country over the years; Ontario, British Columbia and to Saskatchewan where she worked for Henderson Agencies and the Saskatchewan Technical Institute as an instructor for continuous education, specializing in typing courses prior to retiring in 1986. Indeed Reta valued education and continuous learning and pursued both with a great passion and dedication all her life.
In her retirement, Reta, with her considerable financial and business acumen, began specializing in real estate buying and selling, which took her and Jim to Mission, BC, West Bank, BC, Nanaimo, BC, Kelowna, BC, and their last residences in High River, AB.
Our Reta, this elegant, self-assured and greatly admired lady has been both an inspiration and a mentor to many family members and whose love and support for all will be sorely missed. Reta also had great knowledge of plants and flowers and could on many occasions resurrect a plant that was written off by the owner, only to be given to Reta with the certain knowledge it would come back to life. Indeed with her passion and knowledge for plants and flowers, Reta was truly amazing. Usually within days or weeks the plant would blossom with new life. In such cases, the owner would decide to leave the plant with Reta. And of course, if the plant could talk, it would surely be thanking its lucky stars for that decision.
On occasions where family and friends gathered at Reta and Jim’s duplex in High River, Reta assumed the role of the complete and perfect hostess, and with Jim lovingly assisting, many wonderful times were shared, especially when groups of friends had the very good fortune to be with Reta and Jim and to partake in these gatherings and parties. It could well be the case that the well-known hostess Martha Stewart must have secretly contacted Reta for advice and indeed lessons on how to prepare such social events and parties, as Reta was without peer in this area. Reta would move about the room and engage everyone in lively conversation and she was indeed in her element. Reta’s passion for life and overall outlook on life can be summarized with her always joyful saying: “May it Never End.”
Besides her loving husband Jim, Reta is lovingly remembered and will be sadly missed by niece Violette (Morris) Casavant of Moose Jaw, great-niece Eileen (Jeremy) Nagel of Calgary, nieces Nancy and Katie Thompson of High River, nephew Tom (Beverly) Thompson of Drayton Valley, great-niece Trish Kannwischer (Richard) of High River, great-great-nephew Levi Stimson of High River, old and very dear friend Gerry McIntyre of High River, nephew Wayne Soganic of Calgary, goddaughter Kiet Truong and her family, and numerous friends in the High River area. Reta’s predeceased family members include her mother Chrisilda Stafford; father Christopher Stafford; brothers and sisters-in-law, Irving and Emily, Frank and Edna, Lorne and Ruth; sisters and brothers-in-law Henritta and Walter, Sara and Ivan, Margaret, Phebe and Harold; nieces Ruth Rondquist, Ann-Marie Soganic; and nephews Ed and Dennis Kvello and Niel Shufelt.
May the Good Lord take Reta into his gentle and loving care until she and Jim can be together again.
A Celebration of Reta’s Life will held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY (Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road S.E. Calgary, AB) on Wednesday, July 23, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. If family and friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made in Reta’s name directly to the Canadian Wildlife Federation, 350 Michael Cowpland Drive, Kanata, ON K2M 2W1, www.cwf-fcf.org. The family wishes to thank the wonderful and caring staff at the Mount Royal Care Centre for their kindness, professionalism and support for Reta over the past year.
In living memory of Reta Thompson, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek, 14441 BANNISTER ROAD S.E. CALGARY, AB Telephone: 1-800-661-1599.

 

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