STROOKOFF, Arlette Elizabeth (nee WATCHELL)
Sept 22, 1940-Dec 30, 2014

Arlette was born in Pierceland, Saskatchewan, the tenth child and 6th daughter of Jack & Katherine Watchell. She moved to the Fort St John area at the age of 8 with her family and attended school in Baldonnel & Fort St John. While working at the Providence Hospital and before completing high school, an opportunity arose to consider a career in nursing. She started her training at Woodlands Hospital in New Westminster, BC in 1959 and graduated as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse in 1961.Her work took her to several hospitals in Canada including Riverview Mental Hospital (Essondale) in Coquitlam, BC, Selkirk Mental Hospital in Manitoba, Oliver Mental Hospital in Edmonton, AB, Tranquille Mental Hospital in Kelowna & Bellview Geriatric Hospital in Vernon, BC where she worked for 14 years and attained a Nurse 4 Supervisory position.
Arlette and her partner, Bill Strookoff, purchased a convenience store in High Level, AB in 1980 which they operated for 5 years. In 1985, they moved to Grand Forks, BC & she returned to nursing, first at Boundary Hospital and then at Boundary Lodge. She retired when they built their home at Christina Lake and she & Bill married in 1988.
Arlette was a truly compassionate person who provided the best possible care to her patients in a professional, capable and tireless manner. She seldom complained & always kept her spirits up, in spite of debilitating health & reduced mobility in recent years. She was admitted to Boundary Hospital on December 30, 2014 for observation but sadly & unexpectedly passed away that evening. Arlette enjoyed life at the lake, entertaining, travelling with Bill, cigarettes & homemade wine and she was a “newshound”, always keeping up to date with local and world events. She was a devoted wife and dear sister & will be fondly remembered and sorrowfully missed by her family & friends.
Arlette is survived by her husband, Bill Strookoff, stepdaughter Zaina McPherson( Bert ) & their sons Rob & Dave; stepson Terry Strookoff; her sisters Dolores Clark, Connie (Norman) Bateman, Barbara Pomeroy, & Paddy (Richard) Calon; brothers Hank (Simone) Watchell, Elwood (Carol) Watchell, Wallace (Eileen) Watchell & Jack (Mona) Watchell Jr.
She was pre-deceased by her parents Jack & Katherine Watchell, sisters Evelyn Gross, Anne MacKenzie, Rose Stacey, & Marie (Bob) Rosko and by brothers Joe (Marg) Watchell & Bruce (Sonya) Watchell.
A celebration of Arlette’s life will be held in Christina Lake in the spring of 2015.