Mom was born in the old Pouce Coupe Hospital on January 31, 1931. She was one of 13 children born to Isabel and Raymond Waldie. Mom grew up on the old homestead in Landry where she attended school. Mom helped out on the farm doing lots of chores including driving their horse team, Baldy and Prince.

Mom met dad when he came out to the farm to help with the threshing. They then married there on July 11, 1949. They then moved to Dawson, where their first son Russell was born. They moved around while dad worked for the Alberta Government Telephone and BC Tel. Mom and dad’s family grew to seven children: Russell, Wayne, Sharon, Frank, Barb, Gerald and Brian. Mom worked at Bings Furniture, Pouce Coupe Hospital and the Priory Care Home in Langford as a care aide.

Mom loved to get dressed up and go out. Halloween was one of her favorite times to dress up and have fun. They loved having family get together’s at the house. Dad, Uncle Norval and Juste Hendricks would play music together with all the kids on the spoons. Music, food, and good times were what it was all about. Mom and dad’s door was always open to friends, neighbors and family. Mom always had a large meal on the table when they stopped by.

Mom liked to sew, knit, play baseball and curl and she had a passion for playing horseshoes. When she threw the horseshoe it always went the opposite direction as she’d let out a squeal. Everyone knew to duck or run.

Mom had a good sense of humor, with all the practical jokes that we always played on her. We all took turns dropping worms or frogs on her while she was sleeping, it was too much fun watching her come out swinging! We knew to drop the frog and stand back or run. Mom usually chased one of us around with the broom; seven kids all a year apart, she had her hands full. There was never a dull moment around our house. When mom used to wax the floor, we were put to work using a pair of dad’s wool socks to shine up the floor and we’d skate across it. She was very creative keeping us out of trouble.

We made many trips in our station wagon. Mom and dad kept us singing to entertain ourselves while driving to Bear Lake in the summers. We took time to stop at Crooked River to fish as mom cooked lunch. Other times we’d stop just to play baseball, as we had a full baseball team including Uncle Alex who was always part of our holidays.

Mom and dad settled on the farm in Tupper after dad retired. Her heart and soul was her flower garden. Her sense of humor and adventure was well known. She got the reputation of being a dare devil by going for a motorcycle ride with Harry and suffered a broken tailbone being bucked off her horse Lady.

Mom and dad were to souls connected in every way. Their love for life and passion for family has been passed through generations being there for one another.

After Dad passed, Mom moved to Pouce and her door was always open for family and friends. Mom and Betty Mitchell were never far apart. Where you found one, you found the other. Picking saskatoons or having coffee and good times. Keith McLeod lived with mom during this time and mom always enjoyed his company.

They always took care of each other.

Mom eventually moved into the Pouce Coupe care home, it soon became home. Her sense of humor and quick wit was known to all of the staff, who became part of her family.

Mabel will be greatly missed by her sister Kathy, Mabel’s children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren that cherished her as the matriarch of the family.

A memorial service for Mabel was held on Friday, April 1, 2011 at 1:00 pm at the Bergeron Funeral Chapel, Dawson Creek, B.C.Reverend Marilyn Carroll officiated. Eulogy by Dave Hay.

Arrangements entrusted to Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium Ltd.
250 782-2577 Dawson Creek, British Columbia  800 577-4877