Obituary of Yvonne Wilson

Elsie Yvonne Wilson passed away at the Jubilee Home, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan, December 14, 2020 at the age of 84 years.

Yvonne is survived by: her loving husband, Herb Wilson (m. 1986); her children and their families, Howard (Jackie) Jans, Rina (Dallas) Fradette, Sophya, Breckin, Ian (Shona) Jans, Paige, Declan, Easton, Dalyn (Sierra) Jans, Elizabeth, Abigail, and Kaitlyn Jans; Trish (Dave) Ollen, Kerrie Ollen (Heather), Jamie Ollen (Kim), Tasha (Ben) Klatt and Lucas; Glenda Jans, Doug Anderson, Lynette (Tyson) Parchoma, Emmett, and Travis Anderson; Norman (Lynda) Jans, Cody Jans, Dustin Jans, Kory (Jayden) Jans, Clint (Taylor) Jans and Arleigh; Maury Jans, Ashley Mohrbutter-Jans (Glenn), Caylex, Maury, Zayda, and Shane Mohrbutter-Jans; her brothers and sisters, Francis Moen, Bill Winacott (Marg), Helen (Ernie) Pierce, Wayne Winacott (Dorothy), Lynn (Jim) Beaudoin, and Dale (Dianne) Winacott; sisters-in-law, Mary (Ed) Chilton and Jean (Dave) Soulliere; along with 74 nieces and nephews.

 

Yvonne was predeceased by: her parents, Melvin and Myrtle Winacott and her husband, Harold Jans (d. 1983).

The viewing for Yvonne will be held at McCaw Funeral Chapel, Lloydminster, AB on Thursday, December 17, 2020.  If you plan on attending the viewing, registration is necessary. Please RSVP using the following link. https://calendly.com/dariahoegl/visitation-for-the-late-yvonne-wilson

The Memorial Service for Yvonne will be held on Friday, December 18, 2020 at 11:00 AM. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the service will be by invitation only. The service will be live streamed and posted on McCaw Funeral Service website under Yvonne's obituary at the time of the service.

Donations in memory of Yvonne may be made to House of Paws, Lashburn Museum or donor's charity of choice. 

Eulogy ~

I’m Rina Fradette, the oldest granddaughter, daughter of Howard, the oldest son. I am so devastated that I can’t be there for Grandma’s funeral but am honoured that I was asked to share eulogy duties with Tasha. There aren’t enough words to do justice to the special person my Grandma was. I was so blessed to grow up in the same town where Grandma lived. Other than my parents, she is the person in my life who loved me best (until Dallas came along). My life would have been so much worse without her & Grandpa.  My Grandma was the most generous & loving person I have ever known. 

When I was small & she lived on the Jans farm, I spent many hours there while my parents worked. I loved to spend the night & be woken up by Grandma cranking up the radio while cooking porridge which she always served me topped with a huge swirl of Roger’s Golden Syrup. I remember being sad when she was moving to Grandpa’s farm because it was “so far” from town. Really it meant that I mostly saw her on the weekends & school breaks instead of every other day! More than most grandkids get to see their grandparents. For years, almost every weekend she & Grandpa would pick us up to go for lunch at the Lloyd Co-op and then go swimming, often followed by a sleepover at their house. Grandma never swam but she happily gave up her Saturday afternoons to watch us swim with Grandpa, passing the time crocheting & taking pictures. When she & Grandpa moved to town I really hit the jackpot. Their house was my second home. Almost every day I would see them. I would go there for lunch on school days, head there after school most days & stay until it was time to go to bed. I always felt welcomed & loved. I’m sure when Grandpa married Grandma he didn’t realize that he’d have to share her & his home so much. Thankfully he was always gracious.

I was happy to tag along with Grandma with whatever community project she was working on whether it was fundraising for the church, throwing someone a baby or wedding shower, calling bingo at Tighnduin, prepping for a class at the pottery room, maintaining the cemetery, singing practice with the Golden Tones, volunteering for the Housing Authority, visiting someone, attending some board meeting for whatever group, dropping off a cake she’d decorated, etc. She was a busy lady, always on the go, with her busy-ness usually for the benefit of someone else or our community. If something needed done, she would just do it. Grandma exemplified the qualities that so many of us want to attain. She was extremely generous, hospitable, hard working, kind, very community minded and always put her family first. She never did anything half-way. She was passionate & threw herself into things with gusto. In 1982 she was awarded the Lashburn Citizen of the Year Award, which is only one of many awards she was given for her dedication and volunteer work.  She continued to serve the community for decades after that even. This last week so many people from Lashburn, whom I haven’t talked to in years, reached out to tell me how much they loved Grandma & how they appreciated what she did for our community, people I didn’t even realize she had an impact on. In the book Lashburn & District History 1906-1983 (that she helped spearhead) she wrote: “I guess my greatest love is working with people, hoping in some small way my contribution will help make our community and country a better place in which to live.” She definitely lived up to her words, making so much more than a small contribution.

Grandma would always greet us with a hug even if you saw her yesterday or if her hands were covered in flour because she was in the middle of baking something.  The hug was always followed by “What can I get you to eat?” and then she’d offer a long list of things she was willing to whip up. It was impossible to refuse so even if you just came from a meal you'd find yourself eating whatever she came up with. My Grandma loved to play hostess. She loved a house full of people & used any excuse to have a gathering. So many times she’d call me to get over there because some random relative was there. By the end of that person’s visit, most any of us who were around town would be at Grandma & Grandpa’s house, well-fed & joy-filled. Grandma & Grandpa’s house was always the hub for our family - which included anyone who was ever related to us in some shape or form, blood or not. Once you’re part of our family, you’re stuck with us forever no matter what! Family was more important to Grandma than anything. I was blessed to spend so much of my formative years in this environment. I spent hours with Grandma, whether it was working alongside her in the kitchen, out in the garden, crafting, watching curling or ball, fishing, or playing cards - hours & hours of cards almost every night (after she made sure I had finished my homework first). All of those moments helped me become the person I am. She was always my stable rock when parts of my life were storms on shifting sand.

Grandma led by example but was also never at a loss for words. If you knew Grandma, you knew her opinion about whatever was on her mind. She was never afraid to speak up. She stood staunchly for what she believed in. If you didn’t like it, well too bad for you.  I like to think I have inherited some of her good qualities and I definitely have her stubbornness. One time she said to me “Just remember when someone calls you stubborn, that really, we’re just determined. And if they can’t see that, you don’t need them anyway.” She was constantly dropping wisdom like that as we went about our day. I don’t think it was even on purpose. She just shared what she knew, a natural teacher & leader. She was always generous with her time, which is a commodity I appreciate more & more as I grow older. How blessed was I to have a champion like Grandma in my corner?

My Grandma also had an awesome sense of humour. She enjoyed a good joke and she really loved a good prank. If she was pulling someone’s leg she used to get this look on her face where she was trying to hide a smile & she’d lean over, nudge me & say quietly "Rina just you watch this” & then she would cover her mouth with her hand & giggle. Then when her plan unfolded she would burst out laughing with the heartiest laugh. That was usually as funny as whatever trick she’d just played. A laugh was never far off her lips. When she was with her siblings the raucous laughter never seemed to stop. Their joy was infectious.

Above all my Grandma loved unconditionally. It didn’t matter how bad any of us messed up, or even how poorly she was treated, Grandma always loved us no matter what. She made space for us all to be who we are & loved us anyway. She had this way of making us all feel as if we were her favourite, as if we were the most special. If you were loved by her, she would forgive all wrongs, no questions asked, completely unconditionally. To the best of her ability she lived as Jesus asked her to - loving others before herself, no matter what the cost & loving unconditionally. This is the legacy she leaves us. This is the part of her that I hope lives on through all of us, just as she would have wanted.

 

Good morning! Welcome to our celebration of Grandma.  I am Tasha Klatt (Trish’s daughter)

A couple of house-keeping things.  Please do not linger around after the service. We are not allowed to visit. Please practice social distancing. And turn your cell phones off.

Elsie Yvonne Wilson was born August 1 1936 at the post office in Environ Sask. (at least that’s what her birth certificate says)  Yes the post office.  Her parents were Melvin & Myrtle Winacott. She was the oldest of 7 children, Francis, Bill, Helen, Wayne, Lynn & Dale.

The family moved to the Lashburn area in 1943. She attended all her schooling there, worked as a maid in the Lashburn Hospital and married Harold Jans.  They were blessed with 5 children, Howard, Trish, Glenda, Norman & Maury.

Life on the farm was full. She belonged to the Lashburn Homemakers Club and the St. James United Church.  Her strong faith helped her immensely when Harold was killed in a hunting accident in 1983.

While attending old time dancing lessons, she met a handsome bachelor Herb Wilson.  They were married in 1986.  She brought a ready-made family with her!  Children, their spouses and grandchildren.  I am not sure Grandpa realized what he was signing up for. They shared an amazing love. Always holding hands and kissing. My husband Ben made a comment to us that he hasn’t ever seen a couple more in love than them. 

Family came first with Grandma.  She was our matriarch elephant or the mob boss to all the families whether close or distantly related. When you think of the word “home: you think of Yvonne. Always time for you, always something baked, coffee or tea quickly made, or a scrumptious meal; some times a bit heavy on the onions though.  The Wilson nephews from down east rave about her 3-inch high ”everything” pizza with its own layer of sliced onions.  Her bread, buns & pies were unrivaled, except for when she went through the zucchini faze.  Norman would check the pie carefully to make sure she hadn’t slipped in some zucchini or raisins.  She might not make buns for months but could whip up a batch that were perfect.  No hockey pucks there! 

Mondays were always laundry and breadmaking days.  The kids came home from school to fresh bread, slightly hungry.  Howard was picking at the crust of a loaf, thinking Grandma didn’t see him.  However, she did and made him eat the whole loaf. She was always implementing life’s lessons

Her 16 grandchildren were her gems to her; irreplaceable, shining, rare, each with their own special glow. She was always there for them no matter what. She had a special sense when one of them needed something in their lives.  When the 13 great grands came along that was even better.  Grandma and Grandpa loved to take the grandkids to the lake, swimming or fishing.  She had a bread maker in the camper just to make dough so she could make “leathers”. 

The Lashburn community was a much richer place to live because of Grandma.  She was a leader in so many organizations and projects. Grandpa supported her completely with her volunteering; often being volunteered himself. She was instrumental in the getting the bowling alley constructed, she was on the church board for many years, served 30 years on the Sask Housing authority with Tighndun home, chaired the Celebrate 80 celebrations and spear headed the church garage sale and the fall supper. 

Trish was helping her clean one summer and came across 13 Dutch oven pots.  She asked her why she needed that many.  The reply was “Well someone has to cook the potatoes for the fall supper”!  Trish suggested to Glenda to ask for one so Grandma gave her one; a brand new one! 

Grandma was very artistic; she loved to crochet. Every grand child got a crocheted afghan. On a road trip to Texas, she brought along a huge garbage bag of yarn and proceeded to make 25 hanging kitchen towels. She loved to travel with Grandpa and us Grandkids always looked forward to our postcards. She also loved taking pictures.  Dad said she would grab her little camera and point it out the window and snap a couple shots off, never really looking at what she took.  We are sure she kept Walmart photo department in business.  A few years ago, she spent many months putting those photos into albums for the whole family.  Such a treasure now.

She was a proficient self-taught seamstress, creating everything from kids clothes out of old jeans to grad and wedding dresses.  Ashley’s mom Denise remembers when she and Maury went over to visit and Ashley got her pants very dirty.  Grandma popped into her sewing room and about 5 minutes later came out with a little pair of pants she whipped up with a label that said “made with love by Grandma”!

She also made and decorated many wedding, birthday and all occasion cakes. She did pottery, ceramics and took up painting.  She loved gardening; we used to tease her about growing enough to feed the town. Lilies were her favorite flowers, but she really liked all flowers.

Glenda remembers Grandma for being her rock in life; she knew she was her number one supporter.   She remembers the time she came home a bit later than curfew and there was an obstacle course set up that she had to weave through.

We all have our special memories of Grandma; whether funny, serious, crazy or ridiculous.  We all have a little bit of her in us, making us better individuals.  We should all strive to be more like her.

We will miss her like crazy. Rest in peace Grandma; we love you.

Special thanks to her youngest brother Dale for making the special urn for her ashes.  Also to Uncle Jim Beaudoin for the wonderful music we listened to before and after the service.

Yvonne's memorial card can be viewed or downloaded from the link below.

https://indd.adobe.com/view/37dcef89-245c-4efb-84b5-878a91bb86e7