Obituary of Vera Geall

BIOGRAPHY GEALL ~ Vera Geall passed away peacefully at the Jubilee Home in Lloydminster, Saskatchewan on Thursday, July 19, 2007 at the age of 87 years. Vera will be sadly missed by: her husband of 69 years Duncan; ten children: Earl Geall, Jim and Helen Geall, Sharon Geall and Ron, Linda and Ross Graham, Norma and Gordon L’Heureux, Ruby and Byron Carr, Miles Geall and Karrie Kosteriva, Sandra and Mick Salzl, Neil and Terry Lynn Geall, Helen and Brian Patmore, eighteen grandchildren, twenty great grandchildren as well as numerous other relatives. Vera was predeceased by: her mother Minnie, her brother Keith and her sister Wilma. The funeral service for Vera was conducted from the First Baptist Church, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan on July 25, 2007 at 2:00 P.M. with Pastor Ta Tumu and Pastor Anne Laird officiating. A eulogy was given by George Wood. Special music “In The Bulb There Is A Flower” was sung by Colleen Hozack. Hymns sung were “Old Rugged Cross”, “In The Garden” and “Bringing In The Sheaves” accompanied on the piano by Ken Kort. Honorary pallbearers were “All Those Who Shared In Mom’s Life”. Active pallbearers were Brendon Geall, Ryan Geall, Donovan Geall, Brian Kosteriva, Robert Patmore, Nicole Salzl and Michelle Patmore. Interment was held at the Lloydminster City Cemetery. McCaw Funeral Service Ltd., of Lloydminster, Alberta administered the funeral arrangements. Eulogy Vera was born in Toronto, Ont. on April 9, 1920 to John and Minnie Heselwood. When she was 3 years old, she moved with her mother and her younger brother Keith to her Uncle George’s farm in Broughton district east of Lloydminster. Her sister Wilma was born on the farm in 1923. She took all of her schooling at Broughton, except for one year at Lenwall. She married Duncan Geall on August 5, 1937. They raised 10 children: Earl, Jim (Helen), Sharon, Linda Graham (Ross), Norma L’Heureux (Gordon), Ruby Carr (Byron), Miles, Sandra Salzl (Mick), Neil (Terry), Helen Patmore (Brian). There are 18 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren. There are numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. It is very difficult to summarize a long life in a few pages. Vera grew up in the “dirty thirties” and that shaped much of who she was and her outlook on life. While she was generous, she knew how to make something out of nothing - be it a meal or a building project or a dress from flour sacks. She also knew how to stretch a dollar as for most of her life the dollars were hard to come by. She quit school at age 15 to go out and work. Farm work was done from an early age as she was the eldest child in a single parent family. She could work circles around most people - male or female for most of her life. She grew a garden of market proportions. She raised chickens, turkeys and geese to buy clothes for the family. She helped milk cows and sold the cream. She built cupboards, chicken coops and porches and renovated that small house many times. Duncan made the comment one time that he went out to work one day and came back to find that she had moved a couple of walls around in the house! Vera was a big woman with a big voice, a big heart and big capable hands. She was a strict disciplinarian whose hands delivered many a swat on a misbehaving child’s rear end. Those same hands were so very gentle when nursing a sick husband, child or injured animal. She learned to sew, knit, and embroider and pot those skills to good use. She made clothes for everyone including a pair of bib overalls made for grandson Ryan in about 10 minutes. There were many pairs of knitted mitts, socks and turtlenecks made for Duncan and the kids. Helen’s first 2 piece bathing suit was one that her mother sewed for her. Both Sandra and Helen remember help with 4-H projects. Linda’s Grade 12 Home Economics project was to make a party dress. Vera supervised the cutting of the material. However, the only actual sewing that Linda did was hand stitching the hem of the dress that caused her mother to comment that she had never seen anyone stitch a hem like that before. However, when the report card came back - there was an A plus for the sewing project! Linda told Vera that she may have had Grade 8 everything else, but and A+ in Grade 12 Home Ec. The first house the family lived in was nearly ½ mile away from Grandma Heselwood’s house. Jim and Earl used to go frequently to Grandma’s as it was so close. One day Jim went over to Grandma’s to find Uncle Keith sitting outside on the west side of the house. Before Jim could say much - Uncle Keith said “I know, I know - Earl is to get a pail of water and you are to get a loaf of bread from Grandma’s!” One day Vera came out on the doorstep to call Earl & Jim into the house but ended up creating quite a comic scene as her false teeth came flying out of her mouth! Her sense of humor kicked into gear as she started laughing with Earl & Jim who were doubled over with laughter. That big voice carried far but when there was a crying child that same voice would soften and often just the sound of her voice would quiet them. Vera loved music and was a good singer. Wilf Carter was one of her favorite singers and she learned to yodel from listening to his songs. The first songs she taught the children were “There’s a Bluebird on Your Windowsill” and “You are My Sunshine.” Norma has taught those same songs to her girls. Her daughter Tammy has carried on the tradition although her children seem to prefer her to hum the songs - Tammy did not inherit the good singing voice! She came from a musical family - her mother and brother both played the violin and Keith played the guitar as well. At one of the music afternoons at Jubilee recently, Vera told Linda - “I had a brother that could play a lot better than that!” That loyalty extended to her husband and children and anyone whom Vera cared about. When Sharon started school, the teacher noted that she was left handed. He wanted to try to teach Sharon to write with her right hand. Mom made a visit to the school and in a very forthright way told the teacher that there was to be no attempts at changing that. In later years at Jubilee Home, a doctor made a teasing remark to Linda. Vera took it that the doctor was somehow putting her daughter down and let the doctor know very clearly that she was not pleased with his comments. If her husband or children (or anyone else for that matter) needed her thoughts on their behavior, Vera freely said what she thought. However, if anyone else were the least bit critical of those she cared about - she defended them very capably. She had a highly developed sense of right and wrong and was a big influence on her children in that way. One day when Granddad Geall came up for his daily pint of cream, four little girls went running to meet him to show off their new flowered panties. Granddad, being the proper English gentleman that he was, refused to look at them. When we got back to the house, there was a stern lecture on not showing your underwear off! We were never allowed out of the house without being clean and neat and properly attired in her view. That caused some disagreements with the kids as like all children, the view of the younger clashed with the view of the mother. Vera even got creative when the boys started showing up to take her daughters out and she knew that her rules may be tested. Neil remembers being sent along on a couple of drives with some fellows that came along to take the older girls out. In later years he grew to understand that he was the unofficial chaperone. While at home - it was Vera’s rules that mattered and those were to be followed. Vera was a good cook and often did not use a recipe. She was great at making something out of whatever was at hand. Dana remembers one time making some baking powder biscuits with Grandma. She had a recipe that her mother Helen had used. She was very carefully measuring the flour, etc. when Grandma came up behind her and dumped an unmeasured bit of sugar into the mix that definitely was not in the recipe. The biscuits turned out just fine. Harvest time was a time that everyone looked forward to as the meals were fantastic as well as those at Christmas and other holidays. It never seemed to matter if extra people showed up at meal times as they often did - there was another plate put on the table and somehow everyone got enough to eat. Family was important to Vera and even though money was short there were many good times. We went berry picking and returned with cream cans full of berries. There were picnics at Gully Lake and at fair time which was always a big deal for the kids. A picnic lunch would be packed and then the kids would get to go on the rides. As the children grew older and were able to go on the rides alone, Vera would use the time to play bingo or visit with other family and friends. We used to go to church at Hillmond Hall in the summertime and there was always a stop at Chris’s store for an ice cream on the way home. Mom worked for Chris years ago, so there was always a visit along with the ice cream. The younger kids remember being driven into Lloydminster for swimming lessons in the summer. There was also vacation bible school and Sunday school lessons that she drove the kids to in Hillmond and later into Lloydminster for. Vera loved to visit and have company. There were several old bachelors that used to make regular stops at meal times for a visit. Visits from her sister Wilma, brother Keith & Myrtle and other family were very much looked forward to. Friends and neighbors were always welcomed with a cup of coffee or a meal at any time. There was always much laughter as both Duncan and Vera had a great sense of humor and it would come out in the sharing of stories about life in the Geall family. In these last few years, her memory loss was a source of frustration for Vera. But she would surprise us sometimes. Just recently, Neil was in to visit and he saw that she was wearing the sweater that he gave her a couple of years ago for Christmas. He said “I see that you are wearing my sweater” She said “this is not your sweater - Neil gave this to me two years ago.” She had forgotten that it was Neil speaking to her - but she remembered the most important thing - who gave her the gift. Even though she had a very hard life, mom always felt blessed and grateful for what she did have. The following poem may help explain who she felt for most of her life. I’ve never made a fortune, and it’s probably too late now But I don’t worry about that much, I’m happy anyhow And as I go along life’s way, I’m reaping better than I sowed I’m drinking from my saucer ‘Cause my cup has overflowed Haven’t got a lot of riches And sometimes the going’s tough But I’ve got loving ones all around me And that makes me rich enough. I thank God for his blessings And the mercies He’s bestowed I’m drinking from my saucer ‘Cause my cup has overflowed I remember times when things went wrong My faith wore somewhat thin But all at once the dark clouds broke And the sun peeped through again. So Lord, help me not to gripe About the tough rows I have hoed I’m drinking from my saucer ‘Cause my cup has overflowed If God gives me strength and courage When the way grows steep and rough I’ll not ask for other blessings I’m already blessed enough. And may I never be too busy Too help others bear their loads Then I’ll keep drinking from my saucer ‘Cause my cup has overflowed. In closing, the children wanted to repeat the Thank You that they gave their mother on her 65th anniversary: Mom, this is our opportunity to say Thank You Thank you for making the sacrifices that you made for all of us Thank you for having the patience to teach us to be responsible adults - we know that it was not easy. Thank you for sharing your love of country, animals and the great outdoors with us. Thank you for sharing your love of music and laughter with us. Thank you for being our Mom! Duncan and all the family will miss you but we are grateful that you have been set free and that you have been welcomed home by your family and friends who have gone on before. Farewell - until we meet again. Card of Thanks The family of the late Vera Geall would like to express heartfelt thanks to everyone for the visits, flowers, food to our homes and for your presence at the memorial service. Thank you to Pastor Anne and Pastor Ta for your comforting presence and messages. Thank you to the Baptist Church group for the delicious lunch following the service. Thank you to the Baptist Church Youth who babysat the great grandchildren through the service. Special thanks to the grandchildren who served as pallbearers - Grandma would have been proud of you all. Special thanks also, to the staff of Jubilee Home whose compassionate care made the last days of Vera’s life as comfortable as it could be. Thank you to Colleen Hozack for the beautiful solo and Thank You also to Ken Kort for providing the beautiful music. Thank you to George Wood for delivering the eulogy for us - you are a great neighbor and friend to us. Special thanks to Glenn McCaw for your professionalism and good humor in helping us with the arrangements. In lieu of individual Thank You cards, we have chosen to make a donation to the Hillmond Hall Board. God Bless you all. Duncan Geall and Family Donations in memory of Vera may be made to the Jubilee Gems, Hillmond Hall Board or the charity of choice.