Obituary Overview
Astrid Marie McLeary (Nee Halvarson)
It is with great sadness that we announce the peaceful
passing of our dearest, eldest and wittiest family member, Astrid, at the Selkirk
Regional Health Centre. She had many wonderful memories in her
99 years with us that we’d like to share with you.
She will be sincerely missed by her son Bob (Wendy) and her
daughter Val (Dave) Stewart, her grandchildren Rob McLeary, Shelly (Patrick)
Simoens and Mike (Caroline) Stewart and great grandchildren Adaria, Avery,
Jack, Emery and Cooper. She was
predeceased by her loving husband Jack, an infant son Henry David, and her parents
Emma & David Halvarson. She also leaves to mourn her youngest sister
Clarice Ann (Holger) Lorenzen, and sister in law Jackie West as well as many
other family members and friends.
Mom was born in Minnedosa and lived in Erickson on the
family farm with her seven sisters and one brother who she adored. Mom loved to share those stories with us, as
her family meant a great deal to her.
There was always laughter when the sisters got together for holidays or
special occasions. We don’t recall mom
ever saying an ill word about her family. As a young woman she ventured into Winnipeg
and worked as a nanny for a Dentist’s family and this turned out really well
for her as she had her dental work done for free.
Mom and Dad were married on October 9, 1940 in
Minnedosa. Mom’s first-born Henry David (1946)
only lived for seven hours, they went on to have a son Bob (1947) and a
daughter Val (1949). In 1950 they moved
to St. James, just in time to share their home with the Dare family that were
displaced by the flooding.
Growing up during the “Dirty Thirties” it was instilled in
her to count her pennies to make ends meet, so once married there were always
trips to more than one grocery store to purchase only those items that were on
sale in the flyers.
Mom volunteered and taught catechism at both the Erickson
Lutheran and St. James Presbyterian Churches.
Mom and Dad were both life members of the Arborg Royal Canadian Legion
Branch 161. It was at the Women’s
Auxiliary that she, Jean Buchko and the other Legion ladies perfected the art
of making and serving pancakes and sausages for their Saturday morning
fundraisers. Her love of sausages originated
in her early years when Mom and her sister Signe were employed at Brandon
Packers. For years, afterwards they talked
about the two girls from Erickson that had the biggest schmozola ever on the sausage
production line and after that, if anyone in the family blundered, they were briefly
referred to as a Sausage. As Mom was
born into a large family, it was by no coincidence she became an outstanding
cook, baker and housekeeper. Her butter
tarts had to be hidden until dessert was served and even though the recipe was
shared you could never quite match those of the Old Swedes. Christmas was her only season to bake coffee
bread so it will always be a special memory to smell the aroma of toasted
cardamom on Christmas morning. She
treasured our pets Dusty, Skipper and Peter the budgie who could speak both
English and Swedish.
Once their children were married, Mom and Dad moved from
their house on Sturgeon Road to an apartment in East Kildonan going back and
forth to their cottage at Valhalla Beach, where they eventually retired. When Dad’s health declined they moved into
Selkirk.
Together Mom and Dad had many enjoyable trips, vacationing
in Port Alberni, Victoria, Fort William, Hawaii, Puerto Vallarta and as Winter
Texans in Weslaco. When driving, Mom was
always the co-pilot and acted as Dad’s first GPS (Guiding Passenger System).
Mom loved to read, knit, crochet, sew, garden, camp and feed
the birds, however she was happiest with a phone in her hand, talking to her
many regular callers. She always looked
forward to bingo and card games with her family and friends but it was at cribbage
that she excelled and got much joy in teaching the game to any one that had the
patience to learn. From an early age,
she was a true “Blue Bomber” fan and when the “Winnipeg Jets” arrived she never
missed their games on TV. She always
cheered twice as hard as anyone else because she thought the replays were the
next play in the game.
Astrid would like to express her everlasting thanks to the doctors
and staff at the Selkirk Regional Health Centre, Arborg
Hospital, Woodland Courts and Tudor House for their compassionate care. The family would also like to say a special
thank you to Lee Drabik, her good friend at Woodland Courts.
Astrid’s wishes were to be cremated with a private gathering
of the immediate family. Flowers are
gratefully declined. As an expression of
sympathy, memorial donations in Astrid’s memory can be made to a charity of
your choice. To celebrate her life
please say a kind word to someone if you are angry or pass on a compliment to
make a person feel better if you are upset with them. Mom lived her life epitomizing
the saying “Kill them with Kindness”. May God rest her kind and gentle soul.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Astrid Marie McLeary Nee Halvarson 2018..
Décès pour la Ville: Winnipeg, Province: Manitoba
