March 6, 1940 – April 9, 2020
******
With spring still covered in deep snow, on April 9, 2020, Terry Booker (Rosthern) ended his journey with Alzheimer’s Disease. He was raised on a farm, north of Shellbrook with parents Frank & Grace, and siblings, Kay, Margaret, Bill, Keith, Norma, & Allistair. As the first child to finish high school, and with financial support from his older brothers, Terry attended U of S, obtaining Bachelor of Education & Arts degrees.
While teaching in Shell Lake, SK, he met another young teacher and a whirlwind romance began with Paulette Zbaraschuk in 1964. They were married in 1965 & he was embraced by his in-laws Mike and Mary Zbaraschuk. Afterward, they made the move to Birch Hills, SK to teach. While there, daughter Pamela was born. The teaching couple missed their friends & community of Shell Lake, so they moved back to teach for several more years.
A teaching job in Rosthern became available in 1968. As Dad said, they chose to live there because it was close to family in Prince Albert, it had a hospital, it had a swimming pool, & it had a PAVED street! It was considered a very progressive town. Their son Trent was born in 1968.
Terry was a committed teacher for 30 years. It was a career he loved because it allowed him to work with teenagers, to have continued learning, and it fulfilled his spirit of planning. After completing that career, he pursued instruction in adult education – another path that was a great match. From there, Terry, became a certified financial planner and enjoyed working with people.
He was a man committed to community…through volunteerism in many capacities, in supporting social justice & social advancements, & in his Rosthern Mennonite Church family. He was a Dad & husband who believed his role was to be supportive in the household, with no distinction between “gender” duties. Terry believed in family holidays whether it was camping most weekends, travelling from coast to coast in Canada to appreciate our history & geography, or to sunny climates in winter. He was a Dad who coached us (& many other kids), who drove us to music lessons, and who parented all summer when our mom was at work. With all of us, he had a constant sense of humour & enormous patience. He was an amazing father-in-law to Debbie Booker, & Dovona West, and an even more remarkable Grampa to Andrew & Rachel Booker. He adored, and was adored by, his in-laws, nieces, nephews and so many friends.
His favourite personal pastimes were history, reading, supporting the Saskatchewan Roughriders, current affairs, CBC radio, the NDP, walking, golfing, curling, dancing & socializing with friends and family. He enjoyed a good glass of scotch, a wide variety of music, and sharing many jokes!
Terry was a man who sadly, but gracefully accepted his diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Rather than being in denial of his symptoms, he convinced family he needed to be assessed; he chose to stop driving before being directed to; he told friends about his disease so they “would understand why I’m changing”; he researched MAID; he planned for his long term care. He made this so much easier for his family.
Along with his immediate family, Terry will be remembered by his sister Margaret, in-laws Marlene & Larry Sinclair, Sylvia & Doug Green, special nieces & nephews, and so many amazing friends. He was predeceased by many family members & special friends.
Plans to celebrate Terry’s full life will take place in Rosthern when the uncertainties of the pandemic have lifted. An announcement will be made.
The family would appreciate any memories you would be willing to share. Please send them to: The Bookers, P.O. Box 762 Rosthern, SK S0K 3R0. In lieu of flowers, please consider supporting the remarkable work of the Rosthern Mennonite Nursing Home, Box 370 Rosthern, SK S0K 3R0, or Sask Valley Hospital Foundation Inc, Box 93, Rosthern SK, S0K 3R0.
Terry’s death was not a result of Covid-19.
Arrangements are entrusted to Funk’s Funeral Home, Rosthern, SK (306-232-5245, www.funksfuneralhome.ca)
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Terrence Booker 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Rosthern, Province: Saskatchewan