Irene Mary Calanchie was born on Oct. 31, 1926 in Aberdeen, Scotland to Francis and Adaline (Doll) Paterson and six months later the family immigrated to Calgary to live with her maternal grandparents. Irene grew up on the North Hill in Calgary, in a little house facing Confederation Park, when this was the northern limit of the city. Mom attended Pleasant Heights United Church and was a member of CGIT (Christian Girls in Training). She attended King George School and entered the working world as a stenographer at the Veteran’s Land Act and the Colonel Belcher Veteran’s Hospital, eventually becoming a medical transcriptionist. While playing bridge and socializing at the “Y” she met James Calanchie. They were married on Aug. 30, 1952. After two years they were offered the opportunity to return to his home to help his brother on the farm and they moved to Calder, Sask.
She formed a close relationship with her mother-in-law, Maria Calanchie and Jim’s aunt Maria Morari from whom she learned many gardening lessons. She planted the required vegetables for the family but also grew many flowers, which she allowed her girls to cut and collect into bouquets for their “flower shows.” She recently recounted a story of visitors coming to the farm: she had no clean dishes for tea as she was outside playing with her girls. Her parents thoroughly enjoyed their visits from Calgary, meeting all the in-laws and experiencing life in rural Saskatchewan in their “summer house” tent.
Jim and Irene raised three daughters and became part of the Calder community, and later MacNutt as well when they moved from the farm to town to enjoy indoor plumbing and send the girls to school. Irene became a leader for the girls’ 4H Homecraft Club which she helped found. She was a talented seamstress and taught this skill to many young ladies. When the Parkland Regional Library was opened in MacNutt, Irene was chosen as the chief librarian. It was a job she loved, as she was a voracious reader. MacNutt had many social gatherings including whist drives, bridge games, community and 4H dances, achievement days and skating. Mom drove her girls to piano lessons and recitals all over the countryside. She attended the United Church in Calder, teaching Sunday school and participating in events there such as the Mother’s Day Tea and church bazaars. When Irene decided to return to full-time work, she dusted off the typewriter and had her daughters dictate for shorthand practice. The family moved to Yorkton in 1972 where she worked at Morris Rod Weeder and Morrison’s law office. Later she worked at the Yorkton Union Hospital where she performed her much-loved job as a medical transcriptionist until her retirement at age 60.
Irene joined St. Andrews United Church where she belonged to the UCW. In the 1970’s she had a lovely long relationship with the Trinh family, who came to Yorkton as Vietnamese refugees, helping them navigate life in a new land, including driving lessons for the patriarch.
Irene always enjoyed music, listening to CBC radio’s Saturday Afternoon at the Opera and felt a connection to the wider world through many interesting shows. In Yorkton she attended countless local Arts Council concerts, as well as those of the school bands and choirs and music festivals for her girls and granddaughters.
She continued her passion for gardening, at the expense of housework during the growing season. She loved cooking and trying new recipes and entertaining guests. Friends loved to eat at the Calanchie’s. Mom passed on her love of cooking to her three daughters. She always set an elegant table, using the fine china for the children too. She participated in Scottish Country dancing and used her sewing skills to sew three graduation and bridal gowns for her girls. She created many artistic quilts over the years. Although early on she wanted to be a school teacher, she ended up a teacher of many things: sewing, bridge, English and reading with beginning readers in the school system.
Irene and Jim enjoyed memorable trips to Costa Rica, Mexico, Arizona, California, an Alaskan cruise, and throughout Canada to visit friends and family, and many drives around Saskatchewan crop checking in the fall.
Irene was blessed with many very close friends over the years. As she aged, she was frequently saddened by the loss of another kindred spirit. Her faith was very important to her. At age 12 an all-night prayer meeting was held for her recovery (before antibiotics) and her medical status was quite grim. When she returned to the church anniversary many years later an elderly couple remembered praying for her, as teenagers, when she was so ill.
Irene was predeceased by her husband of 68 years James Calanchie on Jan. 27, 2021, her eldest daughter Elisa Mary Ariss, August 3, 2020, her parents Frank Paterson and Doll (Sim-Forbes), her in-laws Wasyl E. Calanchie and Maria Morari, and many brothers- and sisters-in-law including Richard Murray of Calgary and all of Jim’s siblings.
She is survived by daughters: Lenore (Theo) Denbrok and Barbara (Mark) Anderson; son-in-law Ed Ariss; grandchildren: Sara (Steven), Daniel (Erin), and Adam (Sabrina) Ariss; Anika (Chris) Southam; Carla (Brian) Earl; Jessica Denbrok; James, Kiernan (Amy) and Brendan Anderson; great-grandchildren: Robyn, Eli, Piper, Hunter, Grace, Sawyer, Willow, Gemma, Rowyn and Ember; sister Lorna Murray, sister-in-law Bev Calanchie, and many nieces and nephews.
We would like to thank many for their care for Irene over the past months: The staff at the Bentley, Yorkton Regional Health Centre, Aspen Bluffs, and most especially Dr. A. Van Heerden for his many years of excellent care for our mother.
A private memorial will be held this summer at the family farm. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity of your choice.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Irene Calanchie Paterson Tuesday May 18th 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Yorkton, Province: Saskatchewan