THURZA MAE ARMEY, FORMERLY OF ARROWWOOD, ALBERTA PASSED AWAY JUNE 20, 1999 AT VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE AT THE AGE OF 85 YEARS.
THURZA WAS BORN JUNE 12, 1914 AT MILDEN, SASKATCHEWAN . THE SIXTH OF TEN CHILDREN BORN TO ELMER AND GERTIE GATES. THURZA ATTENDED GRADE SCHOOL AT MILDEN THEN WORKED IN THE KITCHEN OF THE LOCAL HOSPITAL FOR A SHORT TIME. THURZA CAME TO THE ARROWWOOD AREA IN THE LATE 1930’S TO WORK FOR MRS. JOHN IRWIN. SHE LATER MARRIED CHESTER ARMEY IN 1939 AND. TOGETHER THEY FARMED UNTIL THEY RETIRED IN 1970 TO THE TOWN OF ARROWWOOD. IN 1997 THEY MOVED TO THE PETER DAWSON LODGE AND LATER TO THE LONG-TERM CARE UNIT OF THE HOSPITAL, WHERE SHE HAS RESIDED SINCE.
THURZA AND CHESTER TRAVELED MANY YEARS TO TEXAS FOR THE WINTER, AND ALSO ENJOYED SHORTER SUMMER TIME EXCURSIONS TO THE MOUNTAINS. SHE ENJOYED QUILTING, SEWING, A VARIETY OF NEEDLECRAFTS, AND GARDENING. HER VEGETABLE AND FLOWER GARDEN WAS A PLEASURE TO ALL WHO PASSED BY THE YARD. SHE ESPECIALLY PRIZED HER TEA ROSES AND APPLES, AND DID NOT HESITATE TO SHARE WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD APPRECIATE THEM. SHE ALWAYS FOUND TIME TO MAKE QUILTS FOR THOSE IN NEED. OVER THE YEARS, SEVERAL HUNDRED COMFORTERS AND LAP ROBES SHE HAD MADE WERE SHARED WITH THE NEEDY IN ALBERTA AND TEXAS.
IN HER EARLY YEARS, THURZA WAS ACTIVE IN THE CHURCH OF THE BRETHREN WHERE SHE TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL AND WORKED IN THE LADIES AID. LATER SHE WAS INVOLVED WITH BOTH THE UNITED CHURCH AND THE UNITED CHURCH WOMEN, WHERE SHE HELD SEVERAL POSITIONS.
LOVING MOTHER OF TWO DAUGHTERS LINDA BARNES OF LETHBRIDGE AND NADINE (HUBERT) BEXTE OF ARROWWOOD, A SON GERALD OF ARROWWOOD, SIX GRANDCHILDREN, ELEVEN GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, TWO SISTERS VALORA BLUMER OF DINSMORE, SASKATCHEWAN, LEILA GREENALL OF REGINA, TWO BROTHERS IVAN (DONNA) GATES OF MAPLE FALLS, WASHINGTON, GILBERT GATES OF CALGARY, TWO BROTHERS-IN-LAW, FOUR SISTERS-IN-LAW, NUMEROUS NIECES, NEPHEWS AND COUSINS.
THURZA WAS PREDECEASED BY HER HUSBAND CHESTER IN 1998, AN INFANT SON, A GRAND SON FRED BEXTE, GRANDDAUGHTER-IN-LAW DAWN BEXTE, AND DAUGHTER-IN-LAW BRENDA ARMEY.
FUNERAL SERVICE THURSDAY JUNE 24, 1999 AT 2:30 P.M. AT ARROWWOOD COMMUNITY HALL WITH CAROLYN NICHOLSON D.M. OFFICIATING.
INTERMENT ARROWWOOD CEMETERY.
HONORARY BEARERS WERE HURLEY AND GRACE WILLIAMS, RALPH AND IRENE OBERHOLTZER, RON AND MABEL BEAGLE, RICHARD AND GAIL JACKSON.
CASKET BEARERS WERE DAVID BEXTE, CODY BEXTE, RICHARD ARMEY, MARDI SCOTT, JENNY FIKE AND ANGELA LAURSEN.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, TRIBUTES IN THURZA’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE ARROWWOOD UNITED CHURCH, ARROWWOOD TOL OBO OR VULCAN FAMILY AND COMMUNITY SUPPORT SERVICES BOX 594, VULCAN TOL 2BO.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. TELEPHONE 485-2633.