HELEN KATHERINE (NEE: MEADOWS) ROE PASSED AWAY AT VULCAN, ALBERTA AUGUST 3, 1995.
HELEN WAS BORN IN HIGH RIVER ON JULY 26, 1919, AND LIVED WITH HER PARENTS, FRANK AND IDA MEADOWS, AND TWO BROTHERS STEWART AND CHARLIE IN THE BLACKIE AREA. HER DAD WAS A PIONEER OF THE GLADYS RIDGE AREA, SETTLING BEFORE 1895 AND LIVED IN A TENT WHILE BUILDING A HOME. HELEN RODE A HORSE TO THE ONE-ROOM PLAIN VALLEY SCHOOL NEAR BLACKIE AND TOOK HER GRADE TWELVE IN CALGARY. DURING HER BUSY SCHEDULE AT HOME, SHE STILL FOUND TIME TO GET INTO MISCHIEF WITH HER BROTHERS AND HELP THE NEIGHBOURS WITH THE COMBINING. IN 1940 HELEN GRADUATED FROM CALGARY NORMAL SCHOOL ACCEPTING HER FIRST TEACHING POSITION AT THE ONE ROOM FOREST SCHOOL GRADE ONE TO TEN NEAR ATHABASCA, AB. WHILE IN THIS AREA SHE HAD MANY DIFFERENT EXPERIENCES SUCH AS SLEIGH RIDES OVER MUSKEG IN WINTER AND HORSE AND WAGON RIDES IN SUMMER. SHE SAW GRASS FIRES, HOUSES WITH DIRT FLOORS AND HAD HER FIRST EXPERIENCE OF GETTING WATER FROM A DUG WELL WITH A PAIL AND ROPE. HELEN ENJOYED THE PEOPLE AND THE STUDENTS AND WAS WELL TREATED. SHE FOUND IT QUITE AN EXPERIENCE FOR A PRAIRIE GIRL GOING TO HER FIRST SCHOOL. HELEN ALSO TAUGHT IN THE VULCAN AREA AT THE MARSHALL SCHOOL 1942-43 AND RED CROSS SCHOOL 1943-46. IN LATER YEARS SIDE TAUGHT GRADE 3 AT HAZEL CAMERON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL FROM 1965-76. THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE STILL IN THE VULCAN AREA THAT HELEN TAUGHT. STUDENTS RECALL HER AS SOMEONE WHO HAD A POSITIVE INFLUENCE ON THEIR LIVES.
WHILE TEACHING AT THE RED CROSS, HELEN LIVED IN VULCAN WITH EILEENE FITZPATRICK AND RODE TO SCHOOL ON FREDDIE MENSINGER’S SCHOOL BUS. SATURDAYS WERE SPENT WORKING FOR ERRETT KING IN THE DRUG STORE. HELEN AND EILEENE HAD MANY EXPERIENCES TOGETHER-A SNOWFALL, JUNE 3, 1945, A FERRY BOAT RIDE IN PENTICTON AND ICE FISHING. WHILE WORKING AT THE DRUG STORE, HELEN MET PAT ROE. THEY WERE MARRIED NOVEMBER 19, 1946. WEATHER AND HARVEST ALMOST DELAYED THE WEDDING. THAT’S FARMING LIFE! THEY LIVED ON THE ROE FARM HOMESTEAD AND MOVED INTO THE MAIN FARM HOUSE IN 1950 WHEN MR. AND MRS. BRUCE ROE MOVED INTO THE HOUSE IN VULCAN.
PAT AND HELEN’S FAMILY CONSISTS OF TWO DAUGHTERS LETA AND LORNE, THEIR SONS GREG AND MURRAY OTTWAY OF MEDICINE HAT AND JOYCE AND GORDON, THEIR CHILDREN BRANDY AND GRANT SHAW OF VULCAN, TWO SONS DOUG AND SHELLEY, THEIR CHILDREN TINA AND DEAN ROE OF DUNCAN, B.C. AND GORDON AND JOYCE THEIR DAUGHTERS AMANDA, SARAH AND LAURA ROE OF VULCAN, TWO BROTHERS STEWART (EDIE) MEADOWS OF CALGARY AND CHARLIE (KATHY) MEADOWS OF HIGH RIVER.
HELEN WAS VERY BUSY RAISING A FAMILY, RUNNING THE HOUSEHOLD, MANAGING A LARGE AND GARDEN AND HELPING WITH THE FARM WORK. SHE WAS ALSO VERY ACTIVE IN THE COMMUNITY AS A LIFE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL PURPLE LODGE, HOLDING VARIOUS OFFICES INCLUDING PIANIST AND ON THE DRILL TEAM. SHE WAS AN ACTIVE LIFE CHARTER MEMBER OF THE LIONETTES CLUB FOR 40 YEARS. SHE HELD VARIOUS OFFICES AND WORKED ON MANY COMMITTEES INCLUDING SENIOR CITIZENS NIGHT, BLOOD DONOR CLINICS, LIONS TURKEY SHOOTS AND SUPPERS, CHARTER NIGHT, LIONS CONVENTIONS. SHE WAS ALSO A LIFE MEMBER OF THE ROYAL CANADIAN LEGION LADIES AUXILIARY BRANCH #21, VULCAN AND WAS ACTIVE ON VARIOUS COMMITTEES AND OFFICES INCLUDING BLOCK PARENTS AND THE SATURDAY MEAT RAFFLES. SHE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE CLOVER LEAF REBEKAH LODGE WHERE SHE SERVED IN VARIOUS CHAIRS AND PLAYED THE PIANO . SHE TAUGHT SUNDAY SCHOOL FOR MANY YEARS AND WAS A MEMBER OF SESSION IN THE VULCAN UNITED CHURCH. SHE ALSO VOLUNTEERED AT THE RAGS TO RICHES SHOP.
PAT AND HELEN MOVED INTO VULCAN IN 1979 AND ENJOYED TOWN LIFE AND THE MANY VARIOUS COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES THEY WERE INVOLVED IN. HELEN SPENT ONE YEAR IN PAPUA, NEW GUINEA IN 1980 WHILE PAT WAS WITH CUSO.
HELEN ENJOYED LIFE. SHE WAS AN ENERGETIC AND HARD WORKER. IF SHE SAW SOMETHING THAT NEEDED DOING, SHE WENT AHEAD AND DID IT. SHE WAS CONCERNED ABOUT OTHERS AND SHE DID THINGS WITHOUT EXPECTING RECOGNITION AND SHE WAS A LIFE LONG TEACHER. SHE TOOK GREAT PLEASURE IN GARDENING, SEWING, BOWLING AND TRAVELLING.
HELEN’S CHILDREN REMEMBER GETTING OFF THE SCHOOL BUS TO THE AROMA OF FRESHLY BAKED BUNS, CINNAMON BUNS AND BISCUITS TOPPED WITH CRABAPPLE JELLY, HOMEMADE CANDY, POPCORN BALLS AND TOFFEE WERE JUST A FEW OF HELEN’S SPECIALTIES. THE TRADITION WERE CONTINUED WITH HER GRANDCHILDREN, AS HER DOOR WAS ALWAYS OPEN AND THERE WAS A STEADY SUPPLY OF COOKIES. HER FAMILY WAS VERY IMPORTANT TO HER AND OVER THE YEARS DEVELOPED A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH ALL HER CHILDREN, THEIR SPOUSES AND HER GRANDCHILDREN. HER FRIENDS WERE A BIG PART OF HER LIFE AS WELL.
HELEN HAD MAJOR MEDICAL PROBLEMS THAT WERE DIAGNOSED AND TREATED IN 1970. SHE HAD HER SHARE OF ACCIDENTS BUT WAS ALWAYS QUICK TO RECOVER. SHE WAS A FIGHTER AND AMAZED MANY OF THE PHYSICIANS AND MEDICAL STAFF. SHE NEVER LET HER MEDICAL PROBLEMS SLOW HER DOWN FOR VERY LONG AND WAS SOON BACK ON HER FEET. EVEN THOUGH HER LAST ILLNESS, WHICH WAS CANCER, HELEN EXPRESSED CONCERN FOR OTHERS, HAD STAMINA, WAS EASY TO CARE FOR AND MAINTAINED HER SENSE OF HUMOUR SHE FOUND GREAT COMFORT IN BEING WITH HER FAMILY AND FRIENDS AND HAVING THE PALLIATIVE CARE ROOM AT THE VULCAN GENERAL HOSPITAL WAS GREATLY APPRECIATED. REGARDLESS OF ALL HER PERSONAL WOES, HELEN ALWAYS HAD A SMILE FOR EVERYONE.
FUNERAL SERVICE TUESDAY, AUGUST 8, 1995 AT 2 PM AT VULCAN UNITED CHURCH WITH REV. DON WATT OFFICIATING. INTERMENT VULCAN CEMETERY.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE DONATIONS CAN BE MADE TO THE VULCAN GENERAL HOSPITAL PALLIATIVE CARE.
VULCAN FUNERAL HOME, DIRECTORS. TELEPHONE 485-2633.