MARY GLADYS BIRKENES, PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY AT THE VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER ON DECEMBER 22, 1999 AT THE AGE OF 98 YEARS.
MARY WAS BORN JULY 8, 1901 AT MERTON, ENGLAND TO FRED AND ANNE SADLER. SHE CAME TO CANADA AT THE AGE OF ELEVEN YEARS WITH HER PARENTS SAILING ON A SHIP CALLED THE EMPRESS OF BRITAIN, ARRIVING IN CANADA ON FEBRUARY 21, 1913. IN 1914 HER PARENTS BOUGHT THE MELVIN GRANLIN QUARTER SECTION, NINE MILES EAST AND ONE AND A HALF MILES NORTH OF CHAMPION. SHE ATTENDED YALE AND SANDERSON SCHOOLS. FOLLOWING SCHOOL SHE MOVED TO CALGARY TO WORK AT THE ROWAND RESIDENCE FOR TWO YEARS. SHE RETURNED TO CHAMPION AND HELPED HER PARENTS. IN 1920 SHE MARRIED HERBERT BIRKENES AND MOVED TO THE LOMOND / ARMADA DISTRICT WHERE THEY FARMED FOR THIRTY EIGHT YEARS. IN 1958 THEY MOVED TO VULCAN AND HERBERT PASSED AWAY IN 1967. MARY MOVED INTO PETER DAWSON LODGE IN AUGUST OF 1979.TWO YEARS LATER SHE MOVED BACK TO LOMOND RESIDING AT THE SENIOR CITIZEN APARTMENTS FOR A YEAR AND A HALF. IN 1981 SHE RETURNED TO PETER DAWSON LODGE AND IN 1994 SHE MOVED INTO THE LONG TERM CARE AT VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTER, WHERE SHE HAS RESIDED SINCE.
MARY ENJOYED READING, NEEDLEPOINT, KNITTING, CROCHETING, DRAWING, WATER COLORS, COOKING AND VISITING WITH MANY NEIGHBORS AND FRIENDS.
SHE WAS A DEVOUT MEMBER OF THE VULCAN CHURCH OF CHRIST, CANDLELIGHT CIRCLE, ARMADA COMMUNITY CLUB AND IN THE EARLY YEARS WOMEN’S INSTITUTE.
LOVING MOTHER OF THREE SONS LEONARD (ESTER) OF CALGARY, BOB (DEL) OF TRAIL B.C. AND VICTOR (JUDY) OF LOMOND, DAUGHTER-IN-LAW MAUDE BIRKENES OF TURNER VALLEY, TEN GRANDCHILDREN, FIVE GREAT GRANDCHILDREN.
MARY WAS PREDECEASED BY HER HUSBAND HERBERT IN 1967, AN INFANT GRAND DAUGHTER LYNN DIANE IN 1952, GRANDSON WAYNE IN 1986, A SON RONALD IN 1991 AND HER PARENTS.
FUNERAL SERVICE TUESDAY DECEMBER 28, 1999 AT 1:30 P.M. AT CENTRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST VULCAN WITH REV. DOUG BARRIE OFFICIATING.
CASKET BEARERS WERE HAROLD MAGNUSON, HARVEY BOYD, CHUCK STOKES, RONALD CHAMBERS, ROBERT KUNKEL AND ROYDEN LUCAS.
INTERMENT VULCAN CEMETERY.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS TRIBUTES IN MARY’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE CENTRAL CHURCH OF CHRIST VULCAN TOL 2BO, PETER DAWSON LODGE BOX 760 VULCAN, TOL 2BO OR THE CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. TELEPHONE 485-2633.