GRAHAM, Caroline Anna “Carrie” 1914 – 2000

CAROLINE ANNA “CARRIE”GRAHAM, PASSED AWAY PEACEFULLY APRIL 20, 2000 AT VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE AT THE AGE OF 85 YEARS.

CARRIE WAS BORN MAY 13, 1914 AT CARSTAIRS, ALBERTA TO ROBERT AND ANNA REID. THEY RESIDED ON A FARM IN THE CREMONA AREA, FOLLOWING A FARMING ACCIDENT HER FATHER BEGAN TEACHING. AT THE AGE OF 13 YEARS, CARRIE MOVED TO ATTEND SCHOOL IN ONTARIO. SHE RETURNED HOME AFTER THREE YEARS, AND ANNOUNCED, SHE WAS NOT GOING BACK AND COMPLETED HER GRADE 12 IN EDMONTON. SHE COMPLETED NORMAL SCHOOL AND BEGAN TEACHING IN RURAL ALBERTA DURING THE THIRTIES. CARRIE PLANNED COMMUNITY DANCES TO RAISE FUNDS TO HELP SUPPLEMENT THE MEAGER LUNCHES OF HER STUDENTS. SHE CAME TO TEACH AT HIGHLAND SCHOOL, NORTH OF VULCAN, WHERE SHE TAUGHT FOR THREE YEARS. CARRIE MET AND MARRIED RUSSELL McRAE GRAHAM IN 1938, THEY MOVED TO THE GRAHAM FAMILY FARM AFTER THE SUDDEN DEATH OF HIS MOTHER, AND RAISED SIX CHILDREN THERE. FARM AND FAMILY WERE THE CENTRE OF HER LIFE. SHE BECAME A MEMBER OF HOME AND SCHOOL, AS A GUIDE LEADER, SHE HAD GREAT TIMES WITH BOTH ARROWWOOD AND VULCAN GUIDES CAMPING. CARRIE INSTILLED IN HER CHILDREN, THE IMPORTANCE OF EDUCATION AND GOOD CITIZENSHIP.

SHE ATTENDED UNIVERSITY COURSES TO UPDATE HER TRAINING AND RETURNED TO TEACHING AT CCHS WHERE SHE TAUGHT SOCIAL STUDIES, ENGLISH AND DRAMA. THEY MOVED INTO VULCAN IN 1968 WHERE SHE HAS RESIDED UNTIL JANUARY THIS YEAR, WHEN SHE MOVED INTO THE VULCAN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTRE WHERE SHE HAS RESIDED SINCE.

CARRIE LOVED HER FAMILY, FRIENDS AND ESPECIALLY HER GRANDCHILDREN WHOM SHE SPENT TIME AND TRIPS WITH TOURING EUROPE TAKING IN ALL THE HISTORY SHE LOVED TO TEACH. SHE ENJOYED SEWING HER GRANDCHILDREN T-SHIRTS AND PAJAMAS, GARDENING INTO HER 80’S. SHE AND RUSSELL ENJOYED TRAVELING TO WARMER WINTER SPOTS UNTIL RUSSELL BECAME ILL AND PASSED AWAY IN 1983. CARRIE WAS VERY ACTIVE IN HER CHURCH WHERE SHE SERVED AS A COUNCIL MEMBER AND WITH THE LADIES GUILD. SHE ALSO TAUGHT BIBLE HISTORY WITH THE YOUTH AND ENJOYED TAKING PART IN MANY BIBLE STUDIES. SHE WAS THE FIRST WOMAN ELECTED TO THE TOWN COUNCIL AND SERVED AS COUNTY SCHOOL BOARD REPRESENTATIVE. CARRIE ALSO SERVED ON BOTH LOCAL AND PROVINCIAL LIBRARY BOARDS. ONE OF HER PROUDEST ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN COMMUNITY WORK, WAS AS A FOUNDING MEMBER OF THE WHEAT COUNTRY SPECIAL NEEDS AND SERVED ON THE BOARD UNTIL 1999.

LOVING MOTHER OF THREE SONS JOHN (DONNA) OF VULCAN, JAMES (LYDIA) OF COCHRANE, DOUG (LEANNE) OF VULCAN, THREE DAUGHTERS CATHERINE COCHLAN OF CLARESHOLM, LOUISE (CLEO) SCHMIDT OF VULCAN AND SYLVIA (TOM) MAYBERRY OF INGERSALL, ONTARIO, FIFTEEN GRANDCHILDREN, A GREAT GRANDSON LUCAS SCHMIDT-BELLACH, A SISTER CHRISTIE CHERRY OF ABBOTSFORD, B.C.

CARRIE WAS PREDECEASED BY HER HUSBAND RUSSELL, A BROTHER GEORGE REID, A SON-IN-LAW GUY COCHLAN AND HER PARENTS.

FUNERAL SERVICE MONDAY APRIL 24, 2000 AT BETHEL LUTHERAN CHURCH, VULCAN AT 2:00 P.M. WITH PASTOR MICHAEL COLBECK OFFICIATING.

CASKET BEARERS WERE HER GRANDDAUGHTERS ANN LeCLAIR, PATRICIA COCHLAN, BETH GRAHAM, DENICE GRAHAM, ERIN GRAHAM AND ANGELA GRAHAM.

INTERMENT VULCAN CEMETERY.

IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE, TRIBUTES IN CARRIE’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO WHEAT COUNTRY SPECIAL NEEDS SOCIETY (SODA) BOX 763 VULCAN, TOL 2BO.

ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME. TELEPHONE 485-2633.