GWENDOLENE “GWEN” GRAHAM, PASSED AWAY MARCH I6, 1997 AT VULCAN, ALBERTA AT THE AGE OF 78 YEARS.
GWEN WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 26, 1918 AT DRUMHELLER, ALBERTA TO JOHN AND MARY UTLEY . SHE GREW UP IN DRUMHELLER COMPLETING HER HIGH SCHOOL THERE. MANY OF HER YOUNGER YEARS WERE SPENT ON AND IN THE RIVER, SWIMMING IN THE SUMMER AND HOCKEY IN THE WINTER. SHE LOVED TO PLAY SPORTS INCLUDING BASKETBALL IN SCHOOL, LONG WALKS IN THE BADLANDS AND ALL AROUND TOWN. AFTER GRADUATING FROM HIGH SCHOOL, GWEN RECEIVED HER NURSES TRAINING AT CALGARY AND COMPLETED HER PSYCHIATRIC TRAINING AT PONOKA. SHE CAME TO THE VULCAN HOSPITAL IN I944.
GWEN AND LLOYD GRAHAM WERE MARRIED ON DECEMBER I, 1945. THEY MOVED INTO LLOYD’S GRANDPARENTS HOUSE, WHERE THEY HAVE RESIDED SINCE. GWEN CONTINUED TO WORK AT THE HOSPITAL ON A PART-TIME BASIS. GWEN ENJOYED COOKING, PICNICS, AND NEIGHBOURHOOD CAMPOUTS AT BEAVER MINES WITH OTHER FAMILIES AND CLOSE FRIENDS. SHE ALSO ENJOYED CURLING, CROSSWORD PUZZLES, TRAVELLING AND ESPECIALLY GOLFING AND SWIMMING WHICH SHE DID DAILY DURING THE SUMMER. GWEN AND LLOYD TRAVELLED TO NUMEROUS PLACES INCLUDING HAWAII, SPAIN, MEXICO, AUSTRALIA, WESTERN CARIBBEAN, MARITIMES, DISNEYLAND, AND SPENT WINTERS IN YUMA, ARIZONA SINCE 1972. GWEN LOVED HER FAMILY AND LIKED TO VISIT WITH HER MANY FRIENDS. SHE HAD A WONDERFUL SENSE OF HUMOUR. SHE ENJOYED CHRISTMAS SO MUCH THAT SHE WOULD CARRY THE SEASON THROUGHOUT THE YEAR WITH ITS MUSIC. HER POSITIVE ATTITUDE ON LIFE WAS INFECTIOUS.
GWEN WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE VULCAN UNITED CHURCH, YOUNG PEOPLE’S UNION IN HER YOUNGER YEARS AND WOMEN’S GROUP ONE AND SHE WAS A GIRL GUIDE LEADER FOR MANY YEARS.
GWEN IS SURVIVED BY HER LOVING HUSBAND LLOYD, TWO DAUGHTERS VALERIE (BRENT) SKURA, OF RICHMOND, B.C., AND LEILA KLIPPERT OF LETHBRIDGE, THREE GRANDCHILDREN ERIN SKURA, RYAN SKURA AND GREG KLIPPERT, A BROTHER JOE (BEA) UTLEY OF CALGARY, SISTER-IN-LAW FREDA UTLEY, AND NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS.
CASKET BEARERS: ERIN SKURA, RYAN SKURA, GREG KLIPPERT, DONALDA LEDENE, BONNIE ZINKEN AND BILL GRAHAM.
FUNERAL SERVICE THURSDAY MARCH 20, I997 AT 1:30 P.M. AT VULCAN UNITED CHURCH WITH REV. DON WATT OFFICIATING.
INURNMENT WILL TAKE PLACE AT A LATER DATE IN THE VULCAN CEMETERY.
IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE DONATIONS IN GWEN‘S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE VULCAN UNITED CHURCH MEMORIAL FUND, BOX 275 VULCAN, ALBERTA T0L 2BO OF THE ALBERTA CANCER FOUNDATION I331-29 ST. N.W. CALGARY, ALBERTA TZN 4N2.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME.