HELMA SHARP, PASSED AWAY SUDDENLY AT HOME DECEMBER 3, 1997 AT VULCAN, ALBERTA AT THE AGE OF 75 YEARS.
HELMA WAS BORN JULY 15, 1922 IN BASSANO, ALBERTA TO ANNA AND GEORGE GREAVES. SHE WAS THE SECOND YOUNGEST OF EIGHT CHILDREN, AND GREW UP ON THE FARM, ATTENDED FAWN HILL SCHOOL, WHERE SHE RODE A HORSE WITH HER SISTER EARLY TO SCHOOL TO GET WATER AND START THE FIRE. SHE FINISHED SCHOOL AND BEGAN HOUSEKEEPING FOR FARM FAMILIES IN THE AREA.
HELMA MARRIED FREDERICK WILLIAM (BILL) SHARP DECEMBER 19, 1942 AT BASSANO. THEY FARMED NORTHEAST OF VULCAN IN THE BERRYWATER DISTRICT WHERE THEY RAISED THEIR FAMILY, THEN IN 1957 THEY PURCHASED A FARM FIVE MILES EAST OF WHERE THEY HAD BEEN LIVING TO RAISE GRAIN AND CATTLE, HELMA LOVED HEREFORDS. WHEN BILL HAD A FARM ACCIDENT IN 1968, THEY DECIDED TO BUILD A NEW HOUSE AND MOVED INTO VULCAN IN 1973. BILL DIED IN 1983 AND HELMA HAS CONTINUED TO RESIDE IN HER HOME UNTIL HER PASSING.
HELMA WAS AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE BERRYWATER LADIES, CANDLELIGHT CIRCLE, VULCAN SENIOR’S DROP-IN, NEW BEGINNINGS GROUP, A MUTUAL SUPPORT GROUP FOR WIDOWS AND WIDOWERS AND SHE CONTINUED TO VISIT WITH EACH MEMBER EVEN AFTER THE GROUP DISBANDED. SHE WAS ALSO VERY ACTIVE AS A MEMBER OF THE UNITED CHURCH WOMEN AS SHE WAS THE ONE WHO ORGANIZED MANY LUNCHEONS AFTER FUNERALS.
HELMA WAS A SEASONED GARDENER, VEGETABLES, FLOWERS, FRUIT TREES AND BUSHES. HER APPLE TREE PRODUCED COPIOUS APPLES ANNUALLY. SHE SHARED HER FRESH AND CANNED CROPS WITH HER FAMILY, FRIENDS AND NEIGHBOURS.
HELMA ENJOYED TRAVELLING, TO ENGLAND AND THIS PAST SUMMER TO NEWFOUNDLAND. SHE ALSO ENJOYED FISHING, CAMPING AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE BUFFALO HILLS CAMPERS CLUB. BILL AND HELMA TOOK MANY WINTER TRIPS TO PHOENIX. HELMA MADE MANY QUIILTS, ESPECIALLY FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS. SHE WAS A VOLUNTEER COURTESY DRIVER. SHE ALSO ENJOYED HER FAVOURITE SOAP ‘THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS’ IN THE AFTERNOONS, AND AN AVID CALGARY FLAMES HOCKEY FAN. SHE ENJOYED TEASING AND BEING TEASED. HELMA LOVED HER FAMILY AND WAS ALWAYS SHARING WITH HER FRIENDS WHERE AND WHAT THEY WERE DOING. SHE ALSO LOVED TIME WITH HER GRAND AND GREAT GRANDCHILDREN AND FAMILY TIMES TOGETHER. SHE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO LEND A HELPING HAND TO ANYONE WHO NEEDED IT.
BELOVED MOTHER OF ONE DAUGHTER ROSE (DON) FOX, TWO SONS BILL (LYNNE) ALL OF VULCAN AND JOHN (DOROTHY) OF COLEMAN, NINE GRANDCHILDREN, EIGHT GREAT GRANDCHILDREN, A BROTHER LES (MARION) GREAVES OF CALGARY, THREE SISTERS MARION HENRY AND LELA AVERY, BOTH OF BASSANO AND EDITH (HARVEY) FULLER OF BROOKS, NUMEROUS NIECES AND NEPHEWS, AND A HOST OF FRIENDS.
SHE WAS PREDECEASED BY HER HUSBAND BILL IN 1983, TWO BROTHERS SAM AND LEWIS GREAVES, A SISTER DELLA WHATMORE AND HER PARENTS.
FUNERAL SERVICE MONDAY DECEMBER 8, 1997 AT 1 1:00 A.M. AT VULCAN UNITED CHURCH WITH DON WATT OFFICIATING.
INTERMENT MOUNTAIN VEIW MEMORIAL GARDENS, 17TH AVE S.E. AT GARDEN RD. CALGARY AT 3:00 P.M.
HONOURARY BEARERS WERE ED RICHARDSON, BILL LUCAS, JAKE ELIAS, STAN WICKSTROM, FRANK LOVE AND PETER SILBERNAGEL.
CASKET BEARERS WERE DARREN SHARP, DEREK SHARP, BOYD FOX, CHAD FOX, DERRICK HURL AND BRIAN CONNERS.
IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, IF FRIENDS SO DESIRE, MEMORIAL TRIBUTES IN HELMA’S MEMORY COULD BE MADE TO EITHER THE VULCAN UNITED CHURCH MEMORIAL FUND, BOX 275 VULCAN, ALBERTA TOL 2B0 OR CHARITY OF YOUR CHOICE.
FUNERAL ARRANGEMENT S IN CARE OF VULCAN FUNERAL HOME.