OLIVE IRENE
MILNE
(nee NOLMAN)
We celebrate the life of Olive Irene Milne, mother,
grandmother, and great grandmother. A
woman walking on the sunny side of life, she was ever the optimist, always
encouraging you with her “you can do it” attitude. Olive passed away peacefully
Friday, May 16, 2014.
Left to cherish Olive’s memory are son Joshua (Donna),
grandsons Mark (Sharon) and Matthew
(Tifanny), and great granddaughters Anna and Charlotte. She was predeceased by
her parents George and Marianne Nolman; brother Peter; and husband Thomas B.
Milne.
On January 27, 1924 Olive was born in Selkirk General
Hospital. She was raised on the family farm in Libau where her dad operated a
store, a service garage, and a Minneapolis Moline dealership. She had an active
childhood. Olive’s favourite sports were soccer and tennis and she loved to
dance. She inherited her mother’s talent and love of singing. Music remained an
important part of her whole life. A
determined individual, Olive would play her piano even when she lost the use of
a couple of fingers due to arthritis.
She was loved singing, at church, at home, in the car, in hospital and
she kept it up right on to the end of the road at Middlechurch.
Olive started school in Libau. Often recounting of the
winter days when she would be driven to school on a horse drawn cutter with
other children grabbing a ride on the back. She continued her education and
graduated from Rupertsland Boarding School in Winnipeg and then went on to business school.
Olive met “Tommy” at the Wildwood Club in Fort Garry
playing tennis. They were married
November 26, 1947 and remained lifelong partners for 65 years until dad’s
passing December 15, 2012. After marrying Dad, Olive became a dedicated
homemaker but always stayed active in the community, volunteering her
help. In the early days in Winnipeg she was involved
in fund raising for school events and getting square dance groups going.
When the family moved west to Edmonton in 1960, Olive
became active with the Edmonton Symphony and Opera Associations. When they
moved to Minneapolis in 1965 she continued her musical connection with the Minneapolis
Symphony Association. Her yearly highlight was when the Metropolitan Opera
would be in town for a week performing different operas every night. When Mom and Dad moved to Winnipeg in 1975
she began a long term commitment fund raising for the Children’s Hospital
through her work with the Nearly New Shop and annual Book Fair.
Mom enjoyed travelling; whether it was weekend trips
to the cottage in Minaki or travelling to visit friends and relatives in
Calgary, Chatham, New England, Chicago, or holidaying in Tybee Beach in Georgia
where they loved the southern hospitality. They made several trips overseas and
were fortunate to have traveled on many of the great ocean liners.
Nana loved to cook and bake often experimenting with
new recipes. For her, meals were never
complete without a dessert and just in case you needed a little extra the
cookie jar was always full. Nana would make her grandsons their favourite
dishes especially when birthdays came along, whether it was a rum cake for Mark
or twice baked potatoes for Matthew.
Nana was thrilled to see her great granddaughters. Her eyes would light up and
her broad smile beamed when she had the chance to hold and cuddle them.
A private family service has been held. Mom will be interred
in the family plot in Libau at a later date.
We would like to thank the staff at Middlechurch Home
for the care and love they provided.
Amid the confusion of a chaotic world she found a solace there.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the
Children’s Hospital or the charity of your choice.
Wojcik’s Winnipeg Funeral Chapel
& Crematorium, 1020 Main Street, 204.586.8668, is in care of arrangements.
wojciksfuneralchapel.com
“A genuine loving and caring person,
Olive will be missed!”
Wojcik’s
FUNERAL CHAPEL & CREMATORIUM
1020 MAIN STREET
204 - 586 - 8668
www.wojciksfuneralchapel.com
