Obituary of YVONNE MAE GRAHAM

 Yvonne Mae Graham (nee Whyte)

 1934 – 2019

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Yvonne Mae Graham on Sunday, December 1^st, 2019 at Riverview Health Centre at the age of 85.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband Don of 62 years, their children Diana (Greg), Susan and Janice and beloved grandchildren Bethany, Ben, Danielle (Jon), Tara, Brady, and Sonya. She was also fortunate to have three wonderful great grandchildren Zev, Stella and Ivy.

She will be sadly missed by her brothers and sisters, Joan, Jim (Lorna), Lois, George (Denise), Jeanette (Jack), Heather (Jon) and Ferg (Donelda)

 Being of good health, filled with love and kindness and being true to yourself are gifts she wishes for all of her family’s futures. Where there is life, there is hope….

As the eldest of eight, Yvonne grew up pretty fast and was big help to her parents. Being raised on the Whyte family farm brought many responsibilities and many happy times too with all of the sharing and caring that happen with large families. She moved to Winnipeg after finishing high school and took a secretarial course at Success College.  She worked at the Manitoba department of education and enjoyed her independence in the big city.

Yvonne and Don met in Brookdale at a dance in fall of 1956. While Don travelled that winter and worked in the United States, he soon realized that he missed that certain young lady and they married on October 26, 1957 on a clear cold sunny day. They had just finished harvesting which in itself made it a happy day.

Yvonne had many important roles in her life.  First and foremost, as Don’s partner on the farm and all of the responsibilities that it entailed. She was an accomplished cook and baker, seamstress (remember those amazing Centennial dresses that she sewed for herself and the girls!) and loved to garden. She sometimes referred to gardening as her sanity blanket and spent many hours making sure she had a well- kept yard and vegetable garden. Yvonne won several awards both locally and provincially for the beautiful farm grounds. She was also at home driving the combine and the three-ton grain truck.

 Yvonne taught Sunday school at the Newdale United Church and was a leader in 4H for many years. For 15 years, she was the organist at church and sang in the choir. Birtle Presbytery was also a focus for her, organizing and formulating church policy.  She learned her bookkeeping skills when working at Waddell Motors and kept the farm books in impeccable shape. Yvonne even learned to fly an airplane!!!

Dancing to live bands, line dancing and clogging were favorite activities and in her retirement years, yoga and shuffleboard competitions became an important part of her life at their winter home in Florida where she spent over 25 years making new friends and meeting her Sista’ Bev.

Yvonne and Don spent 18 years in Brandon where they enjoyed a new life once they sold the farm. Their travels took them to Italy, Scotland, and Ireland, most of the states in the United States and across Canada. They thought that would be the last move but the grandchildren came calling and wanted them to move to Winnipeg. So once again, they started anew and did what they do best, love and care for one another, make new friends and spend time with family.

A Memorial Service will be held at Westworth United Church (1750 Grosvenor Avenue Winnipeg, MB) on Saturday December 7^t at 2PM.

Special thanks to the Palliative Care Unit at Riverview Health Centre.  Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family by visiting www.cropo.com

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Yvonne’s memory to CancerCare Manitoba.

“And may we strive to touch and know the great human heart calling to us all and Oh Lord God let us not to forget to be kind”