March 2004
NEWSOM - Ron
April 22, 1913 - March 9, 2004.
William Roland (Ron) Newsom, beloved husband of Louise Newsom of Calgary,
passed away at the Carewest Colonel Belcher on Tuesday, March 9, 2004 at the
age of 90 years.
Ron grew up in Stavely and Banff, where he started a lengthy career in the
newspaper industry, which took him to Nanton, McLeod, Castor and Olds. He
was a twenty year co-owner of the Olds Gazette with Neil Leatherdale. Ron
then edited the Rimbey Record before going overseas in World War II with the
Tank Corp. Following an injury he served with the Maple Leaf Canadian Army
newspaper.
After the war he owned and edited the Bashaw Star for seventeen years. While
in Bashaw, he was active in the Fire Department, Justice of the Peace, and
instrumental in the development of a hospital and a seniors lodge. A
long-time member of the Royal Canadian Legion, Masonic Lodge and Elks Lodge,
serving as the Chaplain of the Calgary Elks Lodge. Ron received the Gold
Quill Award for fifty years of distinguished service to the community
newspaper profession and Honourary Life Membership.
Remarrying in 1975, Ron and Louise travelled extensively, frequently
visiting Arizona. Ron was editor of the Strathmore Bow Valley Standard at
Heritage Park until 1984. Besides his loving wife of twenty-nine years,
Louise, Ron is remembered by his children, Don (Birdeen), Shirley (Marion)
and Michael (Linda); stepchildren, Robert (Betty) Miller, Gordon (Flo)
Miller, Jim Miller, Pamela Miller and Barbara Biles; grandchildren, Nathan,
Luke and Kaylene; and many step-grandchildren, especially Alison Biles
(Everett), and Stephen Biles; great-stepgrandson, baby William; and sisters,
Joyce (Ken) Willis and Eileen Martens.
Ron was predeceased by his first wife Myrtle and stepdaughter Sheila Lea.
Funeral services were held at McInnis & Holloway's Park Memorial Chapel
(5008 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Friday, March 12, 2004 at 2:30 p.m. with the Rev.
R.H. Grant Rodgers of St. Peter's Anglican Church officiating.
A Family Graveside Service will be held at Queen's Park Cemetery. To forward
condolences go to www.mcinnisandholloway.com If friends so desire, memorial
tributes may be made directly to the Alzheimer Society of Calgary, No. 201,
222 - 58 Avenue S.W., Calgary, AB T2H 2S3 (Telephone 403-290-0110), or
directly to the charity of the donor's choice. In living memory of Ron
Newsom, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek Provincial Park by McInnis &
Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial Garden Chapel, 5008 Elbow Drive S.W.,
Calgary. Phone 403-243-8200.
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SABIN - Helen Mary (nee Garfield) 1916 - 2004.
Helen Mary Sabin, former of Edmonton, passed away at the Beverly Care
Centre, Lake Midnapore on Thursday, February 26, 2004 at the age of 87
years. Helen was born in Victoria, B.C., on July 13, 1916 to Mary and Carl
Garfield. the family including her twin, Nettie (Pedlar) and her younger
sister Lillian (McLellan), moved to Irricana, AB in 1918.
Helen and Nettie graduated with a Bachelor Degree in nursing from the
University of Alberta in 1938. While working as a district nurse in
Winfield, AB, Helen met Clayton Sabin who she married in 1942.
Helen's accomplishments in the field of nursing were numerous. In addition
to community nursing she was a great nursing leader. She was the Executive
Director of the Alberta Association of Registered Nurses for seventeen
years. Helen was honored for her contributions to nursing by being granted
an Alberta Achievement Award in 1976 and an Honorary Doctorate in Nursing
from Athabasca University in 1993.
Although Helen's career was important to her, it did hold a second place to
the value she placed on human relationships. She loved her family and
friends and devoted herself to them. Her grandchildren were a source of
great pride. They will always remember the fun they had with Helen - at age
seventy-five she taught them to play baseball, was always ready to cuddle
with a story when they were young and as they grew, loved to listen to their
accomplishments and accounts of their days. People who were touched by Helen
were truly blessed by her warmth, concern and wisdom.
She is survived by sisters, Nettie Pedlar and Lillian (Jim) McLellan; a
daughter and son--in-law Lorraine nd Rod Mohr; grandchildren, Kaylee, Kevin
and Sarah; as well as nieces and nephews, Georgiana McDavid, Mary Hays, Dick
Pedlar, Bruce McLellan, Janet Sandahl, and a loving extended family.
Helen was predeceased by her husband Clayton in 1980.
Funeral Services were held at St. David's United Church (3303 Capitol Hill
Crescent, N.W.) on Monday, March 1, 2004 at 2:00 p.m.
To forward condolences go to www.mcinnisandholloway.com
If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Alberta
Registered Nurses Educational Trust, Helen Sabin Memorial Scholarship, 11620
- 168 Street, Edmonton, AB, T4M 4A6.
In living memory of Helen Sabin, a tree will be planted at Fish Creek
Provincial Park by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial Chapel,
5008 Elbow Drive S.W., Calgary. Telephone 403-243-8200.
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SMITH, Gladys
Gladys Smith, long-time resident and pioneer of Olds and district, passed
away on March 27, 2004 at the age of 103.
Gladys (nee French) was born in Polegate, England, on March 4, 1901. With
her older sister Mabel and younger brother James, the family emigrated to
Canada and arrived in Kelowna, BC in 1910. The family moved to Olds in 1915
and took a homestead in the Ennerdale area west of Olds, where Gladys
attended Ennerdale public school and took Grade 8. Higher grades were not
offered at Ennerdale, so in 1916, Gladys went to work on the Clark farm, and
later worked in the Olds post office for Postmaster Bush from 1917 to 1922.
In 1922, she married Geoff Smith, also of Olds, and had one son, Cliff.
Geoff and Gladys lived in Drumheller, where Geoff worked in the mines, and
Arrowwood, where Geoff was a grain agent for Searle, before returning to
Olds to stay in 1931. They farmed on the original homestead in the Ennerdale
area until 1945, when they purchased the Murray farm and built a new house.
They retired from the farm and moved into Olds in 1961, becoming next door
neighbors of the Maybanks and Pedlars.
Gladys moved into Mount View Manor in 1981, four years after the loss of her
husband Geoff on June 5, 1977, and 7 years later moved across the lot to
Mount View Lodge. She knew many of the other Lodge residents, also pioneers,
and made many good friends with the lodge staff. Gladys was also predeceased
by her brother James on April 17, 1987 and sister Mabel on April 17, 2001.
Gladys was an avid gardener all her life, and in spite of her advanced age,
maintained a flower bed outside her window at the lodge. She also kept busy
knitting, crocheting, writing poetry, and making novelties for the lodge
sales, bingos and special events. She regularly expressed her opinions in
letters to newspapers, and to provincial and federal politicians. In 1992,
she was made the subject of a feature article on seniors by Catherine Ford
in the Calgary Herald. In 2002, she received a letter from Premier Klein
thanking her for her continued interest in politics, and her comments on
life in general.
A dinner was held for Gladys in the Flames Restaurant in Olds on her 100th
birthday, with 25 close relatives and friends in attendance. In addition,
the Lodge later held an open house with about 80 attendees.
Gladys is lovingly remembered by her son Cliff and his wife Win of
Saskatoon, three granddaughters - Diane Smith-Granger of Calgary, Wendy
Stricker of Yorkton, and Julie Abell-Smith of Saskatoon, 7
great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces and nephews.
Arrangements were entrusted to Mountain View Funeral Chapels, and Olds
United Church. The funeral ceremony will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday,
April 6, 2004, at Olds United Church with Reverend Shelagh Parsons
officiating. Interment of the urn at Olds Cemetery will immediately follow
the ceremony. Friends and relatives are invited to join the family in the
church Upper Hall for fellowship and light refreshment.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in memory of Gladys to the
Canadian Diabetic Association, or to the Olds United Church Memorial Fund.
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