IRENE MARGARET RAYNER

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IRENE MARGARET RAYNER (née LEDINGHAM) On Friday, November 21, 2014, at the Riverview Care Home, our beloved mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother passed away. Irene is survived by her sister Patricia Hughes of Lethbridge; by sons Harry (Eleanor) of Victoria, Bill (Shirley) of Winnipeg, and David (Judi) of Edmonton; by grandchildren Cathy, Sandra, Chris, Mary-Ellen, Alex, and Sarah; and by great-grandchildren Jesse, Sagan, and June. She was predeceased by her husband Harry, her brother Melvin, and her sister Rae Dowling. Irene was born on January 21, 1919 in Winnipeg and attended Wolseley, Isaac Brock, and Gordon Bell schools. She attended Manitoba Commercial College in 1937, achieving the top mark in the provincial stenographic exam for that year, and soon after started with the Department of Transport where she met her husband of 66 years. After an interlude to raise her three sons, she resumed work with the University of Manitoba. On a volunteer basis, she also did the minutes for the Crafts Guild for many years. Her passions were knitting and fabric crafts, gardening, cooking, and reading. The smocks she sewed for her grandchildren should have been award winners, but she was too modest to display them. Her perennial garden was colourful and full of life, but she always denied that she knew anything about gardening. Irene was a survivor, overcoming tremendous difficulties including cancer in mid-life and a crippling stroke 15 years ago. Losing most of the use of her left side, she was no longer able to do her craftwork and gardening, but she learned how to walk with a cane and determinedly kept walking as much as her strength would allow. Never did her friendliness or manners falter. She remains an inspiration to those of us who knew and loved her, a model of courage, tenacity, kindness and love. Irene and Harry met many new friends at Villa Beliveau over the next five years, but in 2005 Harry's condition required Mum to move to The Rosewood, where she enjoyed six good years. Her final years were spent at Riverview Health Centre, where her pleasant manner won her the friendship and appreciation of many of the other residents and staff. At Riverview, she kept her mind active by reading well over two hundred library books over the three years. Irene will be sadly missed by her family and friends. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at Thomson "In the Park" Funeral Home, 1291 McGillivray Boulevard. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Manitoba Crafts Museum and Library, or to the Winnipeg Public Library. THOMSON "IN THE PARK" 204-925-1120 Condolences may be sent to www.thomsoninthepark.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 29, 2014