Bessie McLEAN

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McLEAN: Bessie Irene McLean. June 2, 1915-April 9, 2011. Bessie (Brown) McLean was born in Basswood, MB in 1915, one of nine children born to Ed and Florence Brown. Bessie completed high school and worked as a “hired girl” in Minnedosa, Hafford, SK, and for the McLean family. During World War II she enlisted in the RCAF serving in Canada as an air force nurse’s aide in Dauphin and Rivers, MB. During her RCAF service she married Arnold McLean. Toward the end of the War she left the Air Force and took a job at the United Church Mission Hospital at Eriksdale, MB until Arnold returned from overseas. Her commitment to the Canadian Legion and Legion Auxiliary continued through her life and she received a life membership in the Legion. When Arnold returned from overseas, they spent the next years farming at Strathclair, raising their family, and in community service. Bessie was active in Strathclair United Church, serving at different times as Baby Band leader, Sunday School teacher and superintendent, CGIT and camp leader, mission project coordinator and local Board member, as well as regionally in the Presbytery and Conference. She engaged in a variety of other community service activities at Strathclair with figure skating committees, fair committees, chairing the Community Christmas Concerts for many years, the theatre committee and organizing many bridal shower committees. Her lively interest in community history led her to be instrumental in writing the first history book of Strathclair Municipality (Our Story to 1970) as well as the histories of Strathclair Agriculture Society, Strathclair United Church, Marney United Church, and Carleton Lodge. Her long-time work for the Strathclair and District Review gave her much pleasure. She enjoyed travels, both longer trips and short day trips to look at birds, flowers and fall leaves. She was an avid reader, a maker of scrapbooks, a decorator for special occasions, and a baker of delicious buns. Bessie was always a team player working with others for the betterment of the community and world. Bessie was predeceased by her husband, Arnold, in 2000. She is survived by Ron McLean (Christine Broadhead), Shaun McLean (Angela Vaags), Shannon McLean-Geletchuk (Darren Geletchuk), Charlotte Caron, Gwenna Moss, Margaret Amy, Marion and Don Ferguson, and other family members and friends. Bessie moved from Strathclair to live in Morley House in Shoal Lake from 2004 to 2008. Although she moved to Calvary Place in Winnipeg in 2008 to be closer to Charlotte and Gwenna, her heart remained in Strathclair, the community she worked to sustain for so many years. Funeral services will be held at Strathclair United Church on Wednesday, April 13, 2011 at 1:00 p.m. Donations in memory of Bessie may be made to the Mission and Service Fund of the United Church or to the Strathclair Theatre Committee for the Theatre Legion Wing.

As published in Brandon Sun on Apr 12, 2011