ARLENE MAY ARBOUR

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ARLENE MAY ARBOUR

(MAYES)

May 4, 1939 - October 29, 2023

It is with deep sorrow and much love we mourn the passing of Arlene May Arbour (Mayes) of Brandon, Manitoba on October 29, 2023, at the age of 84.
The world welcomed Arlene on May 4, 1939 in Port Arthur, Ontario (later named Thunder Bay, Ontario). Arlene had a caring and loving childhood, raised by her father Austin Mayes, and her grandmother Matilda May Mayes, as Arlene's mother, Elsie Mayes passed away when Arlene was six years old.
Arlene spent her childhood years in Port Arthur with her brother Clifford. Arlene enjoyed an active outdoor childhood growing up with lifelong friends and family on Andrew Street. In her teenage years, she attended Hillcrest High School. Arlene took after her father who was an active hunter and fisherman and the family spent summers at the cabin on Lake Superior. Arlene fondly spoke of family meals that included fresh venison and pickerel caught by her father.
Arlene met her true love, Arthur Homer Joseph Arbour and married in the spring of 1958 in Port Arthur, Ontario. A marriage that spanned nearly 62 happy years. Arlene and Arthur went on to have four children: Douglas, David, Darren and Esther (Escott). Arlene and Arthur purchased a small home on Cowan Street to begin their family. In 1970, they tore down the original house and built a home designed by Arthur that would be the family home for the rest of their time in Thunder Bay. Arlene and Arthur had a passion to extend their love and care for children and became foster parents in the early 1970’s and cared for many foster children during their time in Thunder Bay, working with the organization formerly known as the Children's Aid Society. Arlene was an outdoors woman with a lifelong love for camping and nature. Arlene spent every summer camping with her children at Silver Lake in Ontario. This soon became an annual tradition with extended family members, choosing the site on May Long Weekend. Camping started with a small camper with no electricity or running water and every few years the family camper grew in size and luxury. Arlene and Arthur were pioneers of having a permanent seasonal site. Arlene was known for her hospitality and homemade delicacies. She enjoyed hosting Tupperware parties, bridal and baby showers and holiday parties, serving up pinwheel sandwiches and a wide selection of homemade dainties. Arlene’s other interests included gardening, her homemade preserves and pickles, baked goods and homemade meals in addition to reading and knitting. Anyone close to Arlene will have a homemade knitted sweater or blanket from her.
In June 1980 Arlene moved to Brandon, Manitoba as Arthur accepted a new career with the city. It did not take long for Arlene to quickly become involved with their new community. She continued her love for camping and joined the organization 'Prairie Crocus Good Sam’s' where she was a Wagon Master and met many cherished, lifelong friends. Arlene was actively involved in the Brandon Light Horse and Pony Society and a yearly volunteer for the Royal Manitoba Winter Fair and Brandon Provincial Exhibition (Summer Fair). Arlene particularly enjoyed volunteering in the hospitality tent at the Summer Fair, and in the hitching ring at the Winter Fair.
Continuing her advocacy for children, Arlene’s passion and pride was her daycare. Arlene opened a home-based daycare in Brandon in the early 1980s and operated the daycare for over 20 years. Many parents and their children would become lifelong friends to Arlene and the entire family.
In her retirement years, Arlene and Arthur became snowbirds and spent several winter's in Arizona with their travel trailer. Summers were spent camping at various campgrounds or at the cottage at Pelican Lake. When exploring the local areas, Arlene particularly enjoyed the Morden Apple Festival and camping jamborees with the Good Sam’s in Neepawa for the Lily Festival and Killarney.
Arlene is predeceased by her husband Arthur in 2019, her eldest son Doug (married to Diane) (Ontario) in 2021 and her parents, Austin Mayes (1989) and Elsie Mayes (1945). She is survived by her brother Clifford and children, David, Darren and Esther (married to Ben) (Calgary) and six grandchildren, Angela, Michael, Jorden, Aaron, Levi, and Sable and three great-grandchildren, Cameron, Cole, and Gavin.
The children of Arlene invite you to join a celebration of Arlene’s life on Saturday November 25th at 10:30 a.m. to be held at Memories Chapel. A condolence book is through the Memories website (www.memorieschapel.com). Arlene will be buried alongside Arthur in a private family ceremony in the summer of 2024.
For those wishing to acknowledge Arlene’s legacy, in lieu of flowers, donations may be made in her name to either the Canadian Diabetes Foundation or the Kidney Foundation of Canada.

As published in Brandon Sun on Nov 04, 2023