VERA GLADYS GUINDON

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VERA GLADYS GUINDON (nee GOSSAGE) August 27, 1921 - February 21, 2014 Peacefully on February 21, 2014, Vera Guindon passed away at the age of 92. Vera was born in Montreal, spending her formative years in Lachine. Vera's inherent strength, positivity and tenacity helped her survive the Great Depression. During that time, she was already showing her personal strength for the Gossage family, comforting her devastated mother at midnight on Christmas Eve, when there was no food in the cupboard for the next day, while her younger siblings slept. A great beauty, she was the child sent to the corner butcher to ask for a bone and the butcher knew full well that the Gossages had no dog. Those bones made pots of soup that helped feed her family through that harrowing time in history. Vera shared with us, her family, memories of that time: dandelion leaf sandwiches for a picnic, an outing that was considered a treat, or gathering coal on railway tracks, with her younger sister Joan, to bring heat to their home. These early years formed an extraordinarily strong individual; brave, fearless, a true life warrior. Vera worked extremely hard her whole life, starting as a child, and continuing past retirement age, when Vera finally said enough is enough, "I just want to golf". While growing up in Montreal, golf became an early passion in life, and she caddied at the Royal Montreal Golf Course, which afforded her the privilege of golfing. If born in a different era, Vera would have most certainly spent her golfing years on the pro circuit, she really was that good. Vera had a room full of trophies to show that she could have done it. Vera won the Club Championship at Kildonan Golf Course, many years running, beating out many of her younger rivals, much to their chagrin. Vera was a very focused and competitive sportswoman - she played to win. She was a badminton champion during her years playing in the Lakeshore Badminton League, and won many championships in this sport as well. Vera was a R.C.A.F. (WD) in the Air Force during the Second World War and made many friends and met her future husband, Tex, while enlisted. She continued to attend annual Air Force Reunions right up into her final years, and was sad to see at each gathering, how few of them remained and bemoaned each loss. Vera was a kind, giving, loving and nurturing person. She provided unyielding love, strength and was a never ending source of support, through all her children's life's trials and tribulations. Vera's kindness and giving extended to anyone who crossed her path, whether a stranger in the street, needing a meal or kind word, she always reached out. Vera possessed an amazing zest for and love for life, always positive, joyful and full of fun at every turn, and at the top of her list was a good laugh. Vera enjoyed singing, dancing, listening to music, travelling, going to concerts, golfing, bowling and many other sports, and excursions to various casinos in her later years - she truly embraced life to its fullest. She was loved, respected and valued by everyone in her family and by each of her friends. After raising her children, she returned to the workforce and was employed by Parrish and Heimbecker in Winnipeg until she retired as a very valued employee. She enjoyed every day working at P and H, "they were very nice". There wasn't a place or person that Vera didn't leave a footprint that would soon be forgotten. Vera was loved by her husband of many years, Tex, who predeceased her. Vera was also predeceased by all members of the Gossage family, by many years and often remarked that she felt like an "orphan". She was also predeceased by her niece Sandra, who she had a special lifelong friendship with. She spoke every day to her picture of her deceased dear sister Joan, whom she continued to miss right up to her death. Vera was the Sun, Joan was the Moon. This pact was formed in childhood, the Sun and the Moon and how it was "them" and its importance remained significant throughout her life. Vera will be sadly missed by her many bowling league ladies, her longtime golf ladies at Kildonan Golf Course and her friends and neighbors at 1660 Henderson. Everyone will miss their piece of sunshine in their life, which was Vera. Vera cast a wide and varied web, touching many people, some still alive in faraway places that will wonder why next Christmas they are not receiving a painstakingly handwritten note tucked into a card, asking about them and keeping them up to date on the previous year. Vera will be missed as a mother, by her daughter and lifelong best friend Susan, son Michael, son Barry (Carol), her two granddaughters Chelsea and Ashley, son David (Olga) and her grandson Blaise. Vera had an inner strength and physical strength which is rarely encountered, was tenacious and independent to the core. To sum it up, Vera was truly extraordinary, and to all who knew her, enough said. To those who didn't, you missed out on a wonderful experience. Mother, Auntie, Nanny, you will live on in our hearts and memories, to our last breath. All the wisdom you shared, the strength and resolve you displayed, lessons you taught, examples you made, will be carried on in all of us, your family and your friends. Your love, your joy, your strength, the mere essence of who you were, will carry on. We, your family, are so grateful that you graced our lives as our Mother, as in that role you were amazing and unsurpassed. Wherever you are, we know you are still spreading beauty, love, joy, tolerance, understanding, kindness, and that your spirit lives on, creating a very special energy, and we'll be looking into the Sun for you sparkling through every sunbeam, and trying to catch a glimpse of you dancing on moonbeams, on your way to the Moon to be with your precious Joan again. To my children: "My life on earth has truly past I've loved you all to the very last. Weep not for me but courage take And love one another for my sake." Love Mum Cremation has taken place, and according to Vera's wishes, a small graveside gathering of family and friends will be held at Glen Eden Cemetery on Thursday, February 27, 2014 at 1:00 p.m. Please meet at the funeral home at 12:45 p.m. Glen Eden Funeral Home & Cemetery 338-7111
Publish Date: Feb 25, 2014

VERA GLADYS GUINDON (nee GOSSAGE) August 27, 1921 February 21, 2014 Peacefully, Vera Guindon passed away on February 21, 2014 at Misericordia Place. Longer obituary to follow. Glen Eden Funeral Home & Cemetery 338-7111
Publish Date: Feb 22, 2014

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 25, 2014