MERLE CORDELIA WEBSTER (LARSEN)

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

MERLE CORDELIA WEBSTER (nee LARSEN) February 24, 1925 to August 31, 2014 Born in Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan to Cordelia Merle (Bailey) Larsen and Chester Arthur Larsen, Merle was the youngest and last remaining sibling of the four "Larsen Girls" who grew up in Neilburg, Saskatchewan in the depression era of the "Dirty Thirties". Merle stated that they didn't have much but what they had was clean and well looked after and hard work was the only way to make something of yourself. Merle was always a big proponent of education for her children and grandchildren and she herself pursued a career in nursing, becoming a Registered Nurse in the late 1940s. She was extremely independent and an early believer in women becoming successful and independent in their own right. Merle nursed in hospitals in rural Saskatchewan, Vancouver, Whitehorse and Saskatoon where she worked on the pediatric wards and cared for premature babies. Merle always said that her Dad was saddled with four girls, but he raised them as boys so no one ever pushed any of the Larsen girls around as they could box and wrestle with the best of them. Being extremely athletic all of her life, Merle excelled at acrobatics, horseback riding and softball in her youth and was an active curler at the Assiniboine Memorial Curling club and golfer at John Blumberg until a couple of years ago. She loved to keep busy and was always "getting things done". In the summer her passion was gardening. Any time after the snow had melted she could be found digging, weeding, planting, watering, dead-heading and fertilizing her flowers and plants at the family cottage or in her yard, which she took great joy in. This ability to continue working tirelessly long after people much younger than her had thrown in the towel put her on par with the "Energizer Bunny". Married to John Hope Webster of Scotland for nearly 60 years, they sadly lost their first born, Bruce Alexander but happily raised two children, John Larsen and Fiona Margaret, and were instrumental in the lives of their grandchildren, Stephanie Webster, Chet Mourant, Alex Webster and Wade Mourant. Merle, also known to the grandchildren as "the Gran-ster" attended any and all of the school or sporting events that her grandkids were involved in, including acting, dancing, singing, band, diving, hockey, soccer or rugby events ...and always watched and supported their efforts with quiet pride. Merle and John travelled extensively around the world in later years and she was hard pressed to pick her favourite trips from among their voyages to the UK, Scandinavia, Africa, Australia, Asia or India, but certainly winter holidays on the beach with all the grandchildren or family reunions with her many sisters' children were amongst the highlights of her travels. Merle was a voracious reader. She loved exploring new learning opportunities and after the sun had set you could find her curled up with anything from old nursing text books, a good historical fiction, the latest gardening magazine or glued to an intriguing pocket book she had heard about. She was fascinated by crafts and became quite good at ceramic pottery and painting and her creativity resulted in a multitude of teapots, plates, flower vases, Halloween, Highland Dancing and school play costumes, which she always made by hand, over her many years. She was a hard worker and never shirked her responsibilities with respect to any endeavour she was tasked with or felt was her responsibility to undertake. Never one to seek attention or the spotlight, she was self effacing, modest and humble, but those who knew her well had a glimpse into the metal that made up her character and the positive impact she had on so many lives quietly behind scenes. She will be sadly missed by her husband, children, grandchildren, nieces and nephews for her wise counsel, peppery attitude and genuine concern and love she had for her family, but she will also feature fondly in the many wonderful memories that we all have of her time here with us. As per her wishes, cremation has taken place and a "Memorial Celebration" is planned for Saturday, October 11 at The Gates on Roblin, 6945 Roblin Boulevard between 1:00 p.m. and 3:00 p.m. THOMSON FUNERAL HOME 783-7211 Condolences may be sent to www.thomsonfuneralchapel.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 04, 2014