LILLIAN MAY FURNESS

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LILLIAN MAY FURNESS (LOWE) October 28, 1920 - October 3, 2016 Mom passed away peacefully on October 3, 2016 at the Selkirk Hospital. She is predeceased by her husband, Walter and her son, Gordon; brothers, Charles and Arthur of England; and one sister, Nora (Gus). Left to mourn her loss is her son Chuck (Rhona) and grandson Kyle. Also her grandson Michael and granddaughter Ashley and friend Grace. Lillian was born and grew up in the suburbs of Nottingham, England. Mom joined the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. She had met Walter, a Canadian soldier, before the war and on February 5, 1943 they were married in London during an air raid blackout. Walter was sent to Europe for the next three years and they did not meet again until Lillian arrived in Canada. Lillian came to Canada as a war bride on March 26, 1946 on the ocean liner, Aquitania. She arrived in Manitoba and then Walter and Lillian moved to Vancouver. In 1949 they moved back to Manitoba and purchased a farm in the Gunton area and began raising turkeys. It was quite a learning experience for her as life in England was very different from life in rural Manitoba in the winter. With time she adapted to rural life and years later said that she wouldn't trade life here for anything else. Mom was President of the U.C.W. and wrote the Gunton column for the Stonewall Argus for many years. Lillian loved to write, especially poems and short stories. Playing the piano, knitting and painting, were all hobbies she loved. She taught Sunday school and put on weekly whist drives and rummage sales in the Gunton hall. Lillian bowled for more than 20 years on the "Flying Nunns" team in Stonewall. By her own admission she was not a good bowler but always said that she loved to keep score. She loved gardening and growing flowers. For years her and Walter had a greenhouse in the backyard where she spent many hours tending to her flowers. Mom loved life and people and always tried to live by the Golden Rule of life. After farm life Walter and Lillian retired to live in Teulon. The family would like to thank the staff at Betel Home in Selkirk for the excellent care she received for the last six years and the staff at Selkirk Hospital for their care and compassion given her. Respecting Mom's wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no funeral service. MacKenzie Funeral Home Stonewall 204-467-2525 info@mackenziefh.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 08, 2016