BEATRICE ELLEN FINES

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BEATRICE ELLEN FINES April 7, 1917 - January 29, 2019 Peacefully, on Tuesday, January 29, 2019, at Fred Douglas Lodge, Beatrice Ellen Fines, aged 101 years. Bea was born on April 7, 1917 in Fort Frances, Ontario, to George and Jemima Sturdy. Bea taught for four years in the Rainy Rivers District, Ontario, before marrying Elwood (Al) Fines in 1939, she then taught at the Winnipeg and East Kildonan School Divisions for eight years. From 1967 to 1973 she was employed as a staff writer for the Winnipeg General Hospital and later Health Sciences Centre. She taught Continuing Education classes in creative writing for the East Kildonan School Division, Fort Garry School Division, the University of Manitoba and the University of Winnipeg. She was a talented freelance writer and editor who published numerous short stories and articles in periodicals and anthologies in Canada, the United States and Great Britain. The winner of various awards for writing, including a Margaret McWilliams medal from the Manitoba Historical Society, the Kathleen Strange award from the Manitoba Branch of the Canadian Authors Association, and the Margaret Lawrence Home Committee award. In 2000 she had a book of her short stories published entitled Neighbour's. She was the past president of the Winnipeg Chapter of the Sweet Adeline's and the Panhandlers Club. She was a talented artist who enjoyed painting, her family and friends were the recipients of many hand painted Christmas Cards. Bea was an avid and engaging communicator and historian, well versed on many topics. One of her disappointment's was that her history of the Winnipeg General Hospital was never published, as she completed it right near the time hospital amalgamated to become the Health Sciences Centre. She was predeceased by her son Roy in 1956; her husband Al in 1994; her brother George in 2004, and her son Bob in 2017. She will be lovingly remembered by her numerous nieces, nephews and friends. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, February 13, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at Fred Douglas Lodge, 1275 Burrows Ave., Winnipeg. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to a charity of your choice. MacKenzie Funeral Home Stonewall 204-467-2525 info@mackenziefh.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 09, 2019