MARLAIN YVONNE SHOEMAKER

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MARLAIN YVONNE SHOEMAKER

Marlain passed away peacefully on the evening of April 12, 2023, with family at her side and her grand-dog Bijoux at her feet.

She is survived by her husband Grant; son Kurt (Tami), daughter Jaylin (Dan); grandsons Brennan, Kieran, Jaydan, and Braydan; brothers Wayne (Wanda), Garth and Keith (Debbie); nieces Jodi, Lori, Jessie, Katie and Whitney; nephews Brad, Lennon, Cody and Nicholas.

She was predeceased by her father Frank and mother Yvonne.

Marlain was born in Brandon December 4, 1946 and lived there until her mid 20’s when she moved to Virden to pursue ownership of the first of many of her own businesses. She was a true entrepreneur and played an active role in various types of interests including a service station, hotel, bookkeeping, ladies fashion store, grain farming and publishing newspapers. She retired from this active career to pursue rest and relaxation.

Although Marlain was very successful in business, family was more important to her than anything and her strong family values can be compared to those of a mother bear. She was a fierce protector of her family and you were either in or you were out! She loved her family and was happiest when people were gathered, telling stories, laughing, and joking around. She would be over the top when there was music involved, even later in life when she was suffering from dementia. She was proud of her children, and her four grandsons brought her much enjoyment as she watched them grow. She also loved any dog or cat that she could get her hands on so if you dropped off your pet for her to babysit you weren’t always able to get it back.

She was always organizing family get togethers and gently (or not gently) pushing everyone to travel with her to local destinations as well as Hawaii, Mexico and Arizona. She was happy when it was warm and spent many winters with Grant in Arizona and Mexico and summers at Oak Lake Beach. Her favourite place in the world was Bucerias and she would look forward to going every year, enjoying the views, and sleeping with the window open so she could hear the ocean. In fact, when she received her dementia diagnosis, she called everyone and said, “Come to Mexico for Christmas before I can’t remember who you are!”. Of course, we went, and we are happy to say that she recognized her family every time, all the time. Dementia didn’t take that ability from her.

There will be a celebration of life for Marlain at the Virden Wellview Golf Club on Saturday, June 10, 2023 from 2-4pm. All are invited, please come share your memories of her.

For those who wish, a donation may be made in Marlain’s memory to the Westman Nursing Home or a Humane Society of your choosing.

Messages of condolence may be placed at www.carscaddenfuneralchapel.com

As published in Brandon Sun on Apr 22, 2023