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KATHLEEN GRANGER
Born: Oct 29, 1923
Date of Passing: Mar 25, 2024
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryKATHLEEN GRANGER
Our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother passed away peacefully after 100 inspiring years of life. She will be forever remembered for the humour, kindness, wisdom and resilience she brought into this world.
Born Kathleen Ivy Smith, Mom grew up on a dairy farm near what is now Border Street in West End Winnipeg, the youngest of 12 children. Her parents had moved to Canada from the English Midlands - and although we weren’t able to meet them, we suspect they were responsible for her lifelong love of animals and naughty British sense of humour.
Mom became a Granger when she married our father Fred in 1945. Together, they set down roots in West Kildonan, where they raised three daughters. For more than 70 years, she continued living in the house Dad built on Forrest Avenue, her lap frequently occupied by one of the purring, pampered strays who found their way to her door.
Once all three girls were in school, Mom returned to the working world, spending more than 25 years with the Hudson’s Bay Company. She enjoyed her work and workmates, and the opportunity to check out all the latest merchandise as it came down the belts of “the marking room”. Long after her retirement at 65, she remained The Bay’s most loyal customer.
While working full days, Mom still found time to develop her talents. We remember the imaginative cakes she baked for our birthdays, the beautiful outfits she crafted at the sewing machine and her skill swinging a hammer. We might find her up on a ladder with a paint brush one day, and fashioning chiffon into something frilly the next.
Sadly, Dad died at the young age of 56, when they were just starting to make retirement plans. It was a heartbreaking time, but Mom found solace in community art classes, where she made new friendships and developed into a talented painter. With dear friends Lil and Ruth, she began exploring faraway places like Mexico, California, Florida, Scotland and the Caribbean.
In her later years, Mom’s greatest joy was her three grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Nothing made her happier than watching the little ones racing around her house and wreaking havoc. Even during her final months at Deer Lodge Centre, they were guaranteed to make her smile.
Mom was predeceased by her husband Frederick J. Granger, daughter Heather Ferguson, parents, Edward and Mary Smith and son-in-law Barry Derlago. She was also predeceased by her sisters, Mary, Gert, Edith, Jessie and Gladys, and brothers, Bill, Harry, Tom, Ernie, George and Ted.
She is lovingly remembered by daughters, Linda Derlago and Gail Granger; grandchildren, Jordan Derlago (Ali), Ashley Derlago (Frank Marr), and Jillian Drozda (Ian); great-grandchildren, Shepard and Luca Derlago, Ella and Hudson Marr, and Jackson, Mason and Emerson Drozda; cat China; Wayne Ferguson; and many more members of the extended family.
We are grateful for the people who made her independent life possible and her last days comfortable, including her wonderful home care team (notably Yolanda, Erlyn and Joan); the caring folks at Deer Lodge Tower 4 (especially Joanne, Alex, Erin, Sarah and Nicole); her lovely hairdresser Irene; and the Health Sciences Centre neurological and surgical teams.
Planning for a celebration of life is now underway. Details will be shared soon.
In lieu of flowers, Mom would love to see you donate to your favourite animal rescue centre.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 06, 2024, Apr 06, 2024
