June 14, 2019

By Obituaries on June 14, 2019.

ELEANOR BICE

August 13, 1933 ~ June 7, 2019

It is with great sadness that we announce Eleanor Jane Bice passed away peacefully at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital on June 7, 2019, at the age of 85 years. She was born to Hugh and Marjorie Smith on August 13, 1933, in Wembley, Alberta. Eleanor married Walter on December 18, 1950, and they shared 64 wonderful years of marriage, until his death in 2015. They lived in northern Alberta until 1967, when they moved to Calgary. In 1972, they moved to Medicine Hat and a few year later they returned to Calgary. In 1987, they moved to Oshawa where they lived for three years then returned to Calgary area. In 1993 after Walter suffered a stroke they again returned to Medicine Hat. While living in Calgary, Eleanor worked at the Father Lacombe Nursing Home for a few years. This was followed by work in various restaurants and stores in Calgary and Medicine Hat. Eleanor spent many happy years babysitting for several families in Calgary and Medicine Hat. She was a fantastic wife, mother, grandmother and friend. Eleanor was a very social person with a great sense of humour. She had an ability to give of herself and to make everyone feel special. Eleanor spent a few years as a member of a bowling team when she lived in Calgary. In Medicine Hat she joined the Thursday night ladies pool league at Boston Billards. She loved playing bingo and enjoyed her many friends there. Eleanor also volunteered with Top Hat Bingo for various organizations. She enjoyed spending time with family and friends. Her most treasured memories included the celebrations held in their honour for their 40th and 60th Wedding Anniversaries. For the past four and a half years Eleanor lived at the Wellington where she loved her little apartment and sharing cookies and stories with the staff. She loved playing crib with her neighbor and good friend, Albert. Eleanor is survived by her six children, Mary (Ken) Bakaluk, Dianne Michaud, Harold (Cindy) Bice, Hugh (Patty) Bice, Gloria Prince (Kevin Funk), Harvey Bice; 18 grandchildren, 29 great-grandchildren, 7 great-great-grandchildren; sister, Helen Rigler; sister-in-law, Lila Leach as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Eleanor was predeceased by her husband, Walter; brother John Smith; her parents, and her daughter, Ann. Eleanor’s life will be celebrated at Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, 901 – 13 Street S.W., Medicine Hat on Monday, June 17, 2019 at 2:00 p.m. with Life Celebrant Gerry Getz officiating. Interment will follow at Hillside Cemetery along side her late husband, Walter, with a gathering thereafter in the Cook Southland Reception facility. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made to a charity of one’s choice. Honoured to serve the family is
Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, 901 – 13th Street S.W. Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 4V4 Phone 403-527-6455

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MAXINE KNIBBS

1929 ~ 2019
The family of Maxine Margaret Knibbs, beloved wife of the late Bert Knibbs, announces her passing at the Bow Island Health Centre on Wednesday, June 12, 2019, at the age of 90 years. The Funeral Service will be held at St. Andrew’s United Church, 139 – 2nd Ave. West, Bow Island, Alberta on Monday, June 17, 2019, at 1:00 p.m. Private Interment will follow at the Bow Island Cemetery. (Condolences may be expressed by visiting our website at http://www.cooksouthland.com) Honoured to serve the family is
Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, 901 – 13th Street S.W. Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 4V4 Phone 403-527-6455

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WANDA FODE

1938 ~ 2019
Wanda Dixie Jean Fode of Bow Island passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 11, 2019, at the age of 80 years. Wanda is survived by one son, Clayton (Denise) Fode and eight grandchildren: Reece, Vance, Angela, Amanda, Eddie, Devon, Clayton and Joshua as well as seven great-grandchildren, one great-great-grandchild and a special niece, Carol Fode. Wanda was predeceased by her daughter, Suprena; parents, Louella and Cecil Belnap as well as four siblings, Sheila, Rose, Gay and Walter. Wanda was born in Trenton, Ontario on October 10, 1938. She married Ken Fode in January of 1957. Together they moved to Belgium for Ken’s employment with the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1960, returning to Canada after five years to settle in Moose Jaw, SK., where Suprena and Clayton attended school. Wanda moved to Southern Alberta in 1989, living in Medicine Hat and then Bow Island until the time of her passing. Wanda was a hard worker having worked a variety of jobs in the service industry over the years and she took great pride in being an exceptional waitress. She often gave people a good chuckle with her witty comments, sarcasm and honesty. In her younger years she enjoyed bowling and later, reading and watching her soapers. A private family service will be held at a later date. (Condolences may be expressed by visiting our website at http://www.cooksouthland.com) Honoured to serve the family is
Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, 901 – 13th Street S.W. Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 4V4 Phone 403-527-6455

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ZABLOCKI, Joyce Karen (nee Ainscough)

September 5, 1938 – June 9, 2019
Joyce Karen Zablocki passed away peacefully in the early morning of Sunday, June 9, 2019 at the age of 80 years, in Calgary, AB. She will be lovingly remembered by her children Peter (Tracey) Zablocki, of Whitby, ON, and Jennifer (Neil) Devine, of Calgary, AB; granddaughters Edie, Nuala and Agnes; brother-in-law Ken (Natalie) Zablocki, niece Shauna (Seann) Eldan, and nephew Chris (Reece) Zablocki of Calgary, AB; her cousin Merilyn Browning, of Salt Lake City, UT; and many more dear friends and family. She was predeceased by her husband Ronald Zablocki and parents Frank & Leah Ainscough.
Joyce was born on September 5, 1938 to Frank and Leah Ainscough. She was raised in Calgary, spending her younger years in Mission and later moving with her parents to their new home in Windsor Park. She often told stories of biking to school at Cliff Bungalow and spending warm summer nights swimming with friends in the Elbow River. Upon graduating from Western, she attended SAIT to study drafting. As there was not much work for draftswomen in the mid-50s, she worked as a teller at the Royal Bank. During this time, she was introduced to Ronald through work friends. He soon became her loving husband of 56 years. After getting married, they moved to Bozeman, MT where Joyce worked in the University Library and Ron finished his Education Degree. They stayed in Montana while Ron taught school, but soon Medicine Hat became their home. They intended to make their way back to Calgary but fell in love with Medicine Hat and made it their home for over 50 years.
Joyce worked at River Heights School as a teacher’s assistant, at Raber’s and later at Theresa Marie’s. She loved working with children and formed close friendships with the people she met through her work. Joyce adored animals and loved her pets, Max, Duffy, Shadow, Tino, & Maggie. She and Ron enjoyed musical theatre, with Joyce singing in the choir and helping with costumes over the years. They enjoyed travelling with friends to the US, with special fondness for Big Fork and San Francisco. Joyce joined Jennifer in Europe for two weeks in 2002 where they visited Paris and traveled through France together. She referred to it as her trip of a lifetime! She devoured books quietly and loved visiting with her close friends. She was kind, gentle, soft-spoken, supportive, and caring to everyone she knew.
Her greatest joy was the time she spent raising her children, and later the time spent with her granddaughters. She was so excited to have grandchildren and devoted her love to each of her three granddaughters; playing and reading with them for as long as she was able. She loved them deeply.
In late 2016, Joyce moved to Calgary to be closer to her daughter and family. It was comforting to have her near as her health worsened. While she struggled with memory loss in her later years, she never forgot the names or faces of those dearest to her.
A Memorial Service will be held for Joyce on Saturday July 13th at 2pm, at Knox United Church in Calgary. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to your local Humane Society to honour Joyce’s love of animals. Messages of condolence may be forwarded to the family at http://www.piersons.ca.

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