Saturday, September 10, 2022
My deepest condolences to Angela and the Smith family. I've known Ann Smith since Angela and I were young children and I have many fond memories of Ann, but what I remember most is the river cruises on the Paddlewheel Princess and the beach at Gimli during the summertime. Angela, Ann, my Grandad and I would make a day of it at the beach when my Gran was working. Ann and Angela would slather on the baby oil and bake in the sun while my Grandpa and I swam in the lake. Ann was always smiling when I remember her and she always called my by my full name when she greeted me or on the not so rare occasions when I was being mischievous. I think in a way she appreciated my spiritedness, either that or she was thankful that I wasn't one of her brood. She would put on her stern voice with me to start but by the end she would be smiling at me and pinching the life out of my cheeks! I will always remember her flaming red hair, and her smile and how her eyes lit up. She always had time for me as child. She listened to you as though you had something important to say while she smiled at you. She had a great sense of humor and would roar with delight when anything spontaneously humorous happened. Like the time I sat down in the dog's chair. One night when I was staying over at the house on Lipton street, myself, Angela and Philip were quite young, we all crammed into her bed because of a Thunderstorm. She was trying to read her book and probably wished we had all gone to sleep, but I think she appreciated the moment. I also remember the organ in the front room. She used to let me play it. I never had lessons, I was just curious, but she would sit right down and sing while playing. She was very musically inclined and artistic. I remember the painted stones and flowers that lined her front garden. I have a painting she did when she took up art classes in her later years. There was just something about it that reminded me of Manitoba and she gave it to me. She did a lovely painting of a winter scene, and she said all her grandchildren were in it and she sent it out as a Christmas card one year. She spent a lot of time with the same crowd of people my Grandparents did, which is how I knew her and her family. When my Grandpa used to struggle with caring for my Gran, Ann would come visit and be a companion for my Gran and stay the night which was a great respite for my Grandpa. Both my Grandparents loved her dearly as did I. Farewell Ann, until we meet again.
