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Thelma Irene Vint (nee: Cranswick)
96 1/2 years young
b. September 1, 1921 in Burnaby, B.C. Passed away in Red Deer, Alberta March 18, 2018
Thelma was a very unique and special lady who enjoyed life for the most part all these years. Her parents had a corner store in Burnaby near the Gilmore School and along with her three older brothers they enjoyed the coastal city life of the 1920s, 30s and 40s. She had TB as a young seventeen year old girl and was sent to Kamloops, B.C. to a sanitarium where they thought she’d never return from but she proved them wrong – she was one of the lucky few. After her return home she met her husband-to-be, Gordon Vint from Nesbitt, Manitoba who had travelled to B.C. to sign up for WWII. During the war years, Thelma worked at Watson Glove Factory and also canned peaches. Thelma’s adventures took her from the B.C. coast where she was born and raised to Halifax, Nova Scotia where she travelled alone at the end of WWII to meet her husband Gord when he came back from overseas. They then had many adventures together, mostly interesting and some challenging as is usual in life. Their married life took them across Canada from B.C. to Ontario and back again including many places in between; like Nesbitt, Manitoba; Langenburg, Saskatchewan where in 1962 she travelled to Winnipeg to enroll in the Manitoba School of Radio and Calgary Alberta. Once back in B.C. their life took them from Hope where Thelma had a children’s clothing store, Fraser Lake, Chetwynd, Princeton and ending up in McLeese Lake where they retired, then finally into Williams Lake where her husband Gord passed away in 1997 from cancer. Thelma then moved on to Prince George for a short time to be nearer her son and his wife so when they made a move to Red Deer, Alberta she decided to join them on Canada Day 2001 and thought it a nice gesture for the city to throw a party in honour of her arrival – she was just kidding of course, just showing us her sense of humour once again. She loved her new-found independence and made the most of living next door to the malls so she could shop whenever she liked until these last few years. Thelma always looked forward to getting her weekly phone calls or letters from her daughter Abby saying “she never forgets me” and would smile. Abby and her husband David usually managed to make several trips a year to visit her as well. Thelma’s grandchildren would stop in from time to time bringing their children, Thelma’s great grandchildren, with them whenever possible which she always loved. She couldn’t wait to see the latest pictures of them whenever we visited her. She also loved her little trips with Doug and Mae, not often knowing where they would end up and especially her fall drives to the mountains as they most always ended up with an ice cream treat. Thelma enjoyed sewing; painting; writing, shopping, a little gambling and even learned how to use the computer which was a big challenge but she did it pretty well. The family would like everyone to know some special qualities Thelma had – a caring heart; a goofy sense of humour which we all loved; a curiosity of life and a love of adventure, the love of children and animals; not to mention her frugal ways just to name a few. There will be many stories to pass on to future generations about this special lady. We won’t forget one of her greatest gifts either - an occasional stubbornness that she has passed down to many of her descendants, that being the Irish in her, even if she was too stubborn to admit it. She will be greatly missed but will linger in our hearts forever. She is survived by her 3 children Leah, aka Signe, (& Ken) Miller of Creston, B.C.; Doug (& Mae) Vint of Red Deer and Abby (& David) Ward of Wembley, Alberta. She is also survived by her 7 grandchildren Candyse Hansen and Kim Hansen of B.C.; Adam (& Christine) Vint of Glace Bay, Nova Scotia; Jen (& Mike) Huitema of Kamloops, B.C.; Amy (& Mike) Wesley of Vancouver, B.C.; Becky (& Darcey) Ketchum of Wembley, Alberta and Dylan Ward of Grande Prairie, Alberta. She also had ten great grandchildren; Steven and Justice Hansen; Asher Vint; Dylan, Kyle and Luke Huitema; Sael and Kse Wesley; and Aiden and Tayla Ketchum. She is also survived by her brother-in-law and his wife Elwood (& Audrey) Vint of Brandon, Manitoba; Sister-in-laws Grace Brook of Winnipeg, Manitoba and Jacquie Vint of Toronto, Ontario and many nieces, nephews and friends. Thelma is predeceased by her parents, Harry Cranswick and Helen Stark Thompson; her husband of fifty-five years Gordon Vint; her grandson Dan Hansen; her brothers and their wives, Vernie (Alice, Gladys) Cranswick ; Clifford (Phyliss) Cranswick; Roy (Ruby) Cranswick and her sister Claressa who passed away as a young child. She is also predeceased by her brothers-in-law Lyle (& Thelma) Vint; Ray Vint and Ed Brook and sister-in-law Joyce Vint. Thelma ended her time here at the Bethany CollegeSide Nursing Home, Red Deer where she got wonderful care. The last few years have been a little tough for Thelma but the staff were understanding and caring; treating her with much kindness and love. The music program proved to be a special time for Thelma, even though she couldn’t hear much – she really looked forward to it. The family would like to thank them all again for the loving care and dignity they gave Thelma right up till the moment she left us. There will be no funeral at Thelma’s request and in lieu of flowers please feel free to donate, in her name, to the charity of your choice.