Joyce Lillian Milnthorp

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Joyce Lillian Milnthorp, late of North Battleford, on March 30, 2012 at the age of 92 years. Joyce was born on May 28, 1919 at Brighton, England.

Joyce is lovingly remembered by her children and their families: Jack (Chris) Milnthorp: Patty Tweedle, Barbara (Zane) Saul, stepchildren Bruce (Brenda) Betnar and Shelly (Alan) Laughlin; Kathleen (Marty) Martell: David (Cheryl) and Kevin (Crystal); Marion (Lorne) Harrison: Sandy (Darrin) Fisher and Gail (Bill) Guinn; Ken (Penny) Milnthorp: Keri (Shawn) Albert, Amy (Tim) Lelliott, and Dane Milnthorp; Jim (Marian) Milnthorp: Trina Milnthorp and Aron (Pam) Milnthorp; great-grandchildren: Shea, Ryan, Kasey, Mallory, Tonye, Jen, Laura, Andrew, Mitchell, Holly, Brandon, Zachary, Ava, Bentley, Lyndon, Hudson, Tobi, Alix, Griffin, Grace, Sage, and Maya, and step-great-grandchildren: Bret, Patrick, and Gwendolyn.

She is predeceased by her husband John; infant daughter Patricia; grandson Greg Martell; granddaughters Colleen Harrison and baby girl Harrison; daughter-in-law Pearl.

The memorial service was held on Monday, April 2, 2012 from Third Avenue United Church, North Battleford with Reverend Frances Patterson officiating. Darrin Fisher gave the eulogy. Music ministry was by Jaya Hoy as organist and Third Avenue United Church Choir. Honorary pallbearers were: All of Joyce's grandchildren. The family have requested that in lieu of flowers, donations in Joyce’s memory be made to River Heights Lodge Auxiliary or to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Interment will take place at a later date in the Edam Cemetery.

Joyce Lillian Milnthorp was born on May 28, 1919 in Brighton, England, a town south of London on the English Channel. She crossed the ocean at the very young of age of 3 months with her mother - to be reunited with her father in Manitoba.

Joyce was raised by her Grandma Day after her mother (Emily) passed away at a young age. At the age of 16 she joined her father Robert in Edam to live and work. While in Edam she met and married John in 1937. As newlyweds they settled and farmed in the Edam area.

The children started being born shortly after. They welcomed Jack and Kathy, before moving to North Battleford, and the house on 109 Street, where they were joined by Marion, Ken and Jim.

While raising her children and keeping her home, Grandma also worked outside the home as a full-time journeyman cook at the Union Hospital.

At the tender age of sixty-something, she found out that she had three half-sisters & a half-brother in England. After many telephone calls and much correspondence she eagerly travelled to England to meet her sister Elsie and Elsie’s husband Sydney. The sisters quickly connected and enjoyed their new found relationship.

Near her 65th birthday, Grandma retired from her work at the hospital. Retirement for Grandma and Grandpa allowed them to spend more time with their children, who had married and moved, and had children of their own. The family has now grown to 12 grandchildren, 22 great-grandchildren and 3 step-great grandchildren.

In 1996 Grandma lost her companion, and long-time love, Grandpa. She faced widowhood with bravery. She decided to downsize to an apartment that would allow her much independence, without all the demands of home maintenance.

She enjoyed her free-time with friends at Action Now and was out every day playing cards or visiting. She would offer to drive and accompany friends to their appointments. She was a great friend.

As Grandma aged and her health deteriorated she then decided to move into Valleyview Tower where she could still have the contact she needed with friends, but there was no need for her to drive anywhere. Grandma lived in the high-rise until a couple of months ago when she became seriously ill. In between hospital visits, she moved to the River Heights Lodge, where she passed away on March 30.

Now I would like to highlight some of our favorite memories of Grandma. Grandma had a wicked sense of humour and loved a good laugh. During one Christmas visit, Sandy was ready to have her breakfast, but all the cereal bowls were in the sink dirty. Grandma said ``not a problem``, and found a huge mixing bowl for Sandy to eat her cereal in. Going along with the joke, the two enjoyed a laugh and Grandma proceeded to dig in the utensil drawer, and pulled out a huge serving spoon to complete the place setting. I think everyone has a story or two they can share about Grandma`s humour, and of course her laugh. It was contagious, and she was not afraid to use it!

You know how some people have a green thumb? Well, Grandma had a plastic thumb. She could absolutely cover a room in artificial flowers with very little effort am I right Uncle Jim? And not only that, but she knew when they were moved or missing. She was very fond of her flowers.

Grandma could also be described as a saint. She put up with Grandpa and his never ending renovation projects. It seemed like the house and cabin was always under a state of repair. The family was surprised that the cost of renovations was quite high. Once, Grandpa paid with a large gaping wound in his leg after using his thigh as a support for the skill saw and cut right through the wood into his leg. Another time, he paid with part of his thumb. Poor Uncle Jim was called in by Grandma to come over to the house and sift through the wood shavings to find the missing digit. Too bad that Mike Holmes was not available to assist grandma in teaching Grandpa, the Jack of all Trades, how to Do it Right the first time.

Grandma was ``game ``. No dinner was complete without a dessert of cards. She was a card shark – there were very few games she couldn’t play. To say she was a shrewd player would be an understatement. She claimed she didn’t count cards – but I wondered!

She played horseshoes at the cabin, she played fastball, she curled and she was a mean bowler; she could beat any one of her kids and grandchildren. To her credit she also won many bowling awards.

Grandma and Grandpa also loved to square dance. She would proudly wear her frilly skirts and away they would go Aleman left and dosey doe.

She also enjoyed being a spectator. She watched many, many fastball & hockey games with her children and grandchildren as the stars. She was also a big Blue Jays and Riders fan.

No Milnthorp get together was complete without games. I remember the Barfelona games – our version of the Barcelona Olympic Games played at the Cabin. Grandma was right in there, throwing the horseshoes and participating in the water relay games. I also recall one of the family reunions, and the `Milnthorp Games`, when she was helping a family member (Uncle Marty) to dress himself in a bra and dress. She grumbled something like, “men don`t know how to do up a bra!!” Talk about a competitor – I did find my adversary – Grandma was not afraid to remind me of the rules of Washerboards. ``Derwood, you are leaning too far over the throwing line`` `Move back, move back``. I knew then I was a part of the family, when Grandma called me Derwood.

I think one of the most remembered stories of the family was many years ago, when they gathered at the Cabin and Grandma had had a few drinks. When it was time to get the meal ready, she and few of the usual kitchen elves, were preparing baked potatoes. It was all going according to plan until it was time to put them in the oven. I believe that this part requires a demonstration – she started gently tossing them to the elf closest to the oven, then she started to aim for the oven herself, forget the middle guy. And before long she was hurtling the potatoes through her legs and laughing madly. Then those potatoes started bouncing back off the wall of the oven and rolling off the oven door onto the floor. My wife recalls the tears she had in her eyes from laughing so hard at her Grandma’s antics. She does not remember if the potatoes ended up being baked or mashed!

Grandma believed family was everything. She was a loving daughter that welcomed her aging father to live with them, sharing her home and caring for him until his death. She was a dedicated and caring wife. She struggled with the last years of Grandpa’s life however, still made sure he was loved and cared for.

She was the “glue” that stuck this family together. She valued family beyond all. She was there through the good and bad. Grandma never judged anyone. She just loved them. She was so very proud of each of her children and grandchildren. She happily bragged about them and their accomplishments to all her friends and extended family.

Grandma always had a small gift at Christmas for each of her children, her grandchildren and their significant others.

Grandma always had time to prepare special dishes for family gatherings. Just a few of her specialties were Bread Pudding and Pork Pie. I have one special story to share with you about Christmas pudding. Grandma’s puddings were always stored in a glass quart sealer. To warm it up, she took a large juice can, filled it up with water, and placed the sealer containing the pudding on the stove. Just like a double-boiler. Grandma got a little distracted with other festive activities and forgot about the Christmas pudding on the stove. It boiled dry. Then all of a sudden, out of nowhere, there was the biggest ‘boom.’ The family came running into the kitchen and all you could see dripping from the ceiling was Grandma’s Christmas pudding. It was everywhere. Grandpa Great being a war veteran, grabbed his chest and exclaimed “Jesus Christ (Pause) I thought I was shot.” After a great deal of laughter and then clean up, dinner was served without dessert.

All in all we have many fond memories of our time with Grandma. She touched many lives and will be sadly missed. Family gatherings are now going to be different. We will have to find a way to inject her laughter, her compassion, her acceptance, her integrity, and her faith in family - into our lives.

I would like to conclude with a short poem titled As we look back over time

As we look back over time

We find ourselves wondering .....

Did we remember to thank you enough

For all you have done for us?

For all the times you were by our sides

To help and support us .....

To celebrate our successes

To understand our problems

And accept our defeats?

Or for teaching us by your example,

The value of hard work, good judgement,

Courage and integrity?

We wonder if we ever thanked you

For the sacrifices you made.

To let us have the very best?

And for the simple things

Like laughter, smiles and times we shared?

If we have forgotten to show our

Gratitude enough for all the things you did,

We're thanking you now.

And we are hoping you knew all along,

How much you meant to us.

Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Kristeen Nylander of Sallows & McDonald - Wilson & Zehner Funeral Home, North Battleford, SK. (306) 445-2418.