Darlene Helen Delorme

My Mom was a baby boomer and grew up without a lot of money. They moved around a lot and it was hard to concentrate on school so she dropped out to go to work and earn a living. She met her soulmate Don in the North End and they fell in love and were married on April 6, 1968. They rented a little house on Selkirk Avenue. My Mom worked at various jobs and my Dad worked at a warehouse and got on with the City of Winnipeg as a bus driver. I was born and they moved to a brand-new home on Day Street in Transcona in 1973. Two years later my Dad became a police officer.

My Mom wanted to get an office job with the government but she would first have to earn her GED, which she did. My Mom mentioned that time and time again and I know that was one of her proudest moments earning her GED. She was employed by Canada Revenue Agency as a term employee for 14 years. She loved that job and the people she worked with. She went on to be a courier driver, which was hilarious to me because she didn’t love driving and was a little directionally challenged! She was offered a dispatcher job which she took and was no longer on the road. She retired in her mid-fifties.

My parents never waited until they retired to travel…. they travelled all through my childhood and beyond. Whether we tagged along on my Dad’s police association events or family trips, we went to lots of places. I’ll never forget when I was 16, my Mom crying in front of Tinkerbell’s castle at Disneyland in California. She was so happy, couldn’t believe a poor north ender was in Disneyland. Las Vegas was a favourite spot of my Mom’s as well. She LOVED to gamble, drink, party and maybe dance on a table or two, but nothing could top Cuba. That was my parent’s home away from home. They went there 11 times in 10 years. My Mom was also an avid bowler and won medals and trophies on the senior’s circuit. She also enjoyed yelling Bingo!! She liked VLTs, casinos, horse racing, 6-49 and scratch tickets. That’s what she enjoyed and did for fun.

I was super close with both my parents. They showed me unconditional love and support. They were always by my side with sports, whether they were just watching or coaching. They taught me that life isn’t always rosy or fair, but if I ever needed them, they were there for me.

Just when I thought our love was the strongest….my daughter Nicole came along. There I was, tossed to side for something shiny and new. She could do no wrong. My Mom doted on her granddaughter as grandparents often do. She loved her Nicola!! They followed us everywhere for Nicole’s sporting events all over Canada and the USA. They hardly ever missed an event for her.

In October, 2007 my Dad became ill with cancer. My Mom was always by his side helping him as best she could through this horrible time. He passed away on Christmas Eve 2009 and a part of my Mom died too. She never really moved forward after he passed. They were married for 41 years. As she was not doing so well on her own, we sold our houses and moved into a house in North Kildonan in 2012.

Over the next 10 years my Mom’s health declined physically and then mentally when she first started showing cognitive issues in 2016. By the summer of 2022, things were really starting to progress and we could no longer give her the care she required and deserved. We moved her into a dementia facility, Irene Baron Eden Centre (IBEC) in January 2023. She was not happy at first but soon she adjusted and learned to love having her own place. The food was good and the staff were great and she befriended a lady named Joyce and they were inseparable until the end!

We would like to thank the hospital staff on the 4th floor at St. Boniface hospital for their excellent care over her last few days. Your kindness and empathy were so appreciated in such a difficult time.

We would also like to give a huge thank you to IBEC for their amazing care of my Mom over the last year and a half. We were so grateful to have Mom at this facility that kept her safe and happy in what ended up being her final years.

Rest in peace Mum, you are now reunited with your love, say hi to Dad from us. Love you forever.

A service will be held at Klassen Funeral home (1897 Henderson Highway) on Friday, June 7th, 2024 at 11:00am CST. Those wishing to join virtually can do so by clicking the 'Join Livestream' link in the Services tab below.

Internment will immediately follow the service at Transcona Cemetery (5014 Dugald Road).

Reception will be held after the interment at Transcona Legion #7 (117 Regent Avenue East).