Kathleen Gladys Boyes

Kathleen is survived by her children; David (Valerie), Janet Turnbull, John (Edna), Conrad (Marjorie) Cedric (Lynn), Robert (Charlotte), Bill (Laurinda), Valerie (Jeff) Johnson, Clay (Shirley), Mary (Mark) Ryan, and Philip. Kathleen is predeceased by daughters Sara and Patricia, sister Mary Howat, granddaughters Laurel Johnson Walker and Sheri Boyes.

Kathleen lived her 99 years in Wales and Canada. Born 1923 in Llantrissant, Wales to Alfred Llewelyn Jones and Gladys Ann Jones, the youngest of two daughters, Kathleen enjoyed a farm girl's life. Kathleen trained as a nurse in the early 1940's. On that fateful day in 1944 of the D-Day invasion, her geriatric hospital in Herefordshire became one of the many triage centres for wounded soldiers. She eventually fell in love with Bob Boyes, one of those wounded soldiers and married in 1945. In 1947 they moved to Canada to fulfill her husband's dream of living off the land in Northern Ontario. As Kathleen was always ready for an adventure she eagerly accompanied Bob into the Northern Muskeg where they learned from the Indigenous people to earn a meagre living from trapping and trading furs with the Hudson Bay Company. They raised 13 children in a small log cabin without electricity or running water for the next 20 years. There was much work to be done to rear a large family without the conveniences of modern society, cooking with supplies purchased just twice a year from Hornepayne, washing laundry and diapers by hand, skinning furs for trading, living each summer downriver in a teepee as they fished for their dogsled team's winter food supply. Yet, in the midst of all this toil, her children remember fondly that she took the time to read to them at bedtime, tales from such novels as The Yearling, Old Yeller and other classics. Her melodic Welsh accent and engaging narrative tone had her children enthralled and herself lulled into dozing in the chair only to be prodded several times by the children to please read on!

In 1969 Kathleen embarked on her next adventure, of raising her 7 youngest children as a single mother. In 1976 she and most of her children moved to Prince George BC. Money was tight, as her British nurses training had long expired and only qualified her to work as a personal care attendant at a nursing home, but in spite of her challenges she remained positive and cheerful. As her family grew and expanded to dozens of grandchildren, she remembered each one with a birthday card in the mail.

Kathleen had a firm faith and trust in God, Kathleen was a long-time member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. In her senior years she served an 18 month mission at the Atlanta Georgia Temple and then a second mission as a Librarian at the Family History Library British Isles Floor in Salt Lake City.

Kathleen leaves behind 11 living children, 50 grandchildren, 84 great grandchildren and 9 great-great grandchildren. Her legacy of unconditional love and faithful endurance will remain forever in our hearts.

Our family would like to thank the staff at Simon Fraser Lodge for caring for Mom in her final years.

Kathleen's funeral service will be held on Saturday August 20th at 12:00 noon at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 4180 5th Avenue Prince George with Bishop Mark Ryan officiating. Family and friends are invited to meet the family from 10:30am to 11:45am prior to the service. Interment will follow the funeral service.