Saturday, July 30, 2022
AT THE FUNERAL OF OLIVE BOISVERT, JULY 28, 2022, BIGGAR, SASKATCHEWAN
MEMORIES OF ROSE (PIETRUCHA-BOISVERT) ROGERS
HELLO EVERYONE, MY NAME IS ROSE ROGERS
I WAS DALE’S WIFE. WE DIVORCED IN 1981 BUT CREATED TWO WONDERFUL CHILDREN, SHAWNA AND VERN. I KEPT IN TOUCH WITH OLIVE OVER THE YEARS AS SHE WAS THE ONLY GRANDMOTHER OF SHAWNA AND VERN, AND SHE WAS PART OF MY LIFE. I MARRIED MY CURRENT HUSBAND, TOM ROGERS, 32 YEARS AGO IN 1990.
I HAVE KNOWN OLIVE FOR 53 YEARS, MORE THAN HALF OF HER LIFE. I CAME TO KNOW HER AS A PROPER LADY!
OLIVE WAS ALWAYS AWARE OF HOW THINGS NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH. SHE WAS A STRONG, CONFIDENT AND CARING WOMAN. SHE BELIEVED IN HELPING OTHERS AND WAS INVOLVED IN THE COMMUNITY. SHE HAD NO PROBLEM TELLING ANYONE HOW TO MAKE GOOD COFFEE OR IF THE COFFEE TASTED LIKE WATER. SHE LOVED STRONG BLACK COFFEE!
YOU ALWAYS KNEW SHE WAS AT HOME IN THE KITCHEN, FROM THE HEAVENLY AROMAS THAT FILLED THE AIR. I’M SURE MANY OF YOU HAVE TASTED HER MOUTH WATERING BUTTER TARTS. JULIA CHILD MOVE OVER. YOU HAVE NOTHING ON OLIVE.
OLIVE WAS AN EXCELLENT SEAMSTRESS. THERE WAS NOTHING TOO DIFFICULT FOR HER TO SEW. I REMEMBER THAT DALE OBTAINED A DEER HIDE FROM SOMEONE IN THE BIGGAR AREA. WE TOOK IT TO A TANNING COMPANY IN EDMONTON AND HAD THEM MAIL THE TANNED HIDE TO OLIVE. SHE MADE A BEAUTIFUL VEST OUT OF IT FOR DALE. A LOT OF PEOPLE ASKED HIM WHERE HE BOUGHT IT. HE WAS MORE THAN PROUD TO SAY “MY MOM MADE IT”. IT WAS PERFECT.
THERE WASN’T ANYTHING THAT SHE TOOK ON THAT DIDN’T TURN OUT TO BE A MASTERPIECE, LIKE PAINTING, TILING, AND WALLPAPERING. VERN CAN ATTEST TO THAT. SHE WALL PAPERED HIS BIG BEDROOM IN A STAR WARS MOTIVE. EVERY SPACESHIP, R2-D2, MOON, AND STAR WERE PERFECTLY ALIGNED.
LAST WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, WHILE JEANNINE AND I WERE VISITING OLIVE AT ST. PAUL’S HOSPITAL, JEANNIE SAID SHE CAN REMEMBER THE GREAT PRIDE AND FUN OLIVE AND EILEEN, JEANNIE’S MOTHER, HAD WHILE PAINTING JEANNIE AND GORDON’S NEW HOME.
OLIVE LOVED MUSIC AND DANCING. I AM SURE SHE NEVER MISSED A LAWRENCE WELK OR A DON MESSER SHOW ON TV, TOES TAPPING ALONG WITH THE MUSIC. I USED TO LOVE WATCHING OLIVE, ED, DALE, AND DOREEN DANCE THE SHOTTISCHE. THE WERE CHAMPIONS.!
OLIVE KNEW HOW TO ENJOY LIFE. SHE LOVED WHAT SHE DID AND SHE WORKED HARD ON THE FARM WITH ED. SHE TOLD ME SHE LOVED HARVEST TIME. SHE LOVED TO BE ON THE COMBINE WITH ED BUT ALWAYS HAD TO LEAVE TO TAKE THE TRUCK FULL OF GRAIN TO THE BIN.
OLIVE AND I DIDN’T ALWAYS SEE THINGS THE SAME WAY. MY OPINION ON RAISING KIDS WAS VERY DIFFERENT THAN HERS. IF SHE PUT SOMETHING ON YOUR PLATE YOU HAD TO EAT IT EVEN IF IT WAS PEAS OR LIVER - SHAWNA AND VERN WILL REMEMBER THIS WELL. YOU NEVER LEFT THE TABLE UNTIL YOUR PLATE WAS CLEAN!
OLIVE HAD HER SHARE OF PAIN AND TRIALS; THE DEATHS OF HER HUSBAND, AND SON TOO EARLY IN LIFE. THE LOSS OF HER EYESIGHT LATER IN LIFE TOOK AWAY HER A BIG PART OF HER LIFE. NO MATTER HOW MANY TIMES SHE WAS KNOCKED DOWN OR MADE TO ENDURE THINGS, SHE KEPT COMING BACK WITH GREAT COURAGE - AN EXAMPLE FOR ALL OF US. I SELDOM HEARD HER COMPLAINING OR BEING BITTER - BUT WHEN SHE MOVED INTO THE NURSING HOME IN SASKATOON SHE WISHED THAT PEOPLE WOULD LEARN HOW TO COOK POTATOES AND MAKE GOOD COFFEE.
OLIVE WAS A PROPER LADY, AND THAT WAS THE WAY SHE LIVED. THERE ARE MANY HERE WHO HAVE PART OF HER IN THEM. THEY ARE BLESSED. SHE SERVED AND ASKED FOR NOTHING IN RETURN.
I’M SURE MOST PEOPLE HERE HAVE MEMORIES MUCH LIKE MINE. THEY ARE GOOD MEMORIES. WE NEED TO CHERISH AND SHARE THEM. I HAVE LEARNED A LOT FROM THIS PROPER LADY. I'M GRATEFUL FOR HAVING HAD HER IN MY LIFE, AND PRAY THAT SHE REST IN PEACE. GOODBYE OLIVE.
