Tribute

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the sudden passing of our family matriarch, Olive Fern Aldred. Fern was born on 19 May, 1923 in Pense, Saskatchewan, the youngest of 9 children and went home to meet her Lord on 30 September, 2021 in Abbotsford, BC.

Fern is predeceased by her parents, Gavin and Ellen McAlister (nee Anderson), husband Elwood, daughter Debora, sons-in-law Hank Penner and Mark Schiller, as well as her 8 siblings and their spouses. She is survived by her daughters Gail Penner, Dianne (Dale) Dixon, Donna Schiller, 7 grandchildren, as well as numerous great and great-great grandchildren, most of whom referred to her lovingly as “GG”. She also leaves to mourn several nieces and nephews.

Fern spent most of her childhood in Fort Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan where she and her sister Ruth used to sing on the radio. She lived in several other small towns on the prairies before moving to Liverpool, England at the end of WWII. This is where she learned to knit, a hobby that she enjoyed throughout her life, as she disliked having idle hands. She eventually found her way to Burnaby, BC. where she met her second husband Elwood on a blind date. They were married 23 April, 1955 and eventually moved to Mission, BC where they became long-time residents. Fern always balanced being a wife and mother while working outside the home at many varied and interesting jobs. Two of those jobs were running a bakeshop in Vancouver with her sister Ida, and eventually becoming freight traffic manager at Anglo American Shake and Shingle in Mission.

GG was a gentle soul who made a lasting impression on those she met. She loved to sew and knit (both for family and for charity), travel and bake. She was well known for her butter tarts and people eagerly waited for Christmas each year to get a taste of one of her specialties. She also loved animals and music but her greatest love was her family. She looked forward to each and every family celebration and even when her mobility made it difficult to attend, she so wanted to be at any and all events. She would often say that she loved spending time with young people because that’s what kept her young at heart. Fern was the embodiment of grace, generosity and unconditional love. Her faith is what kept her grounded and optimistic, and she was one of those rare individuals who led by example.

The family would like to thank the staff at Menno Terrace East for their loving care of our beloved GG these past 6 years. They would also like to thank the doctors and nurses at Abbotsford Hospital (Cheam 3) for going “above and beyond” in their care of Fern in her last 2 weeks.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Bakerview Crematorium and Celebration Centre, where there will be a private graveside service and family reception. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to a charity of your choice. In parting, we will remember one of GG’s favourite sayings…You don’t find life worth living, you make it that way! Until we meet again.