A Eulogy to Ione Thomas who passed away on March 8, 2010 after an unsuccessful fight against cancer. This eulogy was given by her son-in-law, Randy Wolstenholm.
Evangeline Joan Ione was born on October 27, 1936 in Indian Head, Saskatchewan. She was the only child of Thomas and Marie Moffit who owned an dairy farm at McLean, Saskatchewan, just east of Regina. As an adult, Ione would fondly reminisce about her days on the farm, before they had such modern conveniences as indoor plumbing and power in the house. Ione learned to cook on a wood stove.
She did very well in school and, I am told, preferred taking physics over home-economics. Of course, as Ione was always quick to point out, her enthusiasm for the science was enhanced by the fact that she was one of the few girls in a class with about 30 boys.
After High School, Ione trained to become a comptometer operator. If there is anyone who doesn't know what that is, a comptometer was the first commercially successful key-driven mechanical calculator. A skilled operator, such as Ione, could enter up to 10 digits simultaneously, thus frequently making the machine faster than current electronic calculators.
When Ione was 17, she agreed to go on a double blind-date and that was how she first met Arnie. It was love at first sight. On July 1, 1955, when she was just 18 years of age, Ione and Arnie quietly slipped across the border to Montana and were married. They informed their families of their marriage only upon their return.
Ione and Arnie were two young kids who had no idea of what they were doing or where they were going. These two young kids would remain inseparable for the next 54 years.
By the time they were 26, Ione and Arnie had four children; by the time they were 30, they had set up their own trucking business in Stoughton, Saskatchewan. The business thrived. But in 1974, the family sold the business, left the expanse of the Saskatchewan prairie for "the sticks" in Northern Alberta. Ione would work for the next 20 years as office manager for various oil field construction companies in the Swan Hills area.
In 1955, Ione and Arnie retired to Whitecourt, Alberta where they worked a bit, had a few business dealings, but focused mainly on the well-being of their family. Ione cherished the love of her family. As the children grew into adults and had children of their own, Ione was always there to provide the cheers or to dry the tears of the successive generations. Her love was unconditional.
Ione and Arne were blessed with 8 grandchildren. As much as we, her children, enjoyed a break from parenting, Ione loved to spend time with her grand kids even more. These grandsons and granddaughters would always be returned to us spoiled rotten and topped up with a fresh load of sugar stimulation.
Ione was "one class act all the way." She preferred to celebrate life's milestones such as weddings, anniversaries, and birthdays in the back yard with friends rather than in a lavish ballroom or venue.
She was a very tolerant person, always seeing the good in others. To Ione, few people were beyond redemption.
Ione was gracious; she would open her home unselfishly. Indeed, there were often new faces around the Christmas dinner table. She loved having a houseful. "You can always throw another cup of water in the soup," she used to say.
Ione loved the spring rain and was known to walk barefoot in the mud with her kids. But, Ione did not like snakes, especially three foot snakes let loose in the house by her sons! What fun the family had thata night playing "find the snake!!"
Ione wasw born in Southern Saskatchewan and would forever remain a "Prairie Girl." When she was well into her 60's, a Saskatchewan sunset still had the power to move her deeply and bring a tear to her eye.
There is a poem that has really spoken to the family during this time of grief. It expresses what we feel Ione would be telling us today.
To those I love and those who loved me
When I am gone, release me, let me go ...
I have so many things to see and do,
You must not tie yourself to me with tears,
Be happy that we had so many years.
I gave to you my love, you can only guess
How much you gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love you each have shown
But now it's time I traveled on alone.
So grieve a little while for me, if grieve you must
Then let your grief be comforted by trust
It's only for a while that we must part,
So bless the memories within your heart.
I won't be far away, for life goes on
So if you need me, call and I will come
Though you can't see me or touch me, I'll be near
And if you listen with your heart, you'll hear
All my love around you, soft and clear
And then, when you must come this way
I'll greet you with a smile and say
"Welcome home."
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