2 Jun 2018 - Alice Eileen Laurie Saunders Funeral

We had the funeral for Alice today. It was a beautiful day and things went smoothly. We had lots of family here so that was great. Here is the Funeral Card. The obituary and funeral service can be accessed by clicking on the link to Southland Funeral Chapel

One of Alice's requests was to have "O Danny Boy" sung at her funeral. This song was sung by a dear friend, Stephen Evanson, who worked with her at Saunders Insurance.

 It is only fitting that the bag pipes were also playing Amazing Grace at the graveside.

Chris Ward playing "Amazing Grace"

L-R: Max Holst, Jorden Holst, SpencerHolst, Thomas Saunders,

 Bill Peterson, Charles Saunders, Nic Saunders

L-R: Rob Peterson, Scott Saunders, Dave Saunders, Max Saunders, 

Ethan Cichy, Alex Saunders, Mitch Holst

We are lucky enough to have 14 of the 17 grandsons present to be pallbearers.

Mitch Holst, Bill Peterson, Rob Peterson, Max Holst, Charles Saunders, David Saunders, Nic Saunders, Ethan Cichy, Thomas Saunders, Jorden Holst, Spencer Holst, Scott Saunders, Alex Saunders and Max Saunders

The three missing grandsons, Brad Saunders (Japan), David Cichy (Australia) 

and Zac Saunders (Utah with new baby) as well as all 

the grand children and great grandchildren were honorary pallbearers. 

Also unable to attend is Nichole Van Lierde and her family of Olds, Gord's daughter.

Alice's Children

L-R: Ruthanne Holst, Greg Saunders, Allyson Cichy, Cyndi Saunders, 

Mike Saunders, Marilynne MacDonald and Tom Saunders

(Oldest brother, Gord predeceased his mother)

14 May 2018 - Obituary for Alice Eileen (nee Laurie) Saunders

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Alice Saunders

1929 - 2018

Alice Eileen Saunders (nee Laurie), beloved wife of the late Gordon Saunders, passed away peacefully at the age of 88 in Taber on Monday, May 14, 2018, on her late husband’s birthday.

Relatives and friends are invited to meet with the family at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Taber Stake Centre, 4709 - 50 Avenue, Taber on Friday, June 1, 2018 between 7:00 P.M. and 8:00 P.M. and at the Church on Saturday, June 2, 2018 between 10:00 A.M. and 10:40 A.M., prior to the service.

The Funeral Service will be held at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Taber Stake Centre, 4709 - 50 Avenue, to Taber on Saturday, June 2, 2018 at 11:00 A.M. The burial will follow at the Taber Memorial Garden.

Alice is survived by her children Thomas (Wendy) Saunders of Victoria, British Columbia, Marilynne (David) MacDonald of Calgary, Michael (April) Saunders of Taber, Cynthia Saunders of High River, Allyson (David) Cichy of Calgary, Gregory (Karina) Saunders of Highland, Utah, Ruthanne (Ken) Holst of Taber and by thirty grandchildren and seventy one great grandchildren. She is also survived by her sisters-in-law Pauline Laurie, Bev Laurie, Arlie Laurie, Shirley Andrews, Jeri Saunders and numerous nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her husband Gordon Stanley Saunders, her son Gordon William James Saunders, her parents James and Jessie (nee MacPherson) Laurie and all her siblings.
Alice was born on Dec. 29, 1929 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the sixth of nine children born to Jessie and James Laurie. She spent her early years in Ladner, British Columbia. At the age of seventeen she moved to Taber and resided there until her passing. She met Gordon Saunders in Taber and they were married on June 16, 1948. They were blessed with eight children.

Alice was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She served with love and faith in various Church callings over the years. Alice and Gordon served a Church mission in Egypt in 1993. After Gordon passed away, Alice served another Church mission in 2007 at the Family History Center in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Alice was a hard worker whose hands were never idle. She mastered everything she set her mind to do. She was an accomplished markswoman, cook and seamstress. When she wasn’t sewing beautiful wedding, bridesmaid or graduation dresses she loved to do any new craft. She created many wonderful quilts, handmade cards, cross stitches, porcelain dolls and fur teddy bears. Her kitchen was always filled with numerous baked goods, including her famous butterhorns. She took great joy in giving of what she had to others, including her wisdom and her listening ear. Alice had the gift of making everyone she met feel special.

Alice will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered for her many talents, her kind and caring heart and for her love of serving others.

If desired, memorial tributes in Alice’s name may be made directly to the Ronald McDonald House Charities, 111 West Campus Place NW, Calgary, Alberta T3B 2R6 www.rmhcsca.org.

The Saunders family would like to thank all the staff at the Good Samaritan Linden View Facility for their kind and loving care of Alice.

14 May 2018 - Alice Eileen (Laurie) Saunders

Alice Eileen (Laurie) Saunders passed away on her husband, Gordon's, Birthday. As a family we think that is a fun fact that she was able to go that day. We will miss her but are very gratefull for all the great things she has taught us.

There will be a viewing at 7-8pm on Friday night, June 1st at the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day Saints, Taber Stake Center on 4709 50th Ave. Then on Saturday another viewing at 10-10:40 am before the funeral at 11 am at the same location.

https://www.southlandfuneral.com/component/obits/?view=obits&id=2794

27 Dec 2014 - Alice's 85th Birthday Celebration and Saunders Family Gathering

Thomas Reid Saunders - Gordon & Alice Saunders' son

Thomas Reid Saunders was born on Sep 19th, 1950 in Taber, Alberta to Gordon and Alice Saunders. He is their second child and second son.

 Tom & Gord on the farm

Tom and Gord were always together either doing chores, planning adventures for their younger siblings, or  getting into mischief . Maybe all three at once.

Tom & Gord as cowboys

Tom went to Kinniburg School as well. It was a small country school where grades 1, 2, and 3 were together in one class and grades 4, 5, and 6 were in the other class. They had lots of fun and chores to do on the farm such as tending the cattle and planting and harvesting the crops.

Tom also graduated from W R Myers High School in Taber and went to Rick's College with Gord for one semester, from Sep to Dec 1969.

He went to the California East Mission on Jan 6, 1970. He was there for an earthquake that shook the books off the shelf above his bed. He loved his mission and had a great time working with the people there. He is still in contact with some of his companions and friends from that time period.

 Elder Tom Saunders and his bike, favorite mode of transportation.

 Elder George Mitchell and Elder Tom Saunders in Rialto, CA

Upon his return in  January of 1972 he worked at the Sugar Factory with Uncle Gordie Laurie. He got engaged to Wendy Wood. They had dated each other in High School and got reacquainted after his mission.

Tom married Wendy Marie Wood on the June 17th, 1972 in Cardston, Alberta.






They lived in Taber while all their kids were born. They have five kids:
Jessica Ann Saunders Burton,
David Thomas Saunders,
Charles Wood Saunders,
Nena Marie Saunders Scott,
Stacey Saunders Salmon.

 During the arrival of his children Tom became a stock broker and then worked in Lethbridge followed by a move to Cranbrook, BC.

Back l-r: Dave, Tom, Wendy, Jessica

Front l-r: Chuck, Stacey, and Nena

Cranbrook, BC

While they were living in Cranbrook their home burned down during the holidays in December of 1986. They lived in a motel until the company moved them to Calgary where they have lived ever since. Tom has had other very successful jobs since then. He and Wendy now have 17 grandchildren and are enjoying time spent with them.



In October of 2013 Tom and Wendy received a mission call to go to the India New Delhi mission to serve the people there. Months later their call was changed to the Samoa Apia Mission because they were unable to get visa's to India. They will leave for their mission to Samoa on Jun 9th, 2014.

Gordon Willliam James Saunders - Gordon & Alice Saunders' son

Gordon William James Saunders is the first child born to Gordon and Alice Saunders. He was born on the 14th of June, 1949 in Taber, Alberta. His family lived on a farm so he grew up in the company of siblings and animal friends. Gord is what he was called him since there were so many Gordon's in the family. Gordon Laurie was known as Gordie Laurie to us all because of that too.

 

Tom and Gord on the farm 

 Gord and Tom on the front stoop

Gord was active on the farm with his brother's and sisters, helping out and going to Kinniburg School for his early education.

1963 Grand Champion 4H Calf  - Gord Saunders on right

 He did 4H and raised a prize winning calf several years but won in 1963 the Grand Champion Award.

He graduated from W R Myers High School in Taber and went away to Rick's College in Rexburg, Idaho.

He went into the Mission Training Center on March 14th, 1970 to start on a mission for our church to the South West England Mission for two years. He loved it in England.

Elder Gordon William James Saunders

South West England Mission

Upon returning he went on with an education that took him to Montana College of Mines and Minerals in Butte, Montana. He received a degree as a petroleum engineer from there. The rest of his life he worked in the oil patch as an engineer. The last little while he worked in Russia training workers on the rigs.

Gord was a generous, good hearted person with a great laugh! Unfortunately he died of a massive heart attach on June 25th, 1995 at the age of 46. It was way to soon and he is missed.He is burried in Taber Memorial Gardens near his father and grand parents.

Alice's 50th High School Reunion Trip - Jun 1995

Alice wanted to go to her High School Reunion so we all thought it was a great idea and it became a girls trip. While there we went to visit Aunti Gert and the Waddell family. We had a fun time with the Waddell families.

 L-R: Bev Waddell Mohorich, Gertie Laurie Waddell, 

Alice Laurie Saunders and Marilynne Saunders MacDonald

Back L-R: April B Saunders Allyson S Cichy, Bev W Mohorich, 

Cyndi Saunders, Karina Z Saunders, Marilynne S McDonald 

Front L-R: Allard Waddell, Gertie L Waddell, Alice L Saunders 

L-R: Holly Rae who was about 4, Lynn McInnes Waddell, Russell playing shy, 

Troy and Rick Waddell

We got to meet Rick's family who live close by.

29 Oct 1986 Robert "Bob" Laurie's Funeral

Bob died in Estevan, Saskatchewan on Oct 26th 1986 but the funeral was in Taber on the 29th and he is buried in the Taber Memorial Gardens to the left of his parents sites.

This photo was taken in 1986 after Bob Laurie's Funeral.

Back Row L-R: Alice Laurie Saunders, Trent Laurie, Janne Laurie Parascak, Gordie Laurie, Bev Laurie, Kathy Laurie, Randy Laurie, Ruthanne Saunders, Gordon Saunders Middle Row L-R: Mike Saunders, Allyson Saunders Cichy, April Bodily Saunders, Debbie Laurie, Gertie Laurie Waddell Front Row L-R: Marilynne Saunders MacDonald, Mike and April's girls Victoria and Meghan, Bev Waddell Mohorich, Ruth Konno Laurie 

4 Apr 2011 - Memorial for Gordie Laurie

This was a wonderful tribute to Uncle Gordie. He lived life well and touched many more than just his family, what more can we ask for. Gord will be missed by many.

The day before the memorial service there was a family viewing. Most of these pictures are from that day.

Ruth Laurie and Alice Saunders

Trent Laurie and Janne Laurie Parascak

Danny and Pauline Laurie

Their daughters Denise and Jessie.

Ruth's family: Pat Hironaka, Joanne Konno, Kay, , , , Art Hironaka

Front Row L-R: Janne Parascak, Marilynne MacDonald, Ruth Laurie, Alice Saunders, Allyson Cichy, April Saunders, Adina Saunders

Back Row L-R: Dave MacDonald, Brad Parascak, Trent Laurie, Ruthanne Holst, Ken Holst, Mike Saunders, David Cichy, Merrick Saunders, and Scott Saunders 

Ruthanne Holst, David and Allyson Cichy

Jessie and Alice Saunders

Pauline and Danny Laurie's family

Jessie, Sherry, Denise, Jim, Gillian and Larry.

Alice Eileen Laurie Saunders - 29 Dec 1929

Alice Eileen Laurie was born on Dec 29, 1929 in Prince Albert Saskatchewan. She is the sixth child of James and Jessie Laurie. She married Gordon Stanley Saunders on June 16th, 1948 in Taber, Alberta. They had eight children: Gord, Tom, Marilynne, Mike, Cyndi, Allyson, Greg and Ruthanne. For many years they were active in the small bore shooting club. Gordon and Alice were very good and won many medals at the meets they went to.