26 Mar 2018 - Phil Rempel

In January Phil Rempel, husband of Linda Laurie (daughter of George and Arly), was diagnosed with cancer. It was a fast acting cancer that finally took him on March 26th, 2018. He is missed!

6 Nov 2013 burial of Marion Isobel Laurie

Today we were finally able to put Marion Isobel Laurie's ashes to rest in the Taber Memorial Garden's Cemetery. We have replaced her parents head stone with her name included and interred her urn of ashes. The ceremony was sweet and simple. While none of us were able to meet Marnie when she was alive or know her we hope to be able to meet her someday.

What we do know is that Marion was born in January during a bad snow storm in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Her mother usually had the children at home but the midwife told James to take her to the hospital because there were complicaitons. The story is that the roads were so bad that they couldn't get the cab to the hospital doors so Grandma Laurie had to walk the last little bit through deep snow. Upon arrival and in delivery they discovered that the cord was around the baby's neck. She must have experienced some brain damage in the process. Marion survived the birth but suffered some kind of damage which made life difficult for her. She followed Alice around and shared a bed with her. Alice took care of her and protected her when there was danger. Alice would take her and hide under the bed when things were bad. When their father, James, came to Vancouver and remarried their mother, Jessie, the family was moved to Taber, Alberta. However this move was not possible for Marion, or Marnie as they called her, so she was admitted into the Essondale Assylum at Coquitlam, BC (now known as the Riverview Hospital). Later she was moved to the Vernon Assylum in Vernon, BC. She was happy there and passed away peacefully at the age of 61.

The urn was interred above her parent's grave.

The new headstone to include Jame and Jessie's daughter 

Marion Isobel Laurie.

We were lucky enough to sneak this event in between snow storms and cold weather. We were also fortunate that Aunt Ruth (Gordon Laurie's wife) could attend. Both Uncle Danny and Aunt Alice were unable to come due to health issues.

Back L-R: April Bodily Saunders, Michael Craig Saunders, Ruthanne Saunders Holst, 

Allyson Saunders Cichy, Marilynne Saunders MacDonald, 

Jenny Cichy Goodbrand, Ruth Konno Laurie and Janne Laurie Parascak.

Front: Ryder Goodbrand and Andee Goodbrand (Jenny's children)

Mark Sidney Laurie - George & Arlie Laurie's son

Mark Sidney Laurie was born to George and Arlie on 30 Mar 1954. He is the second child. He married Deborah Mae Crossen on Aug 2nd, 1975. They have three children, Clint and Sky and Sarah. Mark has been an airline pilot for years and currently resides in Phoenix.

Linda Joyanne Laurie Rempel - George & Arlie's daughter

Linda is the 1st child of George and Arlie Laurie. She was born 15 Mar 1949 in Vancouver, BC.

She remembers being so excited to go and visit her Waddell cousins in Ladner.

She married Philip Norman Rempel on Aug 8th, 1970. They had two children, Ryan and Jennifer. They have three grand children.

Unfortunately it was discovered that Phil had liver cancer on Jan 18, 2018. He died on 26 Mar 2018. He is missed by his family and friends.

George Alexander Laurie - 29 Apr 1924 - 17 Jan 2001

George Alexander Laurie was born on Apr 29, 1924 in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, the third child of James and Jessie Laurie. He was an asthmatic so when they moved to Ladner, BC it was better for his health but it put a lot of stress on his heart. He and his brother Bill were good friends. When WWII broke out he and Bill joined the Air Force and served as mechanics.

  Bill and George Laurie

George married Arlie Jean Robinson on Sep 6 1946. They lived in the Delta are most of their lives and had two children, Linda and Mark.

In 1970 George and Arlie opened a  Sporting Goods Store. It was a very successful business. Apparently one day Danny went into the store and was waiting for George to finish with a customer he was helping. The customer looked at Danny and then at George several times before remarking this must be your brother.

 

George was a kind man who loved his family. He developed Alzheimer's at the end of his life. He spent the last of his years at the George Derby Center which is a care center for Canadian Veterans in Burnaby, BC. The nurses said he was always a gentleman despite the ravages of the disease. He died there on Jan 17, 2001.