Verna Isabell Thomsen (nee Ruark)
May 25, 1930 - September 26, 2016
Verna died peacefully at the age of 86, surrounded by the love of her family, in her home at The Meadows Assisted Living in Smithers, BC on September 26, 2016.
Verna was born May 25, 1930 in Vulcan, Alberta to Miles and Margaret Ruark. She graduated high school in Calgary, Alberta and went on to study dressmaking. Her studies were interrupted when she met and fell in love with the summer farm-hand. Verna married Stanley Roy Thomsen, of Rolling Hills, Alberta, in Calgary, Alberta on May 23, 1948. They called each other “my boyfriend” and “my girlfriend” for 68 years, and together shared great times raising their family, socializing with friends, and enjoying life to its fullest.
She was a good girlfriend, a wonderful homemaker, a kind and loving mother and grandmother, and a loyal friend. She opened her heart and home to all and became Mom and Grandma to many. Verna served as the Postmaster in the Hyder, Alaska post office from 1961-1969. She was involved and active in the community, spending her time volunteering with the Women’s Hospital Auxiliary, Brownies, 4-H and as a Sunday school teacher. In 2010, after a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s, Verna and Stan moved to Smithers, BC, where she loved and embraced living at The Meadows..
Verna is survived by her husband Stan, children Donna Kullander, Darlene (Daniel) Werbecky, Garry (Shirley), Darrel (Kimalene), Lenard (Debbie), Diane (Alex) Nikolic and D’Arcy (Kimberly), sister Elizabeth “Ruth” Ihrke, 14 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her mother Margaret Ruark (1991) and her father Miles Ruark (1998), both of Calgary, Alberta.
A celebration of life will take place at a later date in Stewart, BC, where Verna and Stan spent almost 50 years of their marriage.
The family would like to thank everyone who endeavoured to make Verna’s final days peaceful and pleasant. A special thank you to Dr. Haskins and his team and to all the kind and caring people at The Meadows Assisted Living, Home and Community Care and Northern Health.
“If your heart is big enough,
your home is big enough”