Quilts

Arlynne

“Arlynne bubbled into all of our lives in different ways and at different times, but we won't soon forget her smile, her laugh, the friendliness and the caring, that were her trademarks.

For Harvey, her dad, it began on February 7, 1957 in Virden Manitoba. She joined her parents and her sister Maureen in a 7' x 35' trailer. He recalls that as a 22-month old, now living in Calgary, she preferred to stand in her crib rather than lie in it! For Ina, her "special mom," it began when she joined the family in 1965, 2 years after Arlynne's birth mother passed away.

For others, it began in 1991 when she first came to Glennallen and worked in the SEND International office. When her year visa expired, she headed back down the AL-CAN in "Mortimer," but she obviously left part of her heart in Alaska. She returned often for vacations, including a January trip to volunteer at the Copper Basin 300.

For some, it began just this summer, during her last visit, followed by her move back to our area, at the end of August. Even in the short time she has worked for Byron Rice and the School District, her vivacious personality has touched many in a way that will not soon be forgotten.

It isn't surprising that Arlynne loved the children at the Copper Center School, for her life focused on offering encouragement and direction to young people. Arlynne's Christian faith expressed itself in very practical ways as she reached out to anyone in need that came into her life. She had the unique ability to feel comfortable in almost any environment, and to move easily between them. In the evening you might find her at the Mustard Seed Street Ministry in downtown Calgary chatting with homeless people, hard on the heels of her work day at the Calgary law firm that employed her for 18 years, working for (among others) no less a personage than a former Prime Minister of Canada.

She loved life! She had fun! Whether listening to her C&W music, playing with her nephews or her Alaskan "adopted kids," walking outdoors when it was 50 below, enjoying the reflection of mountains in a pond, or anticipating the needs of her boss, she lived with enthusiasm and humor.

The sudden end of her career here, and her life on this earth, has come as a huge shock to us all. It is comforting to know that what happened out there at Eureka on Tuesday morning was NOT a shock to her Heavenly Father, who has been welcomed her to better accommodation than we have in the Copper Basin (the roads are better!), for early retirement with full benefits! We will remember her and miss her, but she would not want us to mourn her going for long. Rather, she's just looking forward to reconnecting with us up there at her new place where, just perhaps, the coffee is always hot and delicious, and there are no lawyers with emergency requests at 4:30 p.m.! She didn't use her reservations at the Millennium this week, but the important one, the one she used instead, was made a long time ago.

Arlynne was an organ & tissue donor who, has to date, helped many individuals with her gifts of life.”