August 8, 1938 - February 19, 2024
In Loving Memory ~
With broken hearts, we say goodbye to an extraordinary mother, our beautiful ray of sunshine. Our beloved angel grew her wings peacefully in her home with her loving daughter by her side at age 85. Eleanor (Froom) was born in Flin Flon Manitoba to Lavina (Hedman) and Gordon Froom.
Predeceased by her sweetheart Norman, and siblings Reginald, Alva, Ila, and Ira.
She raised four children with gentle guidance and patience: Reg, Sharlene, Yvonne, and Gary (deceased). She was also gifted with grandchildren Nicole, Dereck, Racheal, Erin, Summer & Grayden & great-grandchild, Roxy.
The sun shone brighter, and daffodils grew taller since the day Eleanor was born. As a child she rode Clydesdale horses on the farm, bringing home the cows with her father, as a young woman, she rode her quarter horse to round up her cattle. She worked at Tidewater Mill with her sister before marriage as independence was second nature to her.
She met her love, Norman in Cloverdale, BC, and they were wed on August 1st, 1959. They moved to Nicomen Island in March of 1960 where together they farmed the VI-BAR Acres Ayrshire dairy farm for 59 years. An accomplished pianist: she would play her grand piano filling the farmhouse with song. Belonging to many choirs, she would bundle up us kids after sunrise chores on Sunday in her V8 Buick, and we would cruise and sing our way to Sunday school.
From fresh-cut hay wagons to hotdog roasts on birthdays, making mudpies, daffodils, gardens with crooked corn rows, and skirts filled with freshly picked peas, she laughed and danced her way through life.
During hot summer hay seasons, she still found humor, popping the clutch on her JD 2030, sending her sputtering husband to the back of the hay wagon to make a point while laughing. Ribbons & prizes grew on our walls, 4H fairs, best pies, canning, and fresh bread you'd cross an ocean for just to slather her hand-churned butter on; the kitchen was her kingdom! For hours each of us stood at the sink peeling fruit to be canned in endless jars that all burped! She sang as we worked and would always pull you into her embrace to dance in the kitchen, twirling her big blue eyes shone with so much gratitude and love.
We would take turns looking for the moon on cold winter nights as we came in from the barn, she always had us make a wish upon a magical star. She taught us all to dance on ice skates on the frozen ponds in the pastures, many winter moons we lit fires and skated. Mom and Dad danced for years together as square dancers in Abbotsford.
She sewed all her own dresses with the tiniest of waists, donning sparkling shoes, and kicking up her heels the best legs in the valley. There was nothing she could not sew or upholster; Dad's patch pile grew high as she worked on her projects. She could always be found in her sewing room.
Mom loved her animals. She'd sit on bales of hay humming and listen to the cows at the winter manger. She tenderly mothered the first-born calves and dote on her miniature horses. Every morning she would walk for miles on the dikes behind the farm with her dogs, sorting out the day's work.
Mom was known as the "Teacup" Nanna. She always had a picnic or tea party among spring's first dandelion fields, and she enjoyed our "High Tea" parties when everyone grew up.
She found laughter and positive energy in everything, never leaving a conversation without "On a positive note." Mom's kindness extended way beyond the farm fences, as she volunteered at the local schools in Dewdney & Shuswap. Mom was known to many as "Mum" and she gave connection, wisdom, and most of all, compassion.
She was the strongest woman we knew in body as well as the mind. Never before was an 85-year-old so toned and fit like a champion. Traveling the world, she enjoyed cruises, road trips, camping, hiking, and snowshoeing in her 80's. She was unstoppable!
She lived in Canoe, BC for the past 5 years, the rumbling trains brought her much happiness. As a little girl, she would wave at the trains from a fence post, and in her retirement once again, she could wave at passing trains from her front yard. Mom enjoyed many a chitty chatty with her daughter & grandchildren next door. She especially loved her walks to the beach with best friend Karen.
Eleanor left us on a positive note; Don't look for the world to find you as you need to go out and find it, that's our mom. Her door always open. Until next time, Mom. We love you forever and forever has no end.
Celebration of life to be held May 5th at "Mom's House".
For details contact: Yvonne at EleanorsCelebration@gmail.com
To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.bowersfuneralservice.com