Bernice Elizabeth Manson

MANSON, Bernice (Bern) Elizabeth On July 24, 2018, aged 95, in Victoria, BC. Bern is survived by her son Garth (Margaret Fisher) and sister Shirley Haughey (Stan). She was predeceased by her husband of 73 years Russell and her son Greg (Angela van Barneveld). She also leaves her sister-in-law Shirley Phizacklea of Winnipeg and several nieces and nephews in Canada and the US. Born in Winnipeg, Bern married Russ, her high school sweetheart, in 1943 following his return from active duty overseas as an RCAF bomber pilot. They spent the remaining war years traipsing around air force bases in western Canada where Russ served as an instructor with the British Commonwealth Air Training Plan and Bern spent many sometimes lonely hours becoming adept at solitaire and card shuffling. After the war, Russ stayed in the service and Bern embarked fully on the life of a military wife of the time, raising baby-boomer children and holding down the home front through Russ's postings to various military facilities across Canada, to Texas, to the Egyptian Sinai with UNEF peacekeeping operations (Bern and children stayed in Canada for that one), to Italy for three years as Canada's military attaché (where Bern added diplomatic hostessing to her résumé), and back and forth to Canadian Forces HQ at Ottawa. As well, she worked for a number of years for the Canadian Medical Protective Society and several doctors as a medical secretary. Following their retirement in 1975, Bern and Russ moved to Victoria where they spent some years managing a small sweet shop before giving it up to focus on long walks, travel, bridge games, golf (mostly for him) and the company of friends and other retired military couples. Bern enjoyed those years, although they were occasionally marred by her struggles with depression. As time went on, she coped with the onset of Parkinson's along with the many challenges associated with advancing age. The family is grateful to all those who provided caring and compassionate support to Bern in her later years, especially her long-time friend Maria Barter, Lesley Blackman and everyone at Estevan Pharmacy, the caregivers from Home Instead (many of whom became real friends over the years), Dr. Malcolm Orr, Drs. Ted Rosenberg and Fiona Manning and their colleagues at Home Team Medical Services, and Dr. Konia Trouton and her staff. A special thanks to the management, staff and residents of Shannon Oaks, her home with Russ for eight years, and of Sunrise Senior Living, where Bern resided for the last months of her life. A loving wife and mother, Bern was a gentle, quiet soul who observed with resigned good humour the effects of age and infirmity on her independence and privacy, and was not distressed at the prospect of it all ending. In keeping with her wishes, there was no visitation or service. Cremation has taken place and her ashes interred with Russ's at Royal Oak Burial Park in Victoria. For those wishing, donations to their preferred charity are appreciated.