Geraldine Rae (Munro) Yarema (15 June 1940 – 3 January 2020)
Our dear mom Gerry Yarema (nee Munro) passed away most peacefully on January 3rd, 2020 in the Minnedosa Personal Care Home. She was born in Dauphin, MB on June 15, 1940, to George “Tibby” and Mariette Ethel “Toudy” Munro.
After completing high school in Dauphin, Gerry attended the in-residence nursing program at Victoria Hospital, Winnipeg. Upon graduation as a registered nurse, she lived a short while in Flin Flon, and then moved on to nurse at St. Anthony’s General Hospital in The Pas, MB. Following her nursing work at St. Anthony’s Gerry joined the Provincial public health team for the NORMAN region in The Pas and later, facilitated by her solid health care background and a new Bachelor’s degree with honors, Gerry accepted a significant and challenging management position in the Department. Gerry found her career extremely rewarding as she worked and formed lasting friendships with many professionals and her caring nursing skills and leadership touched many lives over the years.
Gerry fell in love and married Walter (Chick) Yarema in 1961. They raised their children Larry and Laurie and made a good life in The Pas, MB. They had a brief stint in Churchill for a year or so where Gerry found work with American military hospital then moved back to The Pas were they lived well and happy for 31 years. Gerry and Chick had a wonderful social life regularly hosting get-togethers with good friends, usually after the work was done. Their cottage on Clearwater Lake was their joint labor of love as they transformed it from a cozy rustic tiny 1963 cabin in the muskeg with a wood stove into a full home-away-from-home.
Gerry loved the outdoors and her life at the lake, swimming (Bronze Lifesaver), being out on the lake in the boat, fishing, snowmobiling, cross country skiing, and walking her dog. She also enjoyed the comradery of her sisters at the Order of the Eastern Star and finding time to curl up with a good book reading. Gerry adored travelling, particularly enjoying a special mother-daughter visit with Laurie to the region of Scotland where the Munro family originated, and she had a soft spot for Mexico and visited numerous times with family and friends.
Our Mom absolutely loved Christmas and never failed to ensure it was a wonderful time by decorating the house like a wonderland, proudly displaying her prized collection of father Christmases and Santas, and always having great baking and chocolate on hand.
After thirty-one years together her beloved Chick passed away and Gerry moved to Minnedosa, MB where she was closer to Laurie, her grandchildren, and her twin sister Georgie. She was dedicated to her work with Home Care, and was involved in town activities including promoting the buffalo reserve. Gerry made friends wherever she went and did her best to stay in touch. She loved family gatherings and adored her devoted companion and very big dog Bear, her tidy small home and flower gardens, and found joy and laughter with her Red Hat friends. Gerry loved to laugh!
Gerry is survived by her son Larry (Kate Thomas) of Howe Island, ON, her daughter Laurie Hunter of Strathclair, MB, her granddaughters Morgan, and Whitney (Rene), great-grandchildren Mackenzie, Jacie, and Finn, her twin sister Georgie Willis of Minnedosa, brothers Ken (Linda) Malcolm, and Ron (Loraine) Malcolm, sister Sandra Munro of BC, her sisters-in law Julie Barrill and Marion (Cary) Rosenfeld & family, cousin Wayne Chute (Dennis Duikker), and numerous nieces and nephews including: Rob (Pat) Willis, Shawn (Tracy) Willis, Cam (Max) Willis, her nieces Margie Willis (Barry Hopkins), Jen Willis, Michael (Andrea) Yarema and Kathy Yarema.
She was predeceased by her husband Walter, son-in-law Terry Hunter, brother in-law Bob Willis, brother-in-law John and Joan Yarema and, brother-in-law Buddy Barrill.
Many thanks to the loving and professional staff at the Minnedosa PCH. In keeping with Gerry’s wishes, there will not be a memorial event and Larry and Laurie will arrange for a private interment at Dauphin, MB at a later date. Flowers are gratefully declined with preference to donations to Parkinson Canada or the Canadian Cancer Society
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