Irene Layland died on June 9, 2020 at the age of 87 with family by her side.
She will be lovingly remembered by her daughters, Patricia (Thomas) Weckworth and Maureen (Donald) McKenzie, granddaughters Samantha (Adam) Fournier, Gillian Weckworth and Megyn McKenzie, her sister Emily Janik and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her parents John and Emilia Mikulasik, her brothers Anthony, John, and Stephen, her brother-in-law Peter Janik and sister-in-law Peggy Mikulasik.
Irene was born in Kamloops on May 27, 1933, and was raised on the family Homestead at Anderson Creek, near Knutsford. Her mother and brothers had to work hard to "keep us going" after the death of their father when she was 6. She attended Anderson Creek School with her sister Emily and often rode their horse Old Barney which was a special memory for both. The family moved to 12th Street in North Kamloops in 1945 where they owned and operated an apple orchard. As children, we along with our cousins enjoyed the fruits of their labour.
After high school in 1950, Irene began working at the Bank of Nova Scotia and later at the Bank of Montreal until her retirement. She was a hardworking single mother who always put the needs of her family first. After retirement she enjoyed gardening, cooking, baking and caring for her family, especially spoiling her beloved granddaughters.
Irene's home will always be remembered for the smell of her delicious cooking, hospitality, love of music and dancing, laughter and especially her warm embraces.
Irene was a devoted Catholic and member of O.L.P.H. Parish where she faithfully served in many capacities. In her own words, she said "Patience and perseverance are the way I had to go through my life, which at times were pretty tough and poor. I never forgot that my Faith in God helped me through many difficulties."
Audrey Miller
George Mochizuki
Melvin Monteith
Melvin is also in the class of 1951
Melvin Edward Monteith died on October 23, 2018 after a long illness. He was predeceased by his wife of 56 years, Enid Norah (Lucas) Monteith.
He is survived by his sister Doreen (Roy Baillargeon) of Kamloops, his children Mike (Linda), Brandy (Brenton Wilkie), Terry (John Pisarczyk), Ken, Syd (Tracy Baird), eight grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.
Mel grew up in Kamloops, graduating from the Senior Matriculation programme at Kamloops Senior Secondary School in 1952. In his final school years, he worked summers for the BC Forest Service and landed his first full-time position in Wells Gray Park in 1952. Before his retirement in 1994 he had attained the positions of Ranger and District Manager, and was well-liked by those he worked with, especially those who worked for him. His own superiors may have been less impressed by the application of his motto: it is better to beg forgiveness than to ask permission.
Mel was a devoted husband and father. From his proposal to Enid at the time of his first post in Wells Gray Park to their marriage in 1953, through many job postings around the Interior of BC, to his loving attention as Enid's health declined after their retirement and he became her primary caregiver, theirs was a story of devotion and attention.
His children all remember the countless ways he showed his love of the family - the summer camping trips, the winter skating rinks, tobogganing, skiing, a swing and a climbing rope at every home they lived in, the attendance at countless sporting events and much, much more. Mel and Enid built and maintained a family that sticks together, despite geographical distance and differences of opinion. A loving home and support for the hopes and dreams of all are the legacy Mel and Enid leave behind as parents, grandparents and great-grandparents.
Mel was hard-working, intelligent, practical and caring. He was fair and open-minded, a ravenous reader of science-fiction and overall a very likeable man, right to the end. His children were endlessly amazed by his capacity to complete complex mathematical calculations in his head faster than they could do the same with their calculators.
One of Mel's great accomplishments was the building of the family's log home. He worked hard on weekends and holidays to accomplish this work, largely by hand, from felling the trees, to peeling the logs and winching them atop the structure to carrying rocks and mortar up ladders to build an immense central fireplace. The result was a beautiful home fitting for the loving family he had created.
