Obituary of Jessie Boyes

Boyes - Jacoba "Jessie" Everdina Boyes, late of Parkland Terrace Nursing Home passed away on Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at the age of 88 years. Jessie was born on October 1, 1919 in Holland, Michigan, USA to Breunis and Jacoba Van de Veen. Mary, Jake and Janetta were her older siblings with Neil, Margaret, Art and David being younger than her. She was christened Jacoba Everdina Van de Veen, which became Jessie when she started school. Auntie Jessie along with her family lived in the Cameo Hilldrop area and attended school in Cameo and Spruce Glen. After completing her schooling in 1935, she remained at home to help out on the farm. Life was hard those days; lots of hard work and not much money. Auntie Jessie learned to live simply and frugally with a motto of "waste not, want not". Very little was thrown out! This she taught all of us and practiced until she died. Although Auntie Jessie had a fairly significant hearing disability she had developed a keen ability for math and could add numbers in her head before you could write them on paper. And what a memory she had! Whenever we needed to know a birthdate or anniversary we just asked Auntie Jessie. We always got a birthday card with an enclosure of money for our birthday. If you wanted to know the date of the first snowfall or the first frost in the fall in any given year, she could tell you. I remember her often going to get her journal that she faithfully wrote in everyday to answer a question someone had. She always strived to learn more. She wore out dictionaries and maps. Her binoculars and Bird Book were always handy. Auntie Jessie married Tom Boyes on February 28, 1954. Together they farmed in the Cameo area. They mix farmed for some years and eventually focused on cattle and milking cows. Auntie Jessie was a very hard worker and enjoyed the simple things in life. She enjoyed nature; birds, flowers and always had a huge garden. She was an active member of the Cameo Ladies Guild, which provided her with social activities, opportunities to volunteer and become a member of her community. She loved to attend the Guild activities and developed many friendships. We are grateful and Auntie Jessie would be very pleased to know that they are providing the lunch for her funeral today. We enjoyed going to the farm. Some of the memories that I have are admiring and playing with her salt and peppershaker collection, looking at pictures through the viewfinder and the Easter Bunny cakes that she made. When we were growing up Uncle Tom and Auntie Jessie would visit every other Sunday afternoon. Auntie Jessie would be dressed in Sunday best: high heels of course. If we had a ball game going she would join right in. It wouldn't be long before she was up to bat. She would get into position and when the ball came she would hit it hard. We would be of and running through the yard to retrieve the ball. Meanwhile Auntie Jessie would be racing full tilt around the bases until she made it home. Uncle Tom would be yelling "Jessie you're going to break your neck!" Auntie Jessie satisfied with her home run would then walk sedately to the house Uncle Tom and Auntie Jessie retired and moved to Shellbrook on November 11, 1978. That was a big adjustment for both of them but Auntie Jessie soon became busy with Bible Study groups, visiting and singing in the hospital, nursing homes and wherever else she could contribute. She had a strong faith in God and could often be found reading her Bible. I'm sure that many of you can remember the "two Jessies"- Aunty Jessie and Jessie Elkins. They lived next door to each other for several years and were almost inseparable during this time. Auntie Jessie was a very kind, gentle and honest person with a great sense of humor and a quick wit. She had a twinkle in her eye and would come up with some one-liners when you least expected it. When you visited her she would make tea and you always had to drink from a china cup and saucer. I can't recall her drinking a cup of coffee but she did enjoy her tea! Her birthday was a special day for her and she enjoyed having her friends and family come to visit, especially on that day and even this last birthday when she was in the nursing home, her family and friends came to enjoy her favorite, Angel food cake, with her. June 1, 1991 was a sad day for her when Uncle Tom died. She managed to keep busy with her various activities but did miss her husband. Family was very important to Auntie Jessie. She always took a special interest in what every one was doing. Even though she did not have children of her own, we know that we all held a very special place in her heart. Special days; Christmas, Thanksgiving, weddings, graduations and other family gatherings were extra special if Auntie Jessie was there and she was always game to attend, ready and waiting when you came to pick her up. On Christmas our family tradition is to have those crackers with the surprise inside. Of course there is always a goofy looking paper hat that we put on. Uncle Tom and Auntie Jessie always wore theirs through the entire meal. Even at the end when her mind wasn't quite as sharp as it used to be, she would ask about family members including great nieces and nephews. We will always remember what a special auntie you were to us and know that you are safe in the arms of Jesus and in the presence of those family and friends who have gone before. Jessie leaves to mourn her passing; a sister, Mary Priest; her sisters-in-law; Ostrid Van de Veen, Lorna Black, Doris Landry and Irma Hodgins, Brothers-in-law; Joe Moore and Reginald Black; her nieces and nephews; Brenda, Janice, Mark, Bradley, Trudy, Carol, Ruth, Darlene, David, Nelia, David and Cheryl as well as numerous nieces and nephews of Tom's family. Jessie was predeceased by; her husband, Thomas Boyes in 1991, her parents; Breunis & Jacoba Van de Veen, her in-laws, Humphrey & Ethel Black, her brothers; David Van de Veen, Jacob Van de Veen, Neil Van de Veen, Art Van de Veen, her sisters; Janetta Woodall, Margaret Moore, and her brothers & sisters - in law; Edna Van de Veen, Fred Priest, Ken Black, Manley Boyes, Hazel Rindal, Ida Stralwick. The Celebration of Life Service was held in the Shellbrook Pentecostal Church on Monday, December 10, 2007 at 1:00 p.m. with Mr. Albert Hannigan as officiant. The Eulogists were Brenda Person and Darlene Cote. The Honorary Pallbearers were; "All of Jesssie's family and friends who knew and loved her." The Active Pallbearers were David Van de Veen, Ruth Peake, Bradley Van de Veen, Janice Barkway, Trudy Beleznay, Carol Fehr and Allan Stalwick. Winnie Rindal did a scripture reading. The Pianist was Mark Van de Veen. The Soloist was Murray Hannigan. In lieu of other tributes memorial donations may be made to the Parkland Terrace Foundation in Shellbrook, SK. The interment was in Memorial Gardens in Prince Albert, SK.