Obituary of Carolina 'Lena' Agnew

AGNEW: Caroline Leopoldina (Lena) Agnew, long-time resident of Hartney, Manitoba, went to be with her Saviour on Thursday, December 1, 2016 at her residence, Valleyview Care Centre in Brandon, at the age of 95. Born on July 28, 1921 in Markinch, Saskatchewan, she moved with her family to Regina and to Goodeve, Saskatchewan; then in 1940 back to Regina where she earned her diploma in Cosmetology. Unable to find work there, she answered an ad for a position in Hartney where she arrived by bus at age 20; penniless, first time away from home and in her words "scared to death". Immediately upon her arrival, Peter Loughheed put her to work hairdressing in his barber shop, stashing her unpacked luggage in a back room. For the next three years, she worked 13 hours a day except for Saturday's 15 hours and a half day off on Thursdays. While she met mostly women in Hartney, her work hours left little time to meet men. Two years after her arrival, however, she met George Elymer Agnew, a Hartney farmer. When they married a year later, in April 1944, Lena exchanged hairdressing for helping at the farm; driving the combine, tractor and truck; helping with spring seeding and the fall harvest; feeding pigs, milking cows, raising chickens and cleaning out manure from the barn; all this in addition to the usual household duties, maintaining a huge garden, picking wild berries to can along with vegetables and huge boxes of fruit her father sent to her from Kelowna, British Columbia. In January 1945, daughter Linda was born, followed by son Edward in August 1946. Every Sunday the family attended Dand Church where Lena also taught Sunday School. They sold the farm in 1958 when George's health failed. While he was treated for depression in Brandon for two years, Lena clerked at Atkinson's Electric, visiting George every Sunday and Thursday afternoons. Friends also helped her to move three times in 18 months, from one rental house to another, until she found a house to purchase and opened her own hairdressing salon. With George's health regained, they took time out during the next 14 years to golf and travel, and spent two months every winter in Texas. George also built a new house from them. Then he became ill again, this time with Leukemia. He spent the next two years in hospital in Winnipeg. Lena moved there to be with him and to help nurse him until his death in 1976. At 54, she was a widow. She buried herself in work, became an avid golfer and gardener, travelled to Europe, the South Pacific, southern U.S and eastern Canada and enjoyed hosting dinner parties. When age necessitated retirement, she took up and excelled at crafts- knitting, crocheting, bead work and painting landscapes. She also gave time to friends she felt needed her. When she had a stroke that caused Aphasia, she had to leave her beloved home for Victoria Landing, where she remained until a second stoke disabled her right arm and hand. Again, she had to leave familiar surroundings. At age 93, she moved to Valleyview Care Centre. She remained undaunted and determined to keep her dignity and independence until her final day. Lena was predeceased by her parents: Phillip and Elizabeth Daum, Kelowna; a half-brother: Rev. Ernst Koch, Chicago and a half-sister: Martha Ullrich, Regina. She is lovingly remembered by sisters: Oli Cosgrove, Ottawa; Ellie Loiselle and Carol Butler, Vancouver and brother Al Daum, Kelowna; by son Dr. Edward (Joyce), Brandon; and in Regina, by daughter Linda Jackson (Dave); grandchildren Holly Agnew (Chris Hashimoto), Almonte, Ontario; Lincoln Agnew (Janelle Spiess), Vancouver and in Regina by Nicole Bueckert (Scott), Erynne Straza (Quinn), Scott MacMillan and Craig MacMillan. By great grandchildren: Ronin, Theodore and Gabriel Hashimoto; Dane, Cyndie and Sage Bueckert; Sloan, River and Luca Straza; Kira MacMillan; by Holly and Lincoln's mother, Carol Agnew (Magnusson), Calgary, Alberta. A special thank you to caregivers and nurses at Valleyview who looked after Lena so very well for her last two years. A special thank you to Sharon Johnston, especially loved by Lena for her kindness and talent for motivating her. The Funeral Service was held on Friday, December 9, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., at the Hartney Centennial Centre with Pastor Glen Whetter officiating. Interment followed at the Hartney Cemetery. Donations in memory of Lena may be made to the Valleyview Care Centre, 'Van Fund', 3015 Victoria Avenue, Brandon, Manitoba, R7B 2K2 or the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Manitoba, Unit 3-2430 Victoria Avenue, Brandon, MB, R7B 0M5.