Forever in Our Hearts
Cleo Avis Hooper (Wingham) - August 30, 1923 ~ January 14, 2009
Cleo is forever loved, remembered & survived by:
Children: Wendy (Jack) Haslam, Terry (Susan) Hooper, Joe (Debbie) Hooper, Lynn (Ken) Ginter, Jim (Darlene) Hooper.
Grandchildren: Jack (France) Haslam, Laura (Ben) MacRae,
Angie (Lee) Hyokki, Chris Hooper (Miranda), Jeff (Rachel) Hooper, Graydon Hooper (Sarah), Kirstin Hooper (Kevin), Ron Gerz, Jennifer Gerz, Candice Ginter (Donny), Jared Ginter, Jade Ginter, Pam (Teddy) Puska, Patricia (Kris) Dashwood, Haley Hooper, Jillian Hooper.
Great Grandchildren: Kaleb & Dylan Haslam, Sydney & Janelle MacRae, Lucas & Jessie Woodruff, Cassidy Hyokki, Jorden Hooper, Madison Ginter, Taylor, Brooklyn & Carter Puska, Brittney &
Savanna Dashwood, Peirce Edey, Haidyn Gerz, Kayven Hooper.
Cleo was born in a farm house 4 miles south of Beatty, Sask. When the family built a new home on the property, the house Cleo was born in, soon became the chicken coop, so she always told us she was born in a chicken coop.
Raised on a farm with her brothers and sisters, she spent most of her time outdoors doing farm chores. This included driving horses, plowing and harrowing. Cleo’s time away from the farm was also busy and active. Her summer activities included playing softball and football, going on picnics, berry picking and swimming. In the winter, she enjoyed skating, playing hockey and travelling by horse drawn sleigh to dances in Beatty. Cleo attended the Sweetwater School from grades 1 - 11. She had to quit due to the high cost of school books and was quite upset because she loved school. Her favorite subjects were spelling and algebra, which comes as no surprise, considering her addiction to scrabble and crossword puzzles which she took very seriously. She was very competitive, played defensively, and had no problem enjoying her wins and gloating about her triumphs.
After leaving school, Cleo joined the army, when she was 18 years old, Four years later, she met Joe Hooper, who also served in the army. After a one & a half year courtship, the two decided to elope. They travelled by train to Banff Alberta and on November 11, 1946 they were married.
After 7 years of marriage, they decided to start their family. Their first born was Wendy (1953). Soon after they moved to Vancouver Island. In 1955, their 1st son Terry was born, then in 1957, their 2nd son Joe. In 1958 a daughter, Lynn was born, followed by their last child Jim, in 1960. The family lived in Shawnigan Lake and later moved to Duncan, where the kids attended school. Cleo took a job working in the kitchen of the Cowichan District Hospital, until her retirement in 1984. Shortly after, they moved to Cherry Point Road in Cobble Hill...to the ocean. There they enjoyed peaceful rural living, spending countless hours walking the beaches, feeding the birds and having picnic lunches at Cherry Point Beach. They remained in Cobble Hill until Joe became ill in 2001, and they moved to Vanderhoof, to be closer to family.
Cleo spent the next several years caring for Joe, until his passing in 2006. Since then, she has been enjoying her time, taking holidays with family members to places that included Niagra Falls, Prince Rupert, Vancouver Island and Saskatchewan. She was simply living life to its fullest, spending plenty of time with her children, grandchildren & great grandchildren. She remained happy and energetic and left a life long legacy for her family and friends to celebrate. She will be greatly missed.
A memorial service was held at the Vanderhoof Fire Hall on January 17, 2009. Arrangements entrusted to Grace Memorial Funeral Chapel, Vanderhoof, BC.
To Honour Life
Life is full of simple pleasures
We take for granted every day.
Look through the eyes of a child
And see the world in a new way.
Step outside and feel the rain,
And though it will not soon wash away your pain,
With each drop upon your skin,
Allow the healing to begin.
To face this day is so hard to do,
But remember, what she’d want
for you,
To honor her life, keep on giving,
To honour her life, go on living.
written by Angela Hyokki