BRANDON, MANITOBA - October 21, 1923 – July 18, 2022

 

Verna May Fallis left her family and friends while residing at Valley View Care Centre on July 18, 2022.  She was 98 years old.

 

Verna was born October 21, 1923 in Carberry, Manitoba, the daughter of Dave and Lula Smith.  She leaves a son, Gary (Susan) Fallis; daughter, Gail Fallis-Wayne, 2 sisters, Helen (Allan) Lauder and Phyllis Kendel, 3 step grandchildren, Johnny, Jolee, and Jacquelyn, 7 step great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and long-time friends.

 

Three brothers, Roy, Harold and Murray Smith, sister Doris Clemens, and son-in-law Alan Wayne, predeceased her.

 

Verna grew up along with her 3 brothers and 3 sisters on a farm in Wellwood, Manitoba.  Relishing the outdoors, she often reminisced about stooking hay in the wheat field, milking cows and gathering the white and brown eggs in the old red barn, and riding her favorite horse, “Queenie.”

 

Verna married Leonard “Len” Vickery who was killed in World War II shortly after they were married.

 

On December 16, 1947, Verna married Cyril Harvey Fallis and farmed in Carberry, Manitoba before moving with their son and daughter to Southern California in 1955.   Cyril and Verna remained in Southern California until 1973 when they returned to Carberry, Manitoba after raising Gary and Gail in the States.

 

November 24, 1964 Verna was baptized in Los Angeles, California into the Jehovah Witness’s faith.  She remained a devout witness until she passed and enjoyed many long-term relationships with friends from congregations in Southern California, Texas, Carberry and Brandon, Manitoba.

 

After being away from the Manitoba winters for so many years in Southern California, Cyril and Verna chose, after returning to Manitoba in 1973, to “winter” in Weslaco, Texas for many years and prior to Cyril’s passing in 2004, they wintered for many more years back in Southern California.  After retiring, they travelled to many other destinations including England, Scotland, Ireland Australia, Fiji, along with many other states in the U.S.  Cyril and Verna were married 56 years.

 

Verna moved to Brandon, Manitoba in 2009 residing briefly at Victoria Landing and for the past 12 years at Valley View Care Centre in Brandon.  Many thanks and appreciation go out to all of the staff at Valley View for the care and comfort they provided.

 

A Service will be held August 16, 2022 at 2:00 p.m. at the Kingdom Hall in Brandon followed by a burial at the Carberry Plains Cemetery.