IRENE VELMA WATT

Irene Velma Watt (nee Cole), 86, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2011 at the Boundary Trails Health Centre near Morden, Man.
Irene fought a good fight but sadly succumbed to the challenges of chronic illness.
Irene was born Oct. 7, 1924 in East Zorra Township near Woodstock, Ont., where she spent her childhood, first at her grandparents’ farm (Beech Hill) and then at her own family’s rural property.
Irene was an independent person and after high school, she left for the adventures and opportunities of the big city—first Ottawa and then Toronto, working as a secretary.
It was during a brief holiday that she met her future husband, Charlie Watt, when he was playing in a band.
As Charlie finished his studies, they planned their marriage. After Charlie graduated from law school and chose to begin his career in Atikokan, Ont., Irene followed and the two were married in March, 1955.
They moved to Fort Frances, Ont. in 1963, where they lived until Charlie passed away in July, 2008.
Due to the passing of Charlie and with her own health issues escalating, Irene moved to Morden to be nearer her son, Jeff, and his family.
Mom was an avid golfer for years but as time passed, she focused more on gardening. She loved to work in her garden and tend the many flowers at their rural home along the banks of the Rainy River.
Even as she got older and was not physically able to tend the gardens, she made sure Charlie “was doing it right.”
Her love of nature, animals, and wildlife was a long-lived passion, undoubtedly from her early years on her grandparents’ farm.
She enjoyed the many vacations she and Charlie took, and used the experiences gained on these trips to augment her knowledge on many topics from which she provided good guidance.
Over the years, she spent more time at home and did not get out to see those people for whom she had a long friendship. However, she kept in contact with many friends and was a thoughtful and caring person.
We are grateful for the two-and-a-half years we had with her after her medical emergency in 2008 and with her moving closer to us, we got to know her better. We know it was difficult for her to leave her home of 45 years, but she accepted it knowing it was for the best.
Irene was predeceased by her husband, Charlie; her parents; a brother, Howard; and sister, Phylllis.
She is survived by her son, Jeff, wife, Valerie, and granddaughter, Bailey.
A private service will be held a future date, with interment at Riverview Cemetery in Fort Frances.