BUNTJE VALLEY (VAL) RICHARDSON

On July 17, 1929, Aukje June and Buntje Valley Reinders were born to Hilbrand and Jeanne “Scotty” Reinders in Fort Qu’Appelle, Sask. They were the youngest of five girls.
Within the year, Hilbrand and his brother, Tjasse, moved their families north to settle in what is now Deadwood, Alta.
In 1942, life had changed for their family. Hilbrand died as a result of an accident while working on the Alaska Highway, Grandma’s oldest sister, Mickey, was in the air force, Hilda was finishing her high school education in Dixonville, and Scotty had moved the three younger girls to Peace River, where they had quit school and started working.
Scotty looked after the police barracks and jail there.
Her sisters moved north to Dawson City and Yellowknife, and had all married. Soon Val followed and, while living with her twin sister, June and husband, James Magrum, she met and married her tall, dark, and handsome miner, Jim Richardson.
On March 17, 1954, their daughter Susan was born.
Because Jim was a development miner, the family moved frequently from one small town to the next. One of the places they enjoyed most was the Ucluelet-Long Beach area of Vancouver Island.
After Grandpa retired back to his hometown of Fort Frances, Ont., they started a small business of making macramé chairs. Val was very shy and quiet, and didn’t seek out crowds, but boy could she ever sell.
They moved to Beaverlodge to be closer to family and soon they were going to all the farmers’ markets around.
In 2007, they moved into the Homesteader Lodge in Hines Creek. One of Val’s best recent memories was going to the Reinders family reunion with sister, Mickey, Susan, Gordie, and Mathew. If you stopped by her room, she was sure to show you her pictures of her, her cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Val was predeceased by her mom and dad, Scotty and Hilbrand Reinders; her sister and brother-in-law, Judy and Al McDiarmid; sister, Hilda Ressler; brothers-in-law, James Magrum, Roy Larson, Tony Ressler, and Harley and Gordon Richardson; cousin, Remko Reinders; and nephews, Darren Richardson and Raymond Ressler.
Missing her is her loving husband of 55 years, James Richardson; Bud; daughter, Susan and John Zwick; and grandsons, James, Matthew, and Gordon Zwick.
Also surviving are her special twin, June Magrum, and eldest sister, Mickey Masterson; and very loved brother- and sisters-in-law, Alan and Lucy Richardson, Lynn and Brenda Richardson, and Larry Richardson; as well as her beloved nieces and nephews and the Reinders cousins from Deadwood.
Val loved reading (she always read the ending first), collecting, and all kinds of crafts. She attended as many hockey and baseball games as she could and her first question always was: “How are the boys?” which was usually soon followed by: “They didn’t! Those little monkeys!” no matter what we did or how big we grew.
So Grandpa, when you are telling one of your jokes and you feel a smack upside your head and an “Oh, Jim!” whispered in your ear, know that Grandma is still with you!