Miikanakwe
LaVerne Elaine Caul “Miikanakwe” nee Calder lost her fierce battle to cancer, peacefully on July 28, 2026, at La Verendrye Hospital with her loving family by her side.
LaVerne and her twin sister Lorraine were born in Fort Frances on April 12, 1948, to Bob and Maude Calder. She was raised at French Point on Rainy Lake, where she played in the wheelhouse of her Grandpas steam boat, spent hours in the water, chased her Mother around with snakes, helped put up ice with horses and walked around with pots and pans trying to chase bears off the island. LaVerne and her sisters worked alongside their parents, contributing to the family commercial fishing business. They picked the fish, dressed and packed them on ice and built fish boxes along with many other chores that needed to be done.
Gabby spoke fondly of her childhood and growing up on the island where it wasn’t always hard work. She had great memories of spending time with Aunts, Uncles, cousins, friends and U.S. neighbours. In LaVerne’s younger years she especially enjoyed when family and friends would stop over and play their guitars, fiddles, spoons, accordions and sing the old country songs that she never forgot the words to. The Island became a gathering spot for good times and LaVerne carried on the family tradition at her home in Blackhawk. Growing up on the Island helped shape the hardworking, resourceful woman we all knew her to be. That is where she became resilient and learned to live off the land. Those values stayed with her throughout her life. She was a proud member of Rainy River First Nations. She looked forward to the yearly summer powwow and enjoyed the special relationships she made throughout the community.
On July 17, 1964, she married the love of her life, Bill Caul. Together they shared 62 years and 10 days of marriage, building a life filled with love, laughter, hard work, and family. They made their home in Blackhawk, where they raised their three children, Kelvin, Wanda, and Jim, while Bill worked away in the bush. Bill showed his everlasting love for Laverne by being by her side through thick and thin and especially these last two years when she fought her battle with cancer, trying to fulfill her every wish. Which he did. She could not have found a better man to stand by her side and she loved him dearly for this.
LaVerne was most proud of her children and watching them grow up to become parents of their own, raising kind and humble Grandchildren. She told others of all of their accomplishments and the genuine, hard working people they had grown up to be. She spoke fondly of her sons Kelvin and Jim and the years spent logging together in the bush with their Dad. Her and Bill loved to tell stories of the boys, their friends and cousins and the endless shenanigans they would get into during their teenage years.
She had a special bond with her daughter Wanda. Wanda’s passing from cancer was one of the greatest heartbreaks of her life, and she carried the love and memory of her always. We find comfort in knowing they are together again.
LaVerne was happiest when she was surrounded by the people she loved. She had a contagious smile, a warm hug for everyone, and never let anyone leave without hearing her familiar goodbye: “Be good.” She was known for her daily phone calls just to say, “What’s new and exciting in your life?” She loved chatting on the phone with her family and truly had the gift of gab. Which is how she received her nickname “Gabby” at a young age.
LaVerne and Bill’s home was a gathering place for countless family celebrations, fish fries, and visits under the big trees. All were welcomed. Their fish fries became something people looked forward to every summer, with some bringing together more than 200 family members and friends. Everyone knew about LaVerne’s famous fish patties and smoked fish. No one ever left hungry. She was an incredible cook, well known for her homemade soups, especially her polonaise soup, along with her butter tarts, fried deer steak, and fry bread. She had fond memories of her many friends that she made in the restaurants she cooked in, the ladies she tree planted with and her bowling crew.
She truly lived off the land. Laverne enjoyed wild ricing, berry picking, trapping, hunting, fishing and gardening. She made jams and jellies and could fillet fish better than anyone. Around hunting season, while the men brought home the deer, the women took care of skinning, processing and packaging it. She made her own bear grease and always had a good supply at home for anyone who needed it. She thought of it as a cure for any skin condition or diaper rash and family would chuckle when she would ask “Did you try bear grease?”
LaVerne wasn’t afraid of hard work. She planted trees, picked pine cones, worked in restaurants including the Circle D, the Barwick Restaurant, and the Stratton Sales Barn, and even worked in the bush alongside Bill running a skidder and skidding wood—something she genuinely enjoyed. At home, she had a natural talent for woodworking and made gifts for her grandchildren, including dressers, hope chests and tables and chairs. She made many birdhouses, each with their own unique design. These birdhouses still line the fence today. In later years she loved tending to her flower gardens and ponds, feeding the birds, cutting the grass, trips to the Dollarama and making sure the beer was always cold for whoever stopped by.
She loved old country music, attending pow wows, Friday night poker games, trips to the casino and bowling. She enjoyed her many adventures with Bill to places like Las Vegas, South Dakota, Banff and Nova Scotia. She shared an especially close bond with her identical twin sister, Lorraine, a connection that remained strong throughout their lives. They looked so similar that they were hard to tell apart. This made it easy to play tricks on their Grandchildren-which they loved to do and giggled about.
To her Grandchildren and Great-Grandchildren, Grandma’s house was always a special place. There was always bubble gum and suckers waiting for them and a homemade soup that was enjoyed around the table. You couldn’t leave without a container full of butter tarts or cookies, maybe a nick-nack or two- and a kiss on the lips. She never wanted to miss a birthday party or family celebration. She had a way of teasing those she loved, always with a smile, and she wasn’t afraid to tell it like it was.
More than anything, LaVerne believed that family wasn’t just who you were related to. Friends, neighbours, and her children’s friends were welcomed as family, and there was always room for one more around her table.
LaVerne will be lovingly remembered by her husband Bill; her sons Kelvin Caul (Shelly) and Jim Caul (Margie); her son-in-law Ted Heyens (Joanne).
She will be dearly missed by her Grandchildren Jason Caul (Jen), Jennifer Caul (Kris), Hailey Burns (James), Theo Heyens (Sam), and Cody Heyens (Miranda), Brady Caul, Lexi Caul; and by her great-grandchildren Brynlee, Tarryn, Lydia, Iris, Winona, Eli, Avery, and Lettie.
She is also survived by her sisters Roberta Kehl, Lorraine Calder (Joe), and Dorothy Huitikka (Donnie); brother-in-law Alfred Veran (Tito); her nieces Donna Caul, Laura Caul, and Tammy Kehl, Cindy and Taylor Veran; her nephews Don “Hoot” Huitikka, Shane “Cuffy” Kehl, Mike Huitikka, Rob Barnard; along with many great-nieces and nephews and extended family members and friends. LaVerne also cherished the love and relationship with Bill’s family who became an important part of her own.
LaVerne was predeceased by her beloved daughter Wanda; her parents Bob and Maude Calder; her sister Marie Veran; her brothers Harvey, Burt and Bobby; her nephews Paddy, Robert, Danny, and Stevie; brother-in-law Randy Kehl; and sister-in-law Joyce Munroe.
A Celebration of a life well-loved will be held on Sunday, August 9, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. at Bill and LaVerne’s home, Fire #884 Highway 600, with a fish fry to follow. Please bring your own chair and refreshments.
Her family invites everyone whose life she touched to come, enjoy a meal, tell a story and celebrate a woman who lived a life full of love, generosity, laughter, and hard work.
She will be deeply missed and forever remembered.
Arrangements entrusted to Northridge Funeral Home Ltd., Emo, Ontario.
