Maymie Opal Duer Myers was born in Gaylord, Kansas on September 13, 1910 to Charles and Clementine Duer.
She moved in the spring of 1911 with her parents and two year old sister, Ellen, to homestead 18 miles southeast of Coronation. There, four more girls and one boy were added to the family: Rachel, Edna, Annie, Janie and Josiah.
Maymie took her schooling at Kirkpatrick School from Grade one to six and took grades seven and eight in High River where she stayed with relatives.
She returned home and worked for whoever needed help, looking after children, cooking, milking cows or driving horses.
In 1930, on October 29 she married Ben Myers. They lived a mile from the Duer homestead until 1935, when they moved to the Hemaruka community to continue farming and raising cattle. They raised their five children on this farm: Charles, Grace, Ennis, Leon and Gail. She was a dedicated and loving mother. They still laugh about the words, “Wait until your father gets home.” She worked hard outside with chores like raising ducks and geese. She could drive a team of horses while bucking hay into a stack. She would stand on the end of the buck and when she got to the slide she would turn the team around to get the next load.
Maymie was always active in the community whether it was with church, Sunday school or organizations such as the Red Cross, Alberta Women’s Institute and the Kirkpatrick Telephone association.
She was also leader of a girl’s gardening club and she liked to write. She submitted articles and stories to the Western Producer, Free Press, the Country Guide and many others.
When Ben started working for the Special Areas and Ennis came back to the farm, they moved to Cereal in 1964. Having always enjoyed whipping up biscuits and fried chicken, Maymie started cooking for pay at the BA Restaurant by the highway.
In 1968, they moved to Youngstown and Maymie cooked at the Youngstown Home. By 1971 she had received her Journeyman Cook certificate. She also got certified to do reflexology, which proved to be a painful experience for many.
In 1975 when Maymie retired, they moved to Hanna and soon became very involved in the Bowling Leagues. It seemed then an appointment was needed to make sure they were home when family came for a visit!
They took over Charles’ house after his family moved to Peace River. With Ben’s help the whole back yard became a garden with lots of fresh produce.
Maymie loved working for the Lord and being in the choir at the Bethel Evangelical Missionary Church. The programs at the Senior Circle and later at the Manor were fun times for her. In February of 1997, Ben passed away at the Hanna Hospital. This was hard for Maymie and there were many lonely days. In September 2001, she moved down the block to the Hanna Lodge. With the help of the staff, she kept active, enjoying the visiting and games.
After a lengthy stay in the hospital because of pneumonia, she was forced to move to the Long Term Care Facility. She knew she wasn’t going to like it there but was soon won over by the loving staff, many of whom she knew from around town or from the Lodge.
Dementia had taken over her mind making it hard for her to communicate, but she would come alive if you took the time to dig through the fog. The staff enjoyed getting a rise out of her. She was well cared for to the end of her life here on earth, when she went to meet her Lord the morning of March 15, 2013 at the age of 102 years and six months.
Maymie will be greatly missed by her family and friends for the influence she was throughout her life. She leaves a legacy of humour, love of life and the remembrance of that twinkle in her eye.
She leaves to mourn her passing, son Ennis and daughter-in-law Kathy, son Gail and daughter-in-law Jean, her brother Joe Duer, her 24 grandchildren, 37 great-grandchildren and eight great great-grandchildren.
On March 20, 2013, Maymie was laid to rest at the Mountain View Memorial Gardens in Calgary next to her husband Ben and her daughter and son-in-law, Grace and Albert Anhorn. Active pallbearers were Maymie’s grandchildren Dwayne Anhorn, Cindy Clark, Lois Kostrosky, Jim Myers, Lorne Myers and Ted Myers.
Honourary pallbearers, also grandchildren, were Leanne Letwin, Janelle MacKenzie, Darrin Myers, Shelley Nidish, Lisa Sortland and Jolayne Tweedie.
A memorial was held Wednesday afternoon at Bethel Evangelical Missionary Church in Hanna, Alberta with Pastor Dick Fredrickson and Pastor John Webster officiating. At the beginning of the service a slideshow tribute was played. Ennis Myers gave the eulogy. Tributes and remembrances were given by Gail Myers, granddaughter Louise Wielinga and friend, Pastor Dick Fredrickson. The soloist, granddaughter Judi Ringuette, sang “In The Garden”, accompanied by pianist Lana Campbell. The congregational hymns were “Just A Closer Walk With Thee,” “How Great Thou Art” and “When We All Get To Heaven.” Lunch was prepared and served by the Bethel Evangelical Missionary Church Ladies. Memorial donations may be made to the Hanna Long Term Care, Box 730, Hanna, Alberta, T0J 1P0. The Hanna Funeral Chapel was entrusted with arrangements.
