Obituary of Yvonne Valarie BRAGER (Hinchcliffe)

October 18, 1934 – Bowsman, Manitoba

March 1, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Yvonne Brager of Calgary, AB, passed away with her daughter, Stacey Miller and son-in-law, John Miller by her side on Sunday, March 1, 2020 at the age of 85 years.

Born Yvonne Hinchcliffe, on a farm near Bowsman, MB on October 18, 1934, she grew up and went to school in a one room schoolhouse in Bowsman, MB, then went off to attend the Little Business College in Dauphin, MB to become a secretary. At a young age, she moved on her own, to Winnipeg, MB for work. This is where she met the love of her life, Lorne Brager of Watson, SK, who was also working in Winnipeg at the time. When Lorne was transferred to Moose Jaw, they became engaged and married in Calgary following another transfer there. They built a life together and a home and worked in Calgary for several years with a four year stint in Burlington, ON, where they adopted their first child, Stacey. Returning to Calgary in 1966, they remained there for the rest of their lives. In 1969, they adopted their second child, Douglas. Yvonne was always involved with Doug and Stacey’s activities. Scouts, Guides, hockey, figure skating, Job’s Daughters, Demolay, baton, and the list goes on. Yvonne worked as a secretary for many organizations over the years including, Dairy Queen, ATCO and most notably for twenty-five years at Unocal (now Chevron). She was an active member of the Desk & Derick club and travelled a lot with that organization. Yvonne also belonged to, and was active in the Eastern Star, Daughter’s of the Nile, Royal Canadian Legion and Fraternal Order of Eagles, spending many an hour, day, and week with fundraising and charitable efforts on their behalf. She also travelled extensively with these organizations, and competed in various ritual, dance, drill team competitions, often winning.

Yvonne was always a stylish, put together lady. She loved to travel to visit family, travel with her daughter’s family, and her nephew and go on beach vacations. Since Lorne did not like to fly and was a homebody, she often travelled on her own with friends or other family members. She wouldn’t let anything stop her from doing the things she wanted to do. She even took Drake to Churchill, MB to photograph the Polar bears, and took Haley to Hawaii to enjoy the tropical weather. Stacey and Yvonne travelled together to Toronto and London, ON, Vancouver and Penticton, BC, Nashville, TN, Mazatlan, Mexico, Cuba and more. She was always up for anything.

Yvonne Brager will be dearly missed by all who knew her. She was always the life of the party or event. Everyone loved her and her smile could light up a room in an instant! Her kindness, adventurous spirit, zest for life, laughter and smile have made a difference to so many people. It is a life well lived if you are able to effect people the way she did, and leave the world a better place for having been in it.

Yvonne was the world’s best mom and mother-in-law. She was her daughter’s best friend, and the best Gramma to her grandchildren, Drake and Haley Miller. They adored her with the feeling being mutual as she adored them too. Her grand-dog, Buddy will also miss her. Her family and friends were the most important things in her life, but Yvonne was also passionate about doing good work through volunteering her time with her grandchildren’s school and sporting events, community charitable endeavours, and many fraternal clubs she belonged to and whole heartedly supporting them. We will all miss her dearly.                                                                                                

Yvonne is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Stacey and John; her grandchildren, Drake and Haley Miller; her siblings, Myra (Norm) Harris and Iris Young; her closest nephew and niece, Ron (Bev) Pronchuk and Kathy (Barry) Reid, as well as many other nieces, nephews and extended family and friends. Yvonne is pre-deceased by her beloved husband, Lorne; her son, Douglas; her mother and father Doris and Clayton Hinchcliffe; and her siblings, Connie Gates and Edwin Hinchcliffe. They have now embraced her on the next part of her journey.

A Celebration of Yvonne’s Life will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY (Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, AB) on Thursday, March 5, 2020 at 2:00 p.m. Yvonne's favorite colours were red and bling. If you would like to, please feel free to join us in wearing something red or that has bling.  Reception to follow in the Hospitality Centre at the Funeral Home. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Yvonnes’s extended obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com. 

In lieu of flowers,  memorial tributes in Yvonne’s name may be made directly to the Foothills Country Hospice Society, P.O. Box 274, Okotoks, AB, T1S 1S1, Telephone: (403) 995-4673, www.countryhospice.org.

Mountain Photo credit goes to Drake Miller.

In living memory of Yvonne Brager, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McINNIS & HOLLOWAY FUNERAL HOMES, Fish Creek, 14441 BANNISTER ROAD SE, CALGARY, Ab, t2x 3j3,  Telephone: 403- 256-9575.