Remembering my dear friend of 60+ years, my “cousin-in-law” with our shared Aunt Ada, who helped me adjust to a new school in grade 10. Since then, we shared many visits and stories with our families, in Regina, Toronto, Lac Des Arcs, and most recently Haliburton. Always positive and fun to be with, despite her many challenges, I cherish the time we had. She loved her many family members, and her neigh, and told me stories about them you were all so important to her, and I hope many happy memories will bring some consolation at her loss. Sincerely, Pat Erickson.

I remember being out in the yard one summer and the first time I ever heard a very chipper "...well good morning over there..!" coming from the Adam's house. Certainly wasn't the sound of Paul's voice but seemed to be directed at me. I pushed through the bushes to look and there was Velma on her back porch smiling away eyes sparkling. Our family had been friends with Paul from the end of the 60's when he'd built his A-frame next to our cabin and back then when we needed a cup of sugar we just used to walk down our driveway and back up Paul's to knock on his door and vice versa. Now that Velma had arrived in Lac Des Arcs there was soon a path cut through the bushes AND IT WAS GRAVELLED!

We used that path a lot over the years, shovelled it out in the winter, trimmed back the dogwood and choke cherries in the summer; our wedding, Christmas turkeys, Halloween pumpkin pies all enjoyed with Velma thanks to that path. When my wife Anna and I had a son, Austin, it was Velma who gave him his first books when he was just months old, he had a library by the time he was 2 and most of it was from her. As he grew he was rarin' to get over to 'auntie' Velma's house for a visit, bang on her piano and eat her homemade nuts and bolts. Velma always with infinite patience for him and interest in what he did. Austin, now at 4 1/2, will remember her. That's the force of her personality. She was such a good friend and companion to my wife and Austin's mother, Anna, so far from her family in Spain. We three will miss her greatly and so admire the strength and determination, love and generosity with which she lived the last years of her life.

We are fortunate to have known her.

Our hearts go out to her family.

Gordon, Anna, Austin and The Harris Family.

Our friendship began in the early 1980's. We were 2 Saskatchewan women who had recently moved to Calgary. Our husbands were very good friends so we knew we were going to be spending a lot of time together. Thank goodness we 'clicked' immediately!

Over the years, we have eaten enormous amounts of egg salad sandwiches and mincemeat tarts together. We picked many buckets of Saskatoon berries each year, usually on August 6th, her birthday. I gave her all the berries I picked with the understanding that there would be a pie delivered later ... with that wonderful flakey crust she was known for. We sold children's books at numerous teachers' conventions in Calgary and throughout Alberta when she owned Treehouse Books. Boy, did she know her children's books. What an inspiration she was! Shopping together for clothes and shoes was a hoot ... Velma could accumulate clothing at a rapid pace but her ability to buy shoes was what really astounded me!

She never had a bad word to say about anyone, was so kind and loving and took all of her health concerns in stride. She could tell a story so well, always with that mischievous grin of hers in place. The only thing we disagreed on was how tea should be made. And we were able to find a totally suitable compromise. I liked mine the colour of 'Angel Pee' so I would quickly dip the tea bag in and out of the hot water. She would then let that tea bag steep in the pot until she had the right colour of 'Trucker Tea'.

Through good times and sad times, we stuck together. I know I will continue to hear her distinctive voice, to look forward to each new Alexander McCall Smith book that is released and perhaps even pay attention to some tennis matches on TV. She was quite the lady ... and the best of friends! It is impossible to express in words how much I am going to miss her.

Our love goes out to her family. Thank goodness for all the wonderful memories you have to cherish to ease your sadness.

Love Jo and Gerry