Hello Garry,

I am truly a voice from the past, Judy (MacDonald) Snyder. I met you while working for your dad at Bekins Moving and Storage during the summers of my university years (U at C...not U of C because the Calgary U did not have autonomy yet!). $1/hour. But I had free room and board with Edna Shephard for tutoring their son, Trevor, in math. I learned a great number of skills in that office. My first assignment was the switchboard and I managed to cut off a conversation between your dad and Mr. Bekin in Vancouver. That was a cardinal sin....but it only happened because Megan Lewis messed up my system in taking a few calls for me prior to 8:00am. (I was there, but my other duty was to make coffee in the little staff room, always first on my daily agenda.) I moved on to 'filing' and even later to the financial 'breakdowns' of who got what piece of the pie when the many moves with the Armed Forces occurred. The 'piggybacks' with the CPR were the diciest. I was so incredibly shy...the country girl in the big city. But the staff were consistently kind to me....especially Edna, Vera, Frank and Gene. I kind of lived in fear of Megan, the office manager, though in the whole picture of life after Bekins, she and Gene continued constant friendship with me.

I believe it was through her that I met your mom, on a summer season luncheon at PaSu Farms, Carstairs. I was enamoured with your mom. What a classy lady was she! I could only wish that one day I would have the same poise and secure self-assurance that she possessed, not in a haughty proud presence but personable and interested-in-you kindly manner. You have been blessed by her many years with you.

I am dismayed that I 'lost' her. I think I knew that your folks moved to Carstairs, and I think I knew she was in the lodge there. It was the same facility where Bill's mom resided for 5 years or so. I think I thought I should visit her there, but those were the 'busy years' involving care of both of our moms and being home-base for our families. She evaporated from my mind. What a loss is mine in not capitalizing on those visits here and there, when I live so close.

It was impacting to read about her life. Thanks for sharing her fully.

Judy

My sincere condolences to the family. Alice was a remarkable woman in so many ways and I was privileged to know her through extended family holiday dinners where she made the best mashed potatoes (her secret was to use a potato ricer). I admired her composure and firm sense of decorum and was in awe of her abilities in translating Braille. In later years after my divorce we connected through Facebook, playing Scrabble. May she rest in peace.