HADLAND, GRACE MARGARET (nee Macindoe). October 2, 1926  – August 28, 2019

The family of Grace Margaret Hadland (nee Macindoe) are deeply saddened to announce her passing at Polson Care Home on August 28th, 2019. She will be dearly missed by her soulmate and husband of seventy years, Roger; son Grant (Maurlice); daughters Elaine Pybus and Janet Manson (Fred); grandchildren Sarah (Reilly), Marissa, Andrew (Madeleine), Scott (Jason), Kathryn (Ugo), Rebecca (Ivan), Nadine (Jon), Elizabeth (Devon); great-grandchildren Roger, Anson, Bleiddwn, Sean, Mattias and Jeremy; sister Lorna Watson, and numerous extended family.  Grace was predeceased by her parents Jim and Jean (nee Cran) Macindoe, sister Helen Tuma, and son-in-law David Madison.

Grace possessed seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm in all she did.  She was born in Vancouver but grew up in Powell River, BC, where she enjoyed many sports and outdoor pursuits, especially boating and swimming, earning her bronze lifesaving medallion. She had fond memories of exploring the southern BC coast, and as a  teenager of cycling down Vancouver Island with her similarly adventurous sisters Lorna and Helen. Grace enjoyed badminton, captained her school basketball team, and had an early interest in golf that was rekindled after she retired.

She attended UBC and Vancouver Normal School to prepare for her career in teaching, which she began at University Hill School, Vancouver, in 1946. After she and Roger married on July 8th, 1949, they moved to a farm in Baldonnel, BC, where she taught at the one-room school, grades one to eight. Life there presented many challenges, including driving the tractor to school, but this she tackled with her usual energy and drive. She had a competitive nature and faced any challenge! Roger’s health forced a number of moves over the next several years:  Fort St. John, Yellowknife, and Vancouver where she taught at Beaconsfield Elementary. 1959 found them in Lumby where Grace taught at the old primary school, now gone. In 1961 Grace and Roger built a home at Beachcomber Bay on Okanagan Lake, and there they spent many wonderful summers enjoying the beach, waterskiing, and entertaining company who came to share it with them.  But Grace also found time to preserve a winter’s supply of food and serve hearty homemade meals to the many guests. She was a fabulous baker, renowned for her pies and cakes. Her winter pasttimes included doing the many crafts and sewing at which she excelled. She was an incredible knitter and could follow intricate patterns while simultaneously watching TV and reading.

During her career in Vernon, Grace taught at Bearisto, West Vernon, Okanagan Landing, and Coldstream elementry schools, usually grade 2 or 3.  Her greatest joy in life was being around young children, helping them learn and grow.

With their children in highschool, Grace’s and Roger’s interests shifted to horses and hobby farming, resulting in moves to the Coldstream and later Armstrong.  Grace and Roger both retired in 1982, only to take on the new “job” of golfing, three and often four times a week. They were members of Spallumcheen Golf and Country Club for about 30 years, during which time Grace loved her Wednesday ladies’ days but often complained about “having” to tee off at 5:30 am. Winters for many years found them in Hawaii, Palm Springs, Mexico or Portugal where they golfed nearly every day.  They travelled elsewhere as well:  Great Britain, New Zealand, and Australia, and especially enjoyed cruising to Hawaii, Alaska, Europe, the Caribbean, and the Panama. In 1992 they moved back to Vernon.

Grace was a warm, social, outgoing individual, quick to make friends and enthusiastic about entertaining them. She was a cancer survivor and Canadian Cancer Society volunteer. For many years she belonged to the UCW, and in retirement enjoyed her bridge club and aerobics classes – possibly for the coffee social that followed!

Grace was estatic at the arrival of her grandchildren and later her great-grandchildren. They will  always remember her constant interest in and support for their activities, her generosity, and the time she spent with them. She will be long and fondly remembered by all.

The family wishes to express its profound gratitude to the many staff at Polson Care Home who so kindly cared for Grace in her final years, and to Dr. Mike Murphy for his care over many years. Grace was cremated and a family memorial service will be held in late October. In her memory, donations to the Vernon Jublilee Hospital Foundation would be gratefully received.

 

Instructions

When I have moved beyond you in the adventure of life,
Gather in some pleasant place and there remember me
With spoken words, old and new.

Let a tear fall if you will, but let a smile come quickly
For I have loved the laughter of life.

Do not linger too long with your solemnities.

Go eat and talk, and when you can;
Follow a woodland trail, climb a high mountain,
Walk along the wild seashore,
Chew the thoughts of some book
Which challenges your soul.

Use your hands some bright day
To make a thing of beauty
Or to lift someone’s heavy load.

Though you mention not my name,
Though no thought of me crosses your mind,
I shall be with you,
For these have been the realities of life for me.

And when you face some crisis with anguish.
When you walk alone with courage,
When you choose your path of right,
I shall be very close to you.

I have followed the valleys,
I have climbed the heights of life.

By Arnold Crompton