Verna Salter

Verna Salter (nee Christie), a resident of Morrisburg for the past 10 years, passed away at the Ottawa Civic Hospital following a brief illness on Sat., Jan. 5, 2008. She was 77.
She was born in Bedell on Dec. 27, 1930 to her parents Archie and Gertrude Christie (nee Dillabough). She was raised on the family farm
On Feb. 18, 1950 she married Franklin Salter, and together they had six daughters: Donna, Karen, Dianne, Connie, Lorie, and Carol. She was an extremely hard worker. She and Franklin raised their daughters on the dairy farm in Oak Valley, were caretakers for many years of the little Oak Valley Schoolhouse, and for a number of years they cared for Franklin and Verna's mothers at their home. She worked tirelessly beside Franklin on the farm always making sure everyone's needs were met. She had a huge garden every summer and made all her own pickles, jams, and preserves. Her children always got up in the mornings with their breakfast waiting on the table complete with sectioned grapefruit that Verna had prepared after ironing clothes for school, packing lunches, and being in the barn to milk cows by 5 am. When her daughters arrived home from school they were treated to a home cooked meal every night, and they never, ever did without. Verna and Franklin ensured that the girls had all they needed and more.
Verna was one of the kindest, most caring, and considerate people anyone could ever hope to meet. She demanded nothing, asked for nothing, and treasured her family and friends. She was not materialistic in any way, and her treasures in life were her family and friends. She loved each of her family members so well and she had a way of making each of them feel so special. She absolutely adored her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
She was an avid Ottawa Senators fan and it was enjoyable for her family to watch her watching a hockey game because she was always on the edge of her seat cheering her team on and getting so excited. She enjoyed watching her birds at the feeders in her back yard, gardening, her card games at the Legion, the euchre marathons, chatting with friends whether it be over the fence or running into someone "over town" and going to diners club. She took excellent care of Franklin and he relied on her to help him with everything.
In 1997 Franklin and Verna sold the farm and bought a home on Kyle Drive in Morrisburg where they quickly developed a huge circle of friends who were especially helpful to Verna following Franklin's death in 2000. In return, she took great joy in being able to provide rides to the post office, grocery store, doctor's office, card games' or wherever her friends needed to go. She was very passionate about her support of the MS Society and prayed for a cure. She was also passionate about supporting our troops, and promoted others doing the same. Fridays were no longer Fridays but rather "Red Fridays." Her concern and strength while her grandson Matthew served in Afghanistan last year also gave testament to her inner strength. She possessed every pin, decal, sash and sign ever produced to "Support Our Troops." She wrote to the troops in Afghanistan and was thrilled to receive a reply from a soldier, together with a picture of himself with his two sons, who were also serving in Afghanistan. She referred to this letter as one of her most precious possessions.
She always looked for the good in people, and honesty was of the highest importance to her. Her ability to accept everything with integrity and grace set a fine example for her family and friends. Verna was a very special wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, mother-in law, and friend who will be deeply missed by her family and friends.
She is survived by her daughters Donna (Lloyd) Reid of Red Deer, Karen (Rick) Allen of Red Deer, Dianne (Hugh) Fawcett of Winchester, Connie (Jim) Walsh of Red Deer, Lorie (Alan) Casselman of RR#3 Williamsburg, and Carol (Joe) Sousa of Ottawa. She will be dearly missed by 15 grandchildren: Sheri, Andrea, Matthew, Alyssa, Brendan, Kelly, Ryan, Brandon, Andrew, Jeremy, Emily, Jessica, Jordan, Dylan, Brittany, and four great-grandchildren Rhianna, Kaeden, Taylor, and Logan. She is also survived by nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Franklin and her brother Floyd.
Friends called at the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home in Williamsburg on Wed., Jan. 9. The funeral service was held at the funeral home on Thurs., Jan. 10 with Rev. Blair Paterson officiating. Interment followed at Maple Ridge Cemetery in Chesterville. The pallbearers were her sons-in-law Lloyd Reid, Rick Allen, Hugh Fawcett, Jim Walsh, Alan Casselman, and Joe Sousa. The honourary pallbearers were grandchildren.
Donations to the Multiple Sclerosis Society or Winchester District Memorial Hospital would be appreciated by the family.