September 13, 1928 – June 21, 2020
Annie grills was born at home in Reliance, SK. She was number 12 of 13 children born to Bidwell and Elizabeth Barager. Mom only got Grade 8, but was the wisest woman I have known. At 16, mom was out working, when she got sick and came home. A doctor in Kincaid said she was pregnant. Mom said she may not know much, but knew how babies were made and she wasn’t pregnant. As it turned out the doctor removed an 11 pound tumour, which was the beginning of mom’s health journey. She saw some doctor in Arizona in the late 80s, they laughed about the incident, Mom had a dance with him.
Mom worked for a while at the Sanitorium in Fort Qu’Appelle. She met Lloyd at her sister’s wedding in July. They were married two months later, September 18, 1946, five days after her 18th birthday. They were married 67 years when Lloyd passed away.
In December of 1949, they moved to Rapid View, where they made many friends. Mom helped at Mr. McRae’s lunch counter at the store in Rapid View. Mr. McRae and Vince Henderson taught Mom and Dad how to curl. They then rented from Mr. Miller then later moved into Meadow Lake. In 1952, they bought Mr. Burchell’s place, where they lived until their death. They moved to the farm permanently in 1961. They didn’t have a lawn mower so mom cut the lawn by the house with scissors.
Mom loved this area, the trees, everything was green, it would rain then sun came out, she made many quarts of wild strawberry fruit. Mom loved life, gardening, her flowers, music jamborees, dancing and just visiting. She was a peoples person. In the late 50s they went to BC for five winters to help pay for the farm. Mom worked at a five and dime store. When she was back in Meadow Lake she cleaned house for Mrs. Goodfellow. Mom and Dad adopted Dale in 1954 and Leo in 1960. Mom said she was scared we would be taken away due to her poor health as there was a year probation period.
Her sense of humour and faith got her through a lot of health problems. It wasn’t that she didn’t take them seriously, but like she told one specialist, if I don’t laugh I will never stop crying, it won’t help one bit. Laughter is the best medicine and it doesn’t cost anything.
Anytime Rochelle in the Care Home would laugh, then Mom would laugh. She kept telling me I don’t laugh enough. As much as Mom had a sense of humour and loved to play jokes on Dad and us, she couldn’t tell a joke like her siblings or even catch on to the jokes, as often she would get Dad or me to explain them.
Her faith got her through the death of her only grandchild in 1998, her son in 2006 and the sudden death of her husband in 2014.
Mom said if we stayed together long enough we would make a great team. We did make a great team mom.
Due to Covid-19, a celebration of life will take place at a later date.
Card of Thanks
I would like to thank Mom’s doctor, the doctors in emergency and nurses in the hospital that looked after my mom Annie Grills over the years. Also to the home care staff and palliative care nurse. We would like to thank all the people who helped us in the six years since Dad died. My mom and I were so grateful and will be forever in debt to the Loon Lake Care Home. Gail and all the staff were so good with Mom and caring. She loved them all. I would like to thank everyone who watched our place for the three months we were in Loon Lake. I would also like to thank all the friends and relatives who gave cards, food, flowers, phone calls, money and visits. I can’t thank you enough.
~ Lee J Grills
