Obituary of IRIS LINDGREN

IRIS JANET LINDGREN (Nee Prysazniuk) October 4, 1942 – March 7, 2015 For the last few years, Mom always said that Dad (Ernie) was probably having way too much fun on his own with Uncle Gary and she wasn’t ready to get in his way yet. But all good things must come to an end; on Saturday, March 7, Mom quietly drifted off to sleep and joined her husband of 52 years, the only man she ever loved. They have surely picked up their card game right where they left off a few years ago. Mom grew up in the small gold mining town of Bissett and was very proud of her humble roots in “Tin Town”, where there was no running water and the three sisters (Eleanor, Iris and Vicky) shared one room, while her brother Harold (Valerie) was lucky enough to get his own space. Mom wore those “hardships” like a badge of honour, but she was also the first to proclaim how wonderful her childhood was. Mom’s parents “adopted” George as their extra son back then and George & Mary have been Mom’s family for more than 50 years. Mom moved to the big City of Winnipeg around 1959 and worked in the secretarial pool at Northern Electric and Monarch Machinery. The big city nightlife suited her back then and she was always up for a good party and a good Polka. She met Dad on a blind date during those days and the rest was history. Iris and Ernie married in 1963 under a total eclipse of the sun, which had a special significance for her forever after. Ernie’s family and the old farm in Teulon have always had a special place in Mom’s heart. Mom and Dad spent their early years together on adventurous road trips all across Canada, the USA and Mexico, which was surely a part of the bond that kept them happily together for so very long. Mom and Dad spent the bulk of their married life instilling their impeccable family values (as well as their love of traveling, camping and game playing) onto their three children - Grant (Gerry, Morgan and Avery), Tara, and Brian (Nancy). After Dad passed in 2011, Mom focused on being the best grandma that ever existed (a trait she clearly picked up from her own mother), teaching ”her girls” how to pick berries, make perogies, and get really dirty in the garden. She also spent a lot of time being a mentor and good friend to her now adult children, who always felt free to pop in for coffee, conversation and a game of cribbage – or even just to sit and watch TV with her. She truly enjoyed her special relationship with Vicky, her sister and very best friend. Mom loved their daily phone conversations each morning and their regular trips to the casino and other places. Mom never knew she was sick and that is probably a blessing, because the last year was so very enjoyable. Our last big family trip to Las Vegas for Brian and Nancy’s wedding was truly a highlight. When Mom became sick only 3 weeks ago, no one could have predicted the outcome, and we are so very thankful for the care that Mom received in the Concordia Hospital ICU. The staff in ICU treated her like she was their own mother, and after experiencing Mom’s fun-loving nature, and a hint of her cheekiness, she had them hooked on her charm. Mom said, “Tell everyone not to waste their money on any damn flowers.” Donations may be made to the Concordia Foundation, so that others may benefit from the same type of care that Mom had. A gathering for family and friends will be held on Sunday, March 15 at 2:00 p.m. at Cropo Funeral Chapel, 1442 Main Street.