Obituary of VIOLET GILFIX

Violet Gilfix

Surrounded by family and friends, our dear Mother and Nana, Violet Gilfix died peacefully at dawn on July 11th, 2019.   

Born April 29th, 1934, Violet May Cousins was the youngest of 5 children born to Mable (Nee: Nunn) and William (Bill) Cousins and she was raised on the farm near Bagot, MB, where she rode her horse to a one room multi-grade school house; learned to bake and cook and knit; and was profoundly in love with nature and all animals big and small. Her childhood and indeed all our lives were later enriched by her parent's devotion to family and their work ethic which she well learned while she was being raised 'out in the country' west of Portage. 

Vi moved to Winnipeg at 15, to find work and live with her sister Mable and her husband Jimmy Morgan, where a close kinship developed with the Morgans. Vi took accounting and book keeping night classes while working for local businesses such as the former Donaldson's shoes and North End Tire, both on Main Street. Her parents moved to Winnipeg when farm life became difficult and she lived with them in a tiny house on Wall Street that was part of a lumber yard property for which her father was the watchman. They later moved to a large suite on Alfred Avenue beside the Red River. She worked at Eatons as a uniformed elevator operator, where if she heard “you must have had your ups and downs today" one more time, she was going to scream! She also worked as a copy proofreader for the Free Press classifieds, and it was at the Press where she met Albert Gilfix, who was told by a mutual acquaintance in front of them, to "take Vi out for her Birthday tonight", on April 29th, as he knew it was Bert's Birthday too. The coincidence continued and they were married in January 1960, sharing over 53 years together until Bert's passing in 2013.  

Bert and Vi first moved into a small apartment on Anderson and Main, near St. John's Park where Vi used to love to see the many flower gardens and mature trees. Following the arrival of their first born, they moved to their own house on Sinclair Street in Garden City, which at that time was at the end of the development area for Winnipeg. Vi and Bert raised their four children and spent all their lives there, and made many good friends with neighbours. She loved to spend time flower gardening and had a special touch with plants both indoors and out. Mom moved a few blocks away to the Luther Home this past spring. 

Vi was active raising 4 children all of whom she would pack up and walk or stroller to Jefferson Avenue, to catch the bus for downtown to shop at Eatons and the Bay, have lunch at the Paddle wheel, or visit briefly with Free Press friends and eat at the Wagon Wheel Restaurant, and take the bus home. No mini van, no shopping mall.  Although after several years of that routine, Vi took driving lessons the "Joe Vine way", and they bought an used red 1964 Pontiac Station Wagon, which was essentially the Humvee of the day. Mom was never really fond of that tank of a car, but she did what she needed to do. Later in the 70's she would be very pleased with her '74 Dodge Dart Swinger, which eventually catapulted each one of the kids into their own driving careers.

Mom worked for many years keeping the books for the family businesses:  Superior Automotive Products and G&S Distributors, with much patience, with all her children and our father keeping her busy. Over the years on her own time, Mom enjoyed Ladies 10 pin bowling, Rummoli and cribbage nights, being on a variety of school associations, and going with Dad to the Anderson's cottage at West Hawk, or out to the Cadzow's in East St. Paul. Mom used to knit for hours a day, and provided us all with so many wonderful sweaters, scarves, mitts and toques.  

Vi loved to share.

Mom's care for her animals was huge, and was only dwarfed by her care for her people; her family!  Any stray animal lucky enough to happen by, always had a home and friend in Mom. If she couldn't keep it, she'd find it a new home. The kid's friends were equally readily adopted with the same welcome over the years.  Her hospitality made everyone feel included and comfortable in her home, where she loved to host many get-togethers, family BBQs, and birthday parties for her children and grandchildren; where also many of the kid's or grandkids friends were always welcomed. She was a very devoted wife and mother, and she had an incredible ability to provide care and comfort to people regardless of the situation.

Of her many friends and neighbours in Garden City, Mom was very close with Vada Gardwine, Janice Lutz, Shirley Sysak,  Elanor Pachal, Mrs. Wong, Mrs. Chomiak , Mrs. Kernicki and Mrs. Schubert. 

Mom also enjoyed good times with her lifelong special friends Val and Mort Corrin, Chris and Sonia (Sunny) Cadzow, George and Eileen (Bonnie) Cadzow, Mike and Laura Anderson, Al and Marion Pippy; Ed and Carol Payne, all of whom are fondly remembered by her kids as sharing a loving and fun relationship with us all.   

She is predeceased by her older brother Sidney (Jack), who died with valour in WWII during battle in Sicily; and by her father, and her brother William (Bill) Cousins and mother, her sister Mable Morgan, brother-in-law Jimmy Morgan, and brother Jim Cousins; sister-in-law Dorothy Cousins, nephews Jimmy Dale Cousins and Bob Cousins, and by her husband Bert.  

Vi is survived by her children, grand-children and their families-in-law: son Joel (Janet), Noah, and Madeline; daughter Cheryl Gilfix-Bird (Randy), Jennifer (Hiten, and their children Jackson and Avery); and David; son Jeff (Annette); son Jerry (Shelly) Cherise, and Janel (Travis ) and Andrew (Jessica and son Dawson); and niece Maureen Cousins (Steve); great nieces Julie, Carrie and Cindy Cousins; nephews Ronnie Cousins and Jimmy Cousins, and nephews: Murray Gilfix (Selma) and Perry Gilfix (Andrea). 

Our family would like to express our appreciation to the HSC ER and health care staff of ward GH-4 who provided extremely compassionate and professional care. Loving thanks to her Nurse Carol, and to her friends and care team at the Luther Home, including Charlene, Nadine, Tom, Roy, Karen and Dawn, and all the South Nursing Staff and HCAS at Luther Home. And a special thanks to Evelyn and family: Linda, Jeff and Stella; Tracey and Kevin, Sue, Ian; and thank you to "the Girls at 954". 

Donations to Luther Home, Alzheimer's Society and Winnipeg Humane Society gratefully appreciated. 

All are welcome to the service on Thursday, July 18 at 2:00 p.m. at Cropo Funeral Chapel, 1442 Main Street.