Muriel Lyons

Muriel Laverne Lyons

(nee Bridges )

Our Mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and sister, Muriel Lyons died peacefully Sunday, July 5th at the Portage General Hospital, shortly after celebrating her 87 ^th birthday.  Born June 22, 1928 in Killarney, Manitoba, Muriel was the second of four daughters born to Clifford and Aileen Bridges, a farming couple, who moved to town when Muriel was in the early primary years at school.

As a teenager, Muriel enjoyed playing softball.  A knee dislocation after stumbling in a gopher hole during a game led to a lifelong worry about again injuring her knee.

Following her marriage, Muriel spent time in Killarney where her daughter Sandra was born, They lived briefly in MacGregor and then moved to Portage la Prairie not long before the birth of her son Murray in 1956.  Left to raise two small children on her own, she lived out her years in a small bungalow on Ninth Street North East, taking great pride in her home, continuing to make improvements in later years. She took great interest and pride in her children’s successes at school and worked hard to ensure they had opportunities.

When her children grew older, Muriel re-entered the workforce and found her niche when she joined the staff of Narvey’s Clothes for Men.  Working for brothers Mel and Harold, Muriel built many friendships with the staff over her 20 year tenure.  Mom had a terrific memory for names and recall for customers when they walked through the doors again.

Throughout her life, Muriel maintained strong friendships with people in her neighborhood, including air force couples who rented or bought houses nearby.  Christmas cards and phone call exchanges between friends who had moved away and settled in other parts of Canada continued in several cases for more than 40 years.  Mom also maintained lasting friendships with many people in Portage and enjoyed their phone calls and visits.

Mom also enjoyed the visits and attention paid by many of the home care staff over the past years, which allowed her to remain in her home as long as possible.

Always, Muriel maintained pride and interest in her family’s accomplishments and looked forward to visits and phone calls from her four grandchildren. Her talents for knitting and crocheting kept the grandkids in sweaters and mittens with the ultimate achievement of crocheting afghans for her children and all four grandchildren.  She was particularly thrilled when her only great grandchild was born two years ago, one day prior to her 85th birthday.

Muriel is survived by her daughter Sandra (Cameron) Brands of High River, AB. and her son Murray (Kate) of Saskatoon, SK. She was cherished grandmother to Kurt Brands (Rebecca Ramsden) and their daughter Daria all of Toronto, Alan Brands (Mandy Leard and her daughter Layla) all of Airdrie, AB., Jennifer Lyons and Mark Lyons, both of Saskatoon.  Also surviving is Muriel’s sister Shirley Bachinski (Bob) of Brandon, her brother-in-law Stewart Archibald of Killarney, MB, nieces and nephews and her aunt Winnie Bridges of Killarney, MB.  Muriel was predeceased by her parents Clifford and Aileen Bridges and two sisters, Enid Archibald and Iris Nichol of Killarney and two brothers in-law, Russell Nichol and Henry Kukura.

A Service of Remembrance will be held at 10:30 a.m. July 10 at McKenzie’s Portage Funeral Chapel with private interment in a family plot in Killarney later in the afternoon.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, those who wish to honour Mom’s memory, may do so by donating to the Portage District General Hospital Foundation at 524 5th St SE Portage La Prairie MB  R1N3A8

A tree will be planted in memory and cared for by McKenzies Portage Funeral Chapel.  204-857-4021 www.mckenziesportagefuneralchapel.com