FLORENCE “CLARA” TOLLEY 

Florence “Clara” Tolley (nee Donald) passed away peacefully on Thursday, October 2, 2014 after a long, extraordinarily well-lived life.  Clara was born on June 25, 1918, the eldest child of John and Mary Donald.  After spending her childhood in St. Louis and Shellbrook, at age 16, Clara began dating Ralph Tolley, a labourer with the CN. Following their marriage on June 4, 1937, Clara and Ralph followed the call of the CN and moved to various places in Saskatchewan, including Shellbrook, Rabbit Lake, and Prince Albert.  Clara and Ralph were blessed with five children, and their various homes were always full of love and laughter.  Clara’s career was spent cooking at various cafes and hospitals, spending her later years working as a cook for the Holy Family Hospital. After retirement, Clara was able to spend time doing the things she loved: crocheting, bowling, watching curling, baking, dancing, reading, doing word searches, and spending time with her family.  Clara will be remembered by her friends and family for her nightly phone calls, her eager participation in card games, her delicious meals, her homemade dishcloths, and her extraordinary memory.  She never forgot a birthday or an anniversary, and knew all of the latest happenings in the lives of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren.  Clara was a vital member of her large extended family right until her passing, and her memory will shine on in all of us. Clara will be lovingly remembered by her daughters Adele Freimark (Doug Farnsworth) and Shirley (Paul) Kuffert, her sons Daryl (Lorna) Tolley, and Terry (Diane) Tolley, as well as 14 grandchildren, 34 great-grandchildren, and 4 great-great-grandchildren.  She is also survived by her daughter-in-law Bonnie Tolley, her sister Doreen Elliot, her brother Bill Donald, and her sister-in-law Donna Donald, and nieces and nephews.  She was predeceased by her husband Ralph Tolley, her son Lew Tolley, her son-in-law George Freimark, her brothers Robert and John Donald, her sister-in-law Lucy Donald, and her brother in-law Ken Elliot.  Funeral service will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, October 8 at River Park Memorial Chapel with Val Bodnaryk officiating.  Private family interment of cremated remains will precede the service at the Garden of Sermon on the Mount, Prince Albert Memorial Gardens.  It is the family’s request that those wishing to place memorials may do so to the charity of the donor’s choice.   Funeral arrangements were entrusted to the care of Donald M. Moriarty, Funeral Director   http://www.riverparkfuneral.ca/

• Date : 2014-10-02