Opal M. Rye (nee Widmark) passed away January 10th, 2007, at Cloverhouse, an intermediate care home in Cloverdale, B.C., her home for the past 10 years.
She was born at Notch Hill, B.C., October 31st, 1917, in the family home where she grew up. While working at the Princeton Hospital, she met Leif Rye where he was a patient due to a mining injury. They married September 22, 1940 and lived at Copper Mountain, near Princeton, until their move to Quesnel in 1946. Both their children Roger and Eleanor were born in the Princeton Hospital. She was very active in the Girl Guides of Canada for 30 years, leading the first Quesnel Brownie pack and was the first division commissioner of the Goldpan and Baker division. She and Leif were charter members of the Vasa Lodge in Quesnel. Her main responsibility was to her home and family, she enjoyed sewing, knitting and crafts. Over the years they enjoyed camping, starting in a tent with the young family, graduating to a tent trailer, then pick-up and camper. After Leif’s retirement in 1977, they enjoyed travelling throughout Canada, Norway, Australia and many of the United States.
On February 1st, 1996, she suffered a stroke while having open heart surgery at St. Paul’s Hospital. She was unable to be with the love of her life, Leif, who passed away from Lou Gehrig’s disease three weeks after her stroke. She returned home to Quesnel in July and lived the next 7 months in their home after which she moved to Cloverhouse to be closer to Eleanor. She bought a camper van and she and Eleanor travelled throughout B.C. and part of Alberta over the next few years until her health deteriorated and she was unable to walk.
Surviving are her son Roger (Tanis) Rye of Kimberley and daughter Eleanor Haynes of Cloverdale, grandchildren Neil Rye of Kimberley and Carl (Angela) Rye of Melbourne, Australia, Karla (John)Vandermolen of Chilliwack and Sheldon (Theresa) Haynes of Grande Prairie, Alberta, great grandchildren Jayden Vandermolen and Leigha Haynes, sister Ruby Bridge of Notch Hill. In memory of Opal, donations to the Langley Stroke Club, c/o Marilyn Piticco, 9355 206A St, Langley, B.C. V1M 2W6 or charity of your choice would be appreciated.
No service by her request.