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SMITH: Violet (Vi) Iola Smith, loving wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, and great great grandmother, passed away at Birch Lodge Personal Care Home with her family by her side, succumbing to a recent stroke.
Vi was born Nov. 30, 1916 to John and Amanda Hazlewood of Chumah, a small district west of Hamiota. She was the eldest daughter in a family of four daughters, and one fellow, Ray, who was raised as a brother.
When Vi completed high school in Crandall, she lived in her parent's home until her marriage to Herb Smith on Oct. 15, 1938. With Vi's marriage her parents relocated to a farm a mile north and Vi and Herb lived and farmed the west half of 34-13-24. In 1950 they purchased and moved to SE 4-14-24, the original Hazlewood homestead. This moved Vi and her family to the big Hazlewood house she had always dreamed about!
In spite of being a farm wife who helped Herb when she could, who prepared marvelous meals to feed hungry harvest gangs, who canned every kind of fruit, vegetable, and meat available, who drove the school van when Herb was working in the fields, Vi found time to devote to their family of two daughters and one son.
While being a contributing partner on the farm and being a good mother were two of Vi's life passions, there were others. From her earliest days in her parents' home, Vi learned to play the pump organ and then the piano. Like her father, who played old time music by ear, Vi developed an ear for music that would enable her to play anything she heard. she heard. But her parents encouraged her to study music further. While hard economic times, growing responsibilities and marriage would leave Vi with her Grade X Toronto Conservatory, her playing ability was amazing. Vi could sit down to a musical score she had never seen and play it with finesse.
From an early age Vi began her lifelong sharing of her musical talent. As a young girl she walked to several of the local farms to give music lessons, and through the years in both Crandall and Hamiota gave private piano lessons which influenced the musical lives of dozens of young people.
Church was another way that Vi could share musical ability. For almost 60 years she contributed her music to the United Church: first in Chumah, then in Crandall, and finally in Hamiota.
Vi was a strong supporter of festivals. She encouraged her piano students to participate, she trained and accompanied vocalists, and served on on the Board of the Birdtail River Fine Arts Festival.
Vi never turned down an opportunity to entertain, whether in local concerts, official openings, or special celebrations in the community. Out of Vi's need to entertain came the creation in 1954 of the Vi Smith Orchestra. Vi first played the piano accordion, but it was soon replaced by an electric organ and the Hammond sound provided the unmistakable background to the other instruments! The orchestra not only gave her own children an outlet to develop their musical skills, but gave the same opportunity to a number of local musicians.
Vi composed music, as well as playing music. As with many composers, many of these compositions came as a dream in the night. Stealing quietly to the piano she would allow the melody and the lyrics to become reality.
In 1982 she wrote a hymn specially for the 1982 Crandall School Reunion. The universal appeal of this hymn has seen it used on occasion by surrounding communities, and it was included in the R. M. of Hamiota's Centennial celebration in 1984, and the Town of Hamiota's Centennial in 2007.
In 1983 her hymn, "The First Christmas Morn" was adopted by the United Church of Canada to be included in the White Gift Package sent across Canada.
Vi also wrote the musical scores to support some of the Christmas dramas at Hamiota Collegiate. When music is in your soul it will not be contained and until the age of 92 she was still able to sit to the piano to entertain the residents in Lilac Lodge in which she had lived after the death of her husband in 2003.
Vi's musical ability did not go unnoticed. In 1983 the Hamiota Lions Club gave Vi one of their special golden lions in recognition of "Many Faithful Musical Years". In 1984 she received from Hamiota Collegiate the Birdtail River Teachers' Association Plaque recognizing the time and skills she had shared with young people in the school. In 1985 at the Brandon YWCA's first Women of Distinction Awards, Vi was named Woman of Distinction in the Arts Category!
Another passion in Vi's life was the time she spent with her family at the cottage at Shoal Lake. As a very young girl, Vi began to enjoy the annual trip to the lake that her Shier grandparents and her own mom and dad insisted upon. In her husband Herb, she found the man who would be willing to share this annual summer life. From 1947 until 2008, Vi and her family have spent summertime at the cottage: there was the solitude of the lake itself; there were the amazing sunsets; there was family!
Thankfully, the passions that Vi had the good fortune to follow are being pursued by her children, grandchildren and great grandchild.
Left to mourn are daughters Glenda Smith (Wilf Zimmer), Judy (Wayne) Reed, and son Ken (Vicki) Smith; grandson Ken Reid and granddaughters Pamela Stubbs (Ken Steenburgh), Cathy Van Buskirk (Murray Chrun), and Kerry Van Buskirk; great granddaughter Melissa Reid; great great granddaughter Coral Violet Aldrich; sister Ina Hyndman (Glen Wright); "brother" Ray (Gerry) Hazlewood; sisters-in-law Alice Johnston, Velma Smith and Olive Smith; brothers-in-law Les Rudd and Jack (Peggy) Smith; as well as many neices, nephews, cousins and friends.
Vi was predeceased by her husband Herb, her parents John and Amanda Hazlewood; Herb's parents John and Rachel Smith; sisters Verna in infancy and Alice Rudd; brothers and sisters-in-law Ormand Hyndman, Newton (Betty) Smith, Everett (Eileen) Tennant, Cecil (Pearl) Kidd, Buzz (Rena) Smith, and Lorne (Margaret) Caldwell.
For those so desiring, donations may be made in Vi's memory to the Hamiota United Church Memorial Fund, Hamiota, MB, ROM OTO; to the Hamiota District Health Centre Foundation, Box 671, Hamiota, MB, ROM OTO; or to a charity of one's choice.
The special words people included about Mom as a person and about her musical abilities are so comforting to the family.
A special thank you to the staff at Birch Lodge Personal Care Home. Your care for Mom during the last six months confirms the important role such facilities play in people's lives!
Thank you to the Home Care workers who served Mom so well during her years in Lilac Residence.
Thank you as well to the residents of both Lilac Residence and Birch Lodge Personal Care Home. Your caring support for Mom in both residences was so important to Mom and to her family.
Thank you to Campbell Funeral Home for the wonderful support you gave to the family during such a difficult time.
Thank you as well to all those who were part of the Celebration of Life Service at Hamiota United Church. The well chosen words of Pastor Elwood Fawcett, the music of organist Agnes Bridge and the choir, the service of close friends as pallbearers, and the presence of supportive family, friends, and community were a source of comfort for the family!