On July 16, 2018 Rose Marie Denomey (nee Ofukany)  passed away after a brief illness. She was born in ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­Tisdale, Saskatchewan in May of 1938.  Rose grew up on the farm, the only girl amongst five brothers.  It was in Tisdale that she fell in love with a local boy, Jim Denomey.  Rose and Jim married and moved to BC where they settled in Kamloops and raised their three children. Family was always first with Rose. She loved to watch her family having fun and would happily sit on the beach and watch them waterski or swim.  She would pack up all the food and gear and camp with the family even though she despised mosquitos because she knew how much the family loved it. Rose was a very independent and athletic woman.  She studied hard and received her Boiler Makers Certificate, the only woman in an all male class.  Certificate in hand she eventually owned and operated her own business, Roses Dry Cleaners.  She was proud to form Roses’ Ball team which brought together her love for family and ball.  She loved playing ball, curling with her “Brunch Bunch” and golfing with her golf group.  Rose was an avid Blue Jays fan.

Rose was predeceased by her mother, Annie Ofukany and father Steve Ofukany.Read More & Leave Condolences »

September 1924 ~ July 2018

“Dot” was born near Springwater, Saskatchewan. When she was five, she moved with her family to a rural area near Fraser Lake, British Columbia, where they lived out the depression years. With the coming of the war, the family moved to the coast, and Dot got a job with Boeing Aircraft, building “PBY’s” for the military. She shortly became known as “Rosy the Riveter” because of her red hair.

After the war, she married veteran Clarence Saunders and moved with him to Burns Lake, where he became involved in the forest industry. He owned and operated a succession of sawmills, and Dot became book-keeper and first aid attendant, being one of the first in the province to earn an Industrial First Aid certificate. In 1964, she bought a variety store in Burns Lake, and ran it successfully for eight years.

In 1971, she and Clarence were divorced. In 1972, she married Tony Robinson, a forester with the government, and moved with him to Prince Rupert. There followed postings in Williams Lake, Victoria, and finally Kamloops, where the couple retired in 1987.

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It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Gerhard Gemsa on Wednesday, July 11, 2018 at Kamloops Hospice after a short and sudden illness. Gerhard was born June 23 ,1938 in Wartenburg, Germany. He just celebrated his 80^th birthday. Gerhard is survived by wife Helga, sons Mike and Jurgen;  grandsons Talen and Andrew, granddaughter Kiera; sister Margaret, nieces and nephews living in Germany. He was predeceased by both parents his  brothers; Gunther, Siegfrid and Heinz in Germany.

Gerhard did his 3 year apprenticeship and became a meat cutter and sausage maker (Schlachter) Gerhard immigrated in 1960 to Eston Saskatchewan, Canada. He worked for 8 years in Eston Modem Locker. In 1967 he went to visit his family in Germany and met his wife Helga. In 1968, he went back to Germany and got married. Gerhard was a man with many talents. In 1969 he moved to Kamloops. Gerhard worked at Kamloops Meat,  early in the morning he would work at Fritzes Bakery and baked the donuts. The Fritzes were good friends from Eston, Saskatchewan.  In 1979, Gerhard and his wife opened their own business; Gary’s European Sausage and Deli at the Fortune Shopping Centre, where his son Jurgen will carry on his family legacy. Gerhard worked right up until last day. He loved hunting, fishing, golf and skiing. He was also involved in soccer and hockey.

Gerhard will be greatly missed and never forgotten.

A Celebration of Gerhard’s life will be held on Saturday, July 21, 2018 at 2pm in the Kamloops Funeral Home, 285 Fortune Dr., with Pastor Don Maione officiating. The family would appreciate memorial donations in Gerhard’s name be sent to Kamloops Hospice, the BC Wildlife Federation or the charity of your choice. The family would like to offer a special thanks to the doctors and nurses of 5 North at Royal Inland Hospital .

From Whispering Pines/Clinton IR #4 near Kamloops BC. At the age of 91, Violet passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday July 9, 2018 at Royal Inland Hospital

Vye was born on April 27, 1927 at Leon’s Creek on the Fraser River, near Clinton, BC.

She was daughter of Edward and Alice LeBourdais (Fletcher) of 8-Mile Clinton BC. She is predeceased by brothers: Joseph, Duke (Eugene), Sonny (Louie), Turner and Bradley LeBourdais.

Vye was the oldest of the infamous ‘Golden Girls’ with beloved sisters: Norah LeBourdais & Mary (Weetsie) Hewitt. She was mother of only son Richard LeBourdais (wife Orla LeBourdais). Vye was blessed with many grandchildren and great grandchildren. Her beloved granddaughters: Sunny LeBourdais, Leslie LeBourdais, Jana Starr (LeBourdais). Her cherished great grandchildren: Gabriel Starr, Drew Starr, Branden Starr, Raven LeBourdais, & Taya LeBourdais

Raised at 8-Mile ranch near Clinton, Vye took care of her brothers and sisters, sewing masterpiece cowboy shirts for her brothers and stunning dresses for her sisters from scratch. Vye was a master cook, weaving her way from the Cariboo down to Vancouver, starting at the Clinton Hotel, the Bob Inn/Frontier Inn, the Gang Ranch & Empire Valley, and the Vancouver Hotel. In Vancouver, she earned social services certificate at the Vancouver Community College. She was known as a hard worker, be it as a cook, working at the sawmill at Savona, to her social work on the streets of Vancouver and later for her work for the Interior Indian Friendship Center in Kamloops.

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