Obituary of Glenda Vangenne

It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Glenda Vangenne, resident of Dawson Creek, British Columbia, on Thursday, November 25, 2021 at the age of 83 years. 

Glenda Ellen Vangenne (nee Bassett) was born on the homestead at Upper Cutbank, BC on August 14, 1938 to Harvey and Hazel Bassett.

She was the first born of six children.  She was raised on the farm with her twin brother Glen, Theresa, Irene, Raymond, Leonard and Cheryl.

Growing up Mom was raised in the valley surrounded by family and many relatives.  Mom often talked about how as a child she would do chores in the morning and ride a horse to school, life was hard looking after the many needs of living on a farm but they always had plenty.

Mom met Alex Olenik and together they had five children, Calvin, Cindy, Dan, Wendy and Wynne.  Mom spent a little over a decade with our dad before that union fell apart.

Our parents split when us kids were quite young.  At the time mom didn’t have the option of daycare so she worked nights as a bar maid.  She later took upgrading at the local college for her grade 12 and she briefly worked at one on the schools.  Mom didn’t get her drivers license until Wynne and I were 16.   About that time Mom went to work at the care home in Pouce Coupe.  Raising us kids all on her own was a hell of an accomplishment in our opinion.

Growing up us kids always had a roof over our heads, food to eat, clothes to wear.  There was bikes to ride, skates to go skating.  We always had everything we needed.

At Christmas Mom decorated the house with streamers on the ceiling and a beautiful tree.  Somehow Mom managed to have presents for all of us.

Mom’s favorite time of year was Christmas.  Even in her eighties she was like a child at heart about Christmas.  She like to go for a drive and look at lights.  She loved presents and she also loved to give. Dan and Calvin remember that Mom would wake them up late at night to watch Stampede wrestling, then it was off to bed as it was a school night.

Mom loved country music as kids we remember she always had music playing.  Later in life she would go to concerts – a high light to her was seeing Randy Travis.

Mom spent 10 years raising us kids on her own.  When we were teenagers Mom met Dick Vangenne.  A man that accepted her and her five kids.  He was a wonderful stepfather.  He treated mom like a queen.  They had many wonderful holidays into the US and Mexico in the winters.

In the summers Mom loved her yard.  Even this last summer she had flowers.  Mom and Dick had a cabin at One Island lake.  Sometimes when they were at the lake Dick would have to go back to Prince George for work and mom stayed at the cabin enjoying lake life.

She loved relaxing and sitting around a fire drinking her favorite beverage – usually a beer.  A few years ago mom stayed with Dan and Karen at a campground on McLeod lake for about a month.  She loved being thee with them.

When we were kids mom loved to crochet and embroidery.  Some of her table clothes us kids still have and we will treasure them.  Later in life Mom started sewing.  There was a time when most of the men in the family had shirts that mom made.  John and Janea had many of their clothes made by gramma.  They loved the clothes that she made.

Our mom was very outspoken, if she had something to say – she did.  She managed something that none of her kids accomplished – she was kicked off of facebook more then once.

You could never walk into mom’s house without it being spotless.  You’d ask her how her day was or what did she do that day and she’d say Oh, she did some house cleaning.  Never could figure out what she was cleaning as it was always spotless.  Mom kept her house and garage very organized.  I was looking around her garage and I thought to myself – should have hired mom to organize wk’s shop.

Mom’s door was open.  Nothing made her happier than having her kids come to stay for a few days.  She used to take the Greyhound bus to go visit her kids.  She loved those visits.  Dan would always let mom know when he was rolling through Dawson to go to work.  He’s take the time to come early and spend a night at mom’s.

Later on in life she went on the Alaska cruise with her grandkids John and Janea.  A trip she really enjoyed.  When she was 79 and 80 she went to Mexico with myself and her granddaughter Janea.  She enjoyed the trips.  Mom loved the sand and ocean. 

Mom and our son John had a very close relationship.  She would text me that she was going to be busy that day, John was coming for supper and spending the night.   She enjoyed his company greatly.

Our lives will never be the same without our mother in our lives but she was well loved by all and will be greatly missed by all that knew her.

A private funeral service will be held for Glenda with interment to follow at the North Rolla Cemetery.  For friends so wishing, donations may be made in memory of Glenda to the North Rolla Lutheran Church, RR2 Site 10, Comp 12, Dawson Creek, BC, V1G 4E8.

Very Respectfully, Reynars Funeral Home & Crematorium