December 1, 1938 – September 5, 2022
It is with profound sadness we announce the passing of Berna Jean Armitt in her 84th year. Berna is lovingly remembered by Ernest, her husband of 51 years; their children Ron (Carolyn), Rick (Jolene) and Diana (John); her grandchildren, great-grandchild, and her brother Art.
She is predeceased by her older sister Joan and younger brother Bob; and by both of her parents Mary (nee Skirrow) and Frank Maybury.
Although she would never say she was athletic, in her youth she enjoyed water skiing in Ontario with friends and family. In Northern Ontario she took up cross country skiing in winter and golfing in summer.
Berna never thought she would travel, but she did end up becoming a world traveller, enjoying vacations all over Europe and Asia. She even found herself residing in Indonesia for 5 years, where she learned to play Mahjong; a skill she brought home with her to Winnipeg and built many good friendships playing with other members of the Winnipeg Newcomer’s Club. She was also an avid recreational bridge player and enjoyed many afternoons playing with her bridge groups. Her travels took her to New Zealand where she fulfilled a life-long dream of hiking the Milford Track with Ernest.
Many years of summer vacations were enjoyed at Horseshoe Valley Resort in Ontario with the whole family along with vacations in the US, England, Scotland, Italy, and France among others.
Berna was a talented alto who enjoyed singing in the church choir, and her musical talents extended to playing the piano and organ.
She trained as a medical technologist at St Joseph’s Hospital in Hamilton, but worked in Guelph, Sudbury and Thompson as well. Berna became an excellent phlebotomist with a gentle touch and spent years working in Histology. Upon her retirement she settled in Winnipeg from Thompson.
In her retirement Berna could never just sit in front of the television. She enjoyed reading and many handicrafts, knitting sweaters and baby outfits for all her family and friends. She also enjoyed needlepoint and cross-stitch, examples of which hang on the walls of her loved ones.
Berna’s talents also included sewing as she would make tailored dress shirts for her son Ron and quilting for enjoyment. Whichever craft she turned her hand to, her work was beautiful.
Unfortunately, the Parkinson’s Disease she suffered from for at least 10 years took away Berna’s ability to travel and then her ability to craft and read but she still found joy in watching Tennis on tv.
Berna will be remembered fondly by all who knew and loved her.
Memorial Service for Berna Armitt will be held on Saturday, September 24 at 1:00 p.m., in the chapel of Voyage Funeral Home, 472 Kirlkfield Street at McBey Ave in Winnipeg, MB
3 thoughts on “Berna Jean Armitt (nee Maybury)”
One summer my parents and I were on a camping trip out to BC and we stopped overnight at Berna and Ernie’s cottage on Pelican Lake. Berna took me out and taught me how to kayak…it was lovely out there. Later she taught me how to play the real mahjong. When we were saying our goodbyes, I took a great picture of Berna and Ernie. They appear to be almost the same height because Ernie was standing up on a little retaining wall, only you can’t see that in the photo. I love the great big smiles. I will always have fond memories of Aunt Berna.
Lovely obituary, i didn’t know my Aunt Berna very well but whenever we met she was always happy to see you. I remember spending a holiday in Horseshoe Valley with Ernie and Berna and we had a fantastic time and I look back on it with fond memories,
One summer my parents and I were on a camping trip out to BC and we stopped to visit and spend the night at Berna and Ernie’s cottage on Pelican Lake. Berna took me out on the lake and taught me how to kayak. After a nice dinner, she taught me how how to play the real mahjong. When we were packing up to leave, I took a great picture of Berna and Ernie. They appear to be almost the same height because Ernie was standing on a little retaining wall, only you can’t see that in the photo. They both have these wonderful smiles on (In keeping with Berna’s humour…maybe they were glad to see us go haha). I cherish that photo. I can always hear Berna’s voice in my head when I think about her volunteer work, reading books aloud to audiotape.
My condolences to all who loved her.