Tribute

On Thursday, March 22, 2018, Mrs. Lily Edmonds (nee Bell) passed away peacefully at Sunnybank Centre in Oliver, BC, at the age of 99 years.

Lily was predeceased by her parents Eugene and Katherine Bell; brothers Frank and Johnny; sisters Mary, Rosy, Annie and Joyce; and her husband Ray and daughter Marlene.

Lily’s memory will be cherished by her daughter Jean & sons-in-law Dennis Tomlin, & Brian (Marlene) Tulak.  She will lovingly be remembered by her sisters Emily and Susan; brother Louie and brother-in-law Bill. Her grandchildren Allen (Kim), Teresa (Robin), Denean, Jason (Rhonda), her great grandchildren, Missy, Tony, Jenny, Angie,Holly, Ben, Annie, Drake, Tukker, Dayton, & Dalton, her great, great grandchildren, Makayla, Alliyah, Everly, & Aria. She also has many adoring nieces and nephews and their families.

Lily was born in Holden, AB on November 14, 1918 to Eugene and Katherine Bell.  She was the third oldest of ten children.  Her family moved to Okanagan Falls in April 1935.

In her early years Lily worked as a housekeeper, in the cannery and as a waitress in mining camps, during WWII, she moved to Vancouver and became a riveter at the Burrard Shipyards.  Marlene was born in 1945.

Ray Edmonds came into her life after WWII.  She was working at the Commodore Café in Penticton and they began dating.  They were married on May 24, 1946.  They lived in Penticton, Summerland and then moved to OK Falls and built a home in the “Bell” block; Jeannie was born in 1947.  They lived in the Cariboo for several years; Ray drove a logging truck and Lily tried chicken farming.  Okanagan Falls always drew them back; they bought the “the house on the hill” and the girls grew up there.

Lily worked in the Kaleden packing house, cleaned cabins at the Dolly Varden Auto Courts, enjoyed making jewelry for the Rock Shop but loved working in her garden most of all.  She had a green thumb and a real passion for plants, and was quite a botanist.  In the 60’s Lily completed several courses in art, and started her oil painting career; she taught oil painting for several years in the Senior Centre. Lily also did cross stitch, petti-point, embroidery, crocheting and any kind of craft that was available to her.

Lily & Ray were members of the Oliver Twirler Square Dance Club, Legion 227 in Okanagan Falls, the International Meditation Society, Eckankar, Okanagan Falls Citizens Patrol and Okanagan Falls Senior Centre.  She took great pleasure volunteering at the Heritage Thrift Store, Senior Centre and Heritage Rose Garden.

Lily moved to Heritage House in Oliver, in 2013; a year after Ray passed away. After complications with her health she moved to Sunnybank in 2016, where she resided until her death.

Lily’s Celebration of Life will be at 12:00 pm on May 20, in the Okanagan Falls Seniors Centre, in Okanagan Falls, the graveside service will be at 11:00  am and the reception to follow.

The family would like to thank the wonderful staff at Sunnybank Centre for making her always feel so special, also thanks to John Nunes & Daryn Pottinger and staff at Nunes-Pottinger.

Condolences and tributes may be directed to the family by visiting www.nunes-pottinger.com