Jessie Margaret (White) Delaney went to be with her Lord and Savior on April 23, 2007 from the Red Deer Regional Hospital in Red Deer, AB at the age of 87 years. Jessie, the daughter of George C. and Lola E. (Munden) White was raised and attended all her schooling in Clairmont, AB, having been born in her parents’ home there in 1919. She was the youngest of seven children and the only one born in Canada after her family emigrated from Washington State in 1917. Jessie was active in sports as a young woman and played center on the often-winning Clairmont Women’s Basketball Team. She also sang in various church and community choirs. In her later years, she became very interested in crafts and after being well taught by her daughter-in-law, Carol, established herself as the “butterfly lady” at the lodge in Red Deer, selling many dozens of the sun catchers to help raise funds for projects at the lodge. She was involved in many community ventures wherever she lived and served for many years as President of the Home & School Association in Clairmont when her children were growing up. While living for 28 years in Louis Creek, she was an active member of Barriere United Church and participant at the Seniors Center and the Seniors Choir, moving to Red Deer in 2002. She was an avid reader right up to the recent Easter Sunday when she entered the hospital.
Following her marriage to Wm. Alvin Delaney of East Kleskun, they lived for part of each year on the small farm at Kleskun or in Clairmont at the White residence until 1948. Later homes were in Abbotsford, BC; Clairmont, AB; Tupper, BC; Louis Creek, BC and finally at the Piper Creek Lodge in Red Deer, AB for her final five years. Jessie and Alvin celebrated their 60th Wedding Anniversary in Barriere in 1999.
Jessie was predeceased by her husband in 2002 and her brothers: Marion A. (Grace) White; Everett C. White; Daniel J. (Ila) White; sisters: Cleora E. (Hilliard) Jory; Maida J. (Lloyd) Sauder; Evelyn C. (Howard) Anderson. Her only surviving brothers- and sisters-in-law: Raymond I. (Rita) Boyer; Harry E. (Jean) Boyer; Ruby Boyer. She was predeceased by one infant child, James Alvin Delaney, in 1940. Surviving children: Melvin R. (Gail) Delaney of Red Deer, AB; Garry P. (Carol) Delaney of Blind Bay, BC; Ruth M. (Alvin) Breitkreutz of Grande Prairie, AB; Cleora E. (Larry) Stokes of Calgary, AB; and Daniel W. Delaney of Barriere, BC. Jessie also leaves behind eight grandchildren, six great- grandchildren, and numerous nephews and nieces and their families.
Memorial Service in Barriere United Church to be announced.