Obituary from the Caledonia Courier, Fort St. James, British Columbia
Mildred Irene, born 17 February 1921 in Amisk, Alberta, was the 11th girl in a family of twelve!
Her father was George Wallsten who immigrated from Sweden to North Dakota in the United States in 1891 and eventually to Alberta in 1906. In 1909 he brought his wife, Christina, and three young daughters from North Dakota and settled in Amisk, Alberta. Our Auntie Irene was named by her older sisters, Alma and Esther. In their minds, there was no way there was going to be another girl with names ending in a “a”. In the family, there already was an Anna Wilhelmina, Tilda Carolina, Alma Louisa, Esther Christina, Paulina Josephina, Amanda Olivia and Ruth Georgina! Emma, Sophia and Ellena all died in infancy. The one single brother was named Gustav Adolph after the then reigning King of Sweden! When Grandma Wallsten died in 1939, Irene moved to Edmonton to finish her High School and enter Teacher’s College. She lived with her sister, Alma, during this time. Irene’s teaching career saw her in many different schools. They were:
– Tomahawk, AB for a year
– St. Michael’s, AB for a year
– a school east of Edmonton for two years
– then to Fort St. James where she taught for five years
While in the Fort, she often related stories of having to “de-louse” every child in her class every morning before she would even let them enter the classroom!
Irene married Roy Spencer in 1947 and had twin boys, Brian and Byron, in 1949. Brian went on to gain fame as an NHL hockey player, known as “Spinner Spencer”.
During her time in the Fort, Irene also spent many years working for the Hudson’s Bay Co. In 1970, Roy lost his life in a shooting incident in Prince George. Irene then moved to Whitehorse for a few years before coming back to the Fort to manage the gravel pit on the Spencer Farm. Eventually she sold the farm and moved to Cranbrook, BC where she worked as a secretary. She met and married Bill Morris and shared with him a home on a beautiful lake lot. When Bill developed skin cancer, they moved to Sydney, BC for a couple of years before moving to Shawnigan Lake where Bill died in 1997. Irene continued to live in her trailer where she kept active with gardening and bridge. When she became legally blind she moved into assisted living in Duncan, She died on March 9, 2006. She was predeceased also by both her sons, Brian in 1988 and Byron in 2004.
Irene had a passion for family, flowers and bridge — not sure which came first! She was always the favorite baby sister of her siblings, including brother Adolph. Her life journey was full of tragic events which definitely took a toll on her health and travels through life. It was always a joy to visit and converse with Irene, as she had a cute, infectious laugh that made anyone present smile and just plain “feel good”! As Amanda, her one remaining sister still living says, Irene was always a welcomed visitor.
A memorial service of remembrance and burial was held at Fort St. James on May 20, 2010 with about 15–20 members of her extended family in attendance. May Irene Spencer rest in peace in this beautiful corner of British Columbia.
Mildred Irene, born 17 February 1921 in Amisk, Alberta, was the 11th girl in a family of twelve!
Her father was George Wallsten who immigrated from Sweden to North Dakota in the United States in 1891 and eventually to Alberta in 1906. In 1909 he brought his wife, Christina, and three young daughters from North Dakota and settled in Amisk, Alberta. Our Auntie Irene was named by her older sisters, Alma and Esther. In their minds, there was no way there was going to be another girl with names ending in a “a”. In the family, there already was an Anna Wilhelmina, Tilda Carolina, Alma Louisa, Esther Christina, Paulina Josephina, Amanda Olivia and Ruth Georgina! Emma, Sophia and Ellena all died in infancy. The one single brother was named Gustav Adolph after the then reigning King of Sweden! When Grandma Wallsten died in 1939, Irene moved to Edmonton to finish her High School and enter Teacher’s College. She lived with her sister, Alma, during this time. Irene’s teaching career saw her in many different schools. They were:
– Tomahawk, AB for a year
– St. Michael’s, AB for a year
– a school east of Edmonton for two years
– then to Fort St. James where she taught for five years
While in the Fort, she often related stories of having to “de-louse” every child in her class every morning before she would even let them enter the classroom!
Irene married Roy Spencer in 1947 and had twin boys, Brian and Byron, in 1949. Brian went on to gain fame as an NHL hockey player, known as “Spinner Spencer”.
During her time in the Fort, Irene also spent many years working for the Hudson’s Bay Co. In 1970, Roy lost his life in a shooting incident in Prince George. Irene then moved to Whitehorse for a few years before coming back to the Fort to manage the gravel pit on the Spencer Farm. Eventually she sold the farm and moved to Cranbrook, BC where she worked as a secretary. She met and married Bill Morris and shared with him a home on a beautiful lake lot. When Bill developed skin cancer, they moved to Sydney, BC for a couple of years before moving to Shawnigan Lake where Bill died in 1997. Irene continued to live in her trailer where she kept active with gardening and bridge. When she became legally blind she moved into assisted living in Duncan, She died on March 9, 2006. She was predeceased also by both her sons, Brian in 1988 and Byron in 2004.
Irene had a passion for family, flowers and bridge — not sure which came first! She was always the favorite baby sister of her siblings, including brother Adolph. Her life journey was full of tragic events which definitely took a toll on her health and travels through life. It was always a joy to visit and converse with Irene, as she had a cute, infectious laugh that made anyone present smile and just plain “feel good”! As Amanda, her one remaining sister still living says, Irene was always a welcomed visitor.
A memorial service of remembrance and burial was held at Fort St. James on May 20, 2010 with about 15–20 members of her extended family in attendance. May Irene Spencer rest in peace in this beautiful corner of British Columbia.
Obituary from the Caledonia Courier, Fort St. James, British Columbia
Mildred Irene, born 17 February 1921 in Amisk, Alberta, was the 11th girl in a family of twelve!
Her father was George Wallsten who immigrated from Sweden to North Dakota in the United States in 1891 and eventually to Alberta in 1906. In 1909 he brought his wife, Christina, and three young daughters from North Dakota and settled in Amisk, Alberta. Our Auntie Irene was named by her older sisters, Alma and Esther. In their minds, there was no way there was going to be another girl with names ending in a “a”. In the family, there already was an Anna Wilhelmina, Tilda Carolina, Alma Louisa, Esther Christina, Paulina Josephina, Amanda Olivia and Ruth Georgina! Emma, Sophia and Ellena all died in infancy. The one single brother was named Gustav Adolph after the then reigning King of Sweden! When Grandma Wallsten died in 1939, Irene moved to Edmonton to finish her High School and enter Teacher’s College. She lived with her sister, Alma, during this time. Irene’s teaching career saw her in many different schools. They were:
– Tomahawk, AB for a year
– St. Michael’s, AB for a year
– a school east of Edmonton for two years
– then to Fort St. James where she taught for five years
While in the Fort, she often related stories of having to “de-louse” every child in her class every morning before she would even let them enter the classroom!
Irene married Roy Spencer in 1947 and had twin boys, Brian and Byron, in 1949. Brian went on to gain fame as an NHL hockey player, known as “Spinner Spencer”.
During her time in the Fort, Irene also spent many years working for the Hudson’s Bay Co. In 1970, Roy lost his life in a shooting incident in Prince George. Irene then moved to Whitehorse for a few years before coming back to the Fort to manage the gravel pit on the Spencer Farm. Eventually she sold the farm and moved to Cranbrook, BC where she worked as a secretary. She met and married Bill Morris and shared with him a home on a beautiful lake lot. When Bill developed skin cancer, they moved to Sydney, BC for a couple of years before moving to Shawnigan Lake where Bill died in 1997. Irene continued to live in her trailer where she kept active with gardening and bridge. When she became legally blind she moved into assisted living in Duncan, She died on March 9, 2006. She was predeceased also by both her sons, Brian in 1988 and Byron in 2004.
Irene had a passion for family, flowers and bridge — not sure which came first! She was always the favorite baby sister of her siblings, including brother Adolph. Her life journey was full of tragic events which definitely took a toll on her health and travels through life. It was always a joy to visit and converse with Irene, as she had a cute, infectious laugh that made anyone present smile and just plain “feel good”! As Amanda, her one remaining sister still living says, Irene was always a welcomed visitor.
A memorial service of remembrance and burial was held at Fort St. James on May 20, 2010 with about 15–20 members of her extended family in attendance. May Irene Spencer rest in peace in this beautiful corner of British Columbia.
Mildred Irene, born 17 February 1921 in Amisk, Alberta, was the 11th girl in a family of twelve!
Her father was George Wallsten who immigrated from Sweden to North Dakota in the United States in 1891 and eventually to Alberta in 1906. In 1909 he brought his wife, Christina, and three young daughters from North Dakota and settled in Amisk, Alberta. Our Auntie Irene was named by her older sisters, Alma and Esther. In their minds, there was no way there was going to be another girl with names ending in a “a”. In the family, there already was an Anna Wilhelmina, Tilda Carolina, Alma Louisa, Esther Christina, Paulina Josephina, Amanda Olivia and Ruth Georgina! Emma, Sophia and Ellena all died in infancy. The one single brother was named Gustav Adolph after the then reigning King of Sweden! When Grandma Wallsten died in 1939, Irene moved to Edmonton to finish her High School and enter Teacher’s College. She lived with her sister, Alma, during this time. Irene’s teaching career saw her in many different schools. They were:
– Tomahawk, AB for a year
– St. Michael’s, AB for a year
– a school east of Edmonton for two years
– then to Fort St. James where she taught for five years
While in the Fort, she often related stories of having to “de-louse” every child in her class every morning before she would even let them enter the classroom!
Irene married Roy Spencer in 1947 and had twin boys, Brian and Byron, in 1949. Brian went on to gain fame as an NHL hockey player, known as “Spinner Spencer”.
During her time in the Fort, Irene also spent many years working for the Hudson’s Bay Co. In 1970, Roy lost his life in a shooting incident in Prince George. Irene then moved to Whitehorse for a few years before coming back to the Fort to manage the gravel pit on the Spencer Farm. Eventually she sold the farm and moved to Cranbrook, BC where she worked as a secretary. She met and married Bill Morris and shared with him a home on a beautiful lake lot. When Bill developed skin cancer, they moved to Sydney, BC for a couple of years before moving to Shawnigan Lake where Bill died in 1997. Irene continued to live in her trailer where she kept active with gardening and bridge. When she became legally blind she moved into assisted living in Duncan, She died on March 9, 2006. She was predeceased also by both her sons, Brian in 1988 and Byron in 2004.
Irene had a passion for family, flowers and bridge — not sure which came first! She was always the favorite baby sister of her siblings, including brother Adolph. Her life journey was full of tragic events which definitely took a toll on her health and travels through life. It was always a joy to visit and converse with Irene, as she had a cute, infectious laugh that made anyone present smile and just plain “feel good”! As Amanda, her one remaining sister still living says, Irene was always a welcomed visitor.
A memorial service of remembrance and burial was held at Fort St. James on May 20, 2010 with about 15–20 members of her extended family in attendance. May Irene Spencer rest in peace in this beautiful corner of British Columbia.
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See more Spencer Morris or Wallsten memorials in:
- Fort Saint James Municipal Cemetery Spencer Morris or Wallsten
- Fort Saint James Spencer Morris or Wallsten
- Bulkley-Nechako Regional District Spencer Morris or Wallsten
- British Columbia Spencer Morris or Wallsten
- Canada Spencer Morris or Wallsten
- Find a Grave Spencer Morris or Wallsten
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