Edith (Sprague) Neuman

Edith Neuman (nee Sprague) was born in the Neepawa Hospital on November 3, 1921. She passed away peacefully on May 21, 2018. She was predeceased by her brothers Henry Sprague and Bob Sprague, and sister Edna Turner, also by her brother-in-law Arne Turner and sister-in-law Dorothy Sprague.

She is survived by her husband Bill; her son Terry and his wife Diana, and her grandchildren Kathryn and Adam Neuman; her brother David Sprague; nephews Wayne Sprague, Brian Turner, and Trevor Sprague; and nieces Sharon Turcotte, Carol  Jackson and Sheila Shodin, as well as many great nieces and nephews.

Edith spent her early years on a farm in the Springhill district East of Neepawa. Her family moved into town when she was 6. She enjoyed sports of all kinds – especially swimming and diving. She continued to enjoy sports when she could no longer play them, she watched. She loved to watch curling on TV…

Her first job was as a babysitter, then as a waitress. She worked setting pins, along with her sister Edna, at the Neepawa bowling alley. Then she got a full time job at the Neepawa salt plant, where she worked for some time. She later went back to waitressing at both Chinese restaurants in Neepawa. Then she met Bill. They were married in 1959. Their son Terry was born in 1960.

Bill and Edith, and tiny Terry spent 2 summers in northern Alberta in a construction camp, where they made good friends that Edith stayed in touch with for years.

Edith lived in McCreary for her whole married life. She enjoyed an active social life of cards, and swimming, and afternoon teas with friends.  As her friends passed away one by one, and her mobility became more and more compromised, her circle grew smaller, but she retained some wonderful (younger) friends right to the end.

Edith became a mother in law in 1995, and then a grandmother in 1996. She was SO proud of her 2 grandchildren. As she grew older, she spent more of her time in her house, but she played organ, and read the Daily Bread, and did word searches, and crocheted. Always crocheting…right to the end.  She loved flowers, especially tiger lilies. The other thing about Edith that was wonderful was her curiosity about the world. She was always open to learning something new.

On the last day of consciousness, she talked a lot about how much she loved her family and friends, and how she prayed for them. One of the last things she said was, “I have had so much fun!” That sums her up so well – Fun-loving and happy to see people.

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