Verna Alice (Oswald) Dayholos Scott

            Verna Alice (Dayholos) Scott, aged 89, passed away peacefully with her family by her side on August 18th, 2020, at the Neepawa Health Centre.

            Verna was born on January 19th, 1931 in the Fallmouth District area to John and Elsie Oswald. She attended school in the Amaranth area, and she helped on the family farm until her later teen years when she found work at Western Bakery in Winnipeg.  She stayed with her aunt and cousins and enjoyed her time living in the city with them.  But the country was where her heart was, and she ended up moving back to the Tenby area with her family.

            On July 14th, 1950, Verna married John Dayholos of Tenby, who preceded her, passing away on December 26th, 1995.  John and Verna farmed in the Tenby area and it was there that they started their family with David, Kenneth, Randy, Debra and Terry. They enjoyed many years of life on the farm.  It was a very busy time raising a family and doing everything that came with it.  Mom was always busy taking care of the home, cooking meals, gardening, canning, milking cows, shipping cream and taking care of the many animals on the farm.  Mom could always be found in the kitchen making her delicious apple cake, cabbage rolls, borscht and perogies – traditional as well as apple filled.  Her and Dad always enjoyed making perogies.  One of the things they usually loved doing together – making perogies and picking any kind of berry.  Strawberries, blueberries, cranberries, saskatoons; you name it and Dad would find a patch to pick.  Dad was not one to bring mom flowers but every time when he was on his search for berries or checking on his crops, he would bring mom a bouquet of wild lilies that were sitting in a field or ditch.  She loved flowers from lilies to lilacs, peonies to roses.  She loved a fresh bouquet from the outside.

            She loved animals, from horses to dogs to cats. She always had a pet with her throughout her life for company.  Mom and Dad always made their chick order each spring to raise and sell in the fall.  She truly enjoyed those fall days when all the relatives came out from the city and help her with the butchering.  Mom also loved the long summer days of preserving her fruit and vegetables.  Up to her last days she was asking family to save their vegetable so she could can the tomatoes and cucumbers when she got home. Verna and John had a large group of friends and you could always find some kind of birthday party, anniversary, or friends or relatives just stopping in.  It was always full of action and entertainment.  Verna and John retired from the farm in the fall 1992. They purchased a new home that they had moved into Glenella.  Verna resided at the home until her recent hospital visit.

            On April 28th, 1998, Verna married Vernon Scott.  They enjoyed 15 wonderful years of marriage.  Mom loved to take care of Vern and it was very hard for her when he passed on July 4th, 2013.  They enjoyed gardening and reaping in the fall harvest for the freezer or for canning.  They enjoyed going on short driving excursions to visit both sides of their families. They also enjoyed travelling to surrounding communities with their friends to the “Old Time” senior dances that were held on the weekends.  Mom also helped in orchestrating some of the first “Old Time” dances that were held in Glenella.  She loved going to these dances because she could hear her live old-time music that she loved so much.

            Verna was most definitely a people person. She was not a person who liked to be alone.  She never had a problem making conversation and meeting new people.  Her telephone was her lifeline and we could always find her on a lengthy telephone visit with her family or friends. She enjoyed going to the Glenella Senior Center for all their special events.  She especially loved when there was any live music playing or singing events that she could join along with.  For many years she sang with the United Church Choir and over the years when there wasn’t a choir, she would gather with friends and sing at different events. You could always find mom playing her organ at home or listening to country music or the polka hour every Saturday night from her favourite Portage la Prairie radio station.  

            Verna loved having her whole family together for meals and holidays.  This was always very important to her.  She loved to cook for big gatherings.  She never knew how to cook for a small group since her entire life was cooking for a large amount of people.  A pot of potatoes for her was never 3 or 4 potatoes but usually 3 or 4 pounds. Even in her last years when she couldn’t cook for everyone anymore, she made sure someone in the family held the holiday celebration.  She loved seeing her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She always wanted to know what was going on in their lives. The grandkids always got a kick out of how Grandma “say-it-like-it-is” type of person.  She always concerned and cared about all her children and always wanted what was best for them.  She was very proud of all of her family.

            Verna is predeceased by her mother Elsie, and her father John. Her husband John and second husband Vern. Her brothers-in-law Fred and Harry Dayholos, Red Thompson, sister-in-law Millie Hickey and great-grandson, Kayden.

            She is survived by son, David (Elaine), son, Ken (Barb), Heather (Tyler) Reece, Quinn and Brooks. Jenalee (Andrew) and Chloe. Michelle (Adam) and Cohen. Son, Randy (Allison) Matthew (Jordyn), Ryley (Alyssa), and Lindsay. Daughter, Deb (Ken) Fedorchuk, Hailey and Kayla. Son, Terry (Chandra) Dylan, Hannah, Gavin and Ethan. Brother, Garry Oswald (Linda) Laura, Brent and Colleen.  Her Aunt who was like a sister to her, Viola Oswald Rogers, Sisters-in-law, Rose Dayholos, Mary Dayholos and Mary Thompson, Ella Scott and Gene Bowditch.

A wife, mother, and grandma too,

This is the legacy we have from you.

Go in peace, you’ve earned your sleep,

Your love in our hearts, we’ll eternally keep.

Love you MOM.

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