Obituaries

IRENE GOLDSBROUGH

(nee PACKER)

July 7th, 1938 – November 24th, 2023

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Irene Goldsbrough at Fred Douglas Lodge personal care home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She leaves to mourn, daughters Dawn Marie Woytowich (Drew) and Diana Lea Ledochowski (Rodney) and grandchildren Carson and Shay Woytowich and Jade Bonham (Garrett), Jake and Jacey Ledochowski. Mom also leaves her dear sisters Kathleen Biloki, Margaret Medwid, Val McHale (Ian) and their families as well as her nephew Paul Bourgeault (Denise) and girls. Mom had a very close network of lifelong friends including Carole and Ken Young, Lucie and Bruce Hewitt, Darlene Dufily, Barbara Lindquist, Roxane Pawluk and Sandra Warren. Thank you so much for the visits, phone calls and care packages.

Mom was born on July 7th, 1938 at 93 Middlewich Road in Northwich, Cheshire, England to Alfred Maxwell Packer and Emily Packer (nee Tideswell). In 1949, along with her parents and sisters Kathleen and Margaret, Mom boarded the HMS Franconia II in Liverpool and sailed to Canada. They sailed down the St. Lawrence Seaway and eventually boarded a train to Winnipeg. The Packers settled in Gunton, Manitoba. A third sister for mom (Valerie) arrived a few years later and the four of them were known as the Packer sisters. Mom received her early years of education at Gunton School and in 1956-57 she went to Normal School. Mom always said this was one of the best times of her life with hot meals, running water and flush toilets. She made lifelong friends with roommates Olga and Machiko. She began teaching in a one room school at Stacpoole (East of Teulon, Manitoba) from 1957-59. Mom then taught at Navin School from 1959-60 and lived in the attached teacherage. She continued her teaching career in Winnipeg at Strathmillan and Bannatyne Schools where she made so many friends. In 1964 her first daughter, Dawn Marie was born. Mom continued to teach for a few more years until her second daughter Diana Lea was born in 1968. Mom stayed home raising her children and in 1976 the family moved back to Gunton where they bought and operated the general store and post office. After selling the grocery store and post office in 1983, Mom decided to pursue a new career path and at age 45, she went to Psychiatric Nursing School at the Selkirk Mental Health Centre. She graduated at age 47 and was selected as class valedictorian by her much younger peers. Mom spent two years at John Dafoe School with Dr. Shelia Cantor teaching children with Autism. Eventually mom accepted a position at the Grace Hospital in the Extended Treatment Unit. She worked at the Grace until her retirement at 75. Mom truly loved her job. Mom led a very independent life enjoying her trips to Hawaii, Arizona, Disney World with her grandkids, Palm Springs and Halifax to watch baseball. She loved tennis and golf and puttering around the garden in the summers. Mom was a Girl Guide leader and had an artsy side and could make/sew anything. She enjoyed her many dinner groups.

Mom really was the matriarch of our family and she will be missed dearly. Her grandchildren were the light of her life. She spent her retirement watching hockey, baseball, basketball and softball games. Mom was their number one fan always cheering them on. She was very much looking forward to the birth of her first great grandchild in January 2024.

Cremation has taken place.

We’d like to thank the staff at Fred Douglas Lodge for the wonderful care they provided in the short time she was there.