Thelma Meade

1943 ~ 2020

It is with broken hearts we announce the sudden passing of our beloved wife, mother and Nana, Thelma Meade, who passed away at the age of 77 on Saturday, July 25, 2020 at the Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg.

Thelma was predeceased by her father Chief George Barker and mother Ida.  Thelma was the last surviving of 18 children and is predeceased by numerous nieces and nephews.

Thelma will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 53 years Rev. Norman Meade, her children Loretta (Terry) Raymond, Shannon and Shauna.  She leaves her grandchildren Sara (Julian), Tyler, Jada, Dezarae, Trey and Everlee, great grandchildren Rhys, Olivia, Jaylin and Hailey.  She is survived by her brother Melvin (Yvonne).  In addition she is survived by numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and community members.

Thelma’s life accomplishments were in the area of public education and community service work. She earned her teaching degree through the University of Brandon and worked for Frontier School Division as a teacher in her home community of Hollow Water for 14 or so years.  With her family, she moved to Winnipeg in 1983. After a couple of years of rest, continued her teaching career at the William Whyte School in Winnipeg’s Northend for 2 years.  She then moved on to work with the Employment and Training Program for the Core Area Initiative’s Program of Winnipeg. When that program folded, she started her own Kikinamawin Training Centre to help young women and men get an education and find meaningful employment. She helped many women and men in the 8 to 9 years of running her own training centre in the Northend of Winnipeg. After her program ended, she went on to develop the Aboriginal Seniors Resources Centre (Winnipeg) Inc.  She became the Executive Director of ASRC and spent 15 years working and assisting seniors in various ways. Thelma served on many boards and committees in Winnipeg (too many to list) and was a well known and respected Elder in the community.  She was truly a hard working, dedicated and accomplished person in whatever she put her mind to. Like her father, Chief George Barker her motto was “perseverance leads to success”. She will be remembered and missed by many. 

A visitation service will be held on Friday, July 31, 2020 at Sobering Funeral Chapel, 1035 Park Ave. E in Beausejour from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., with prayers being said at 8:00 p.m.  Due to COVID, we accept 2 separate groups of 50 in the chapel and 100 people in the parking lot. 

An interment service will be held the following day on Saturday, August 1 at the Hollow Water Anglican Cemetery at 3:00 p.m.  Regrettably, due to public health restrictions we are unable to enjoy in a feast following the service.

www.soberingfuneralchapel.com

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