Obituary of Ona Norma GRAHAM

Ona Norma Graham passed away peacefully, with family by her side, on Monday, February 6, 2017 at the age of 84 years at the Newport Harbour Care Centre in Calgary. Ona was born January 30, 1933 at her parents’ farm near Tilston, Manitoba. She claimed her Dad saw the name “Ona” on a shortbread box from Scotland, and from an early age she was always proud of her Scottish heritage. Ona’s early education was at a one-room schoolhouse in the Beverley School District in Manitoba. After high school, she moved to Winnipeg to live with her sisters and attend the Success Business College. In Winnipeg she worked as a secretary at the Canadian Fire & Indemnity Insurance Company, and then at Swift Canadian. While in Winnipeg she met R.A.F cadet Francis (Paddy) Graham of Larne, Co. Antrim, Northern Ireland, and in 1953 travelled on The Empress of Canada to England where she married Paddy on December 19th, 1953. Ona spent 17 years living the R.A.F life. She had fond memories of this time, living in Malta, Scotland, Prince Edward Island, and many places in England. She had various jobs; an active social life where she made life-long friends; and enjoyed the opportunity to travel and see other parts of the world. After moving back to Canada in 1972, Ona worked as a secretary in the drilling department at Shell Canada for 22 years. During this time she volunteered with the Girl Guides of Canada and particularly enjoyed camping trips she went on with the girls. She was an avid hockey fan, attending games where she cheered on ‘her Calgary Flames’. She enjoyed watching curling and went to the Brier several times with her sister Pauline. Ona was a great gardener. She always had a lovely flower garden at her house in Calgary, and for many years tended a vegetable plot at a community garden. After retiring from Shell she completed a two-year course in Horticulture and Floral Design. Ona was devoted to her grandchildren. She spent countless hours watching them at their figure skating, hockey and softball pursuits, and instilling in them a fondness for crafts. Ona is survived by her children Sean and Kerry; grandchildren Isis, Ayla and Liam; great-grandchildren Chloe and Bennett; and sister Bernie Barbour. Ona was predeceased by her parents George and Matilda (Somers) Philip, her brother Glen Philip, her sister Pauline Philip, and her husband Francis Graham. Ona spent her last three years living at the Newport Harbour Care Centre in Calgary, and the family wishes to thank the staff there for their care and support. A private family interment at the Tilston Cemetery will take place at a later date. If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to The Alzheimer Society of Calgary, 800, 7015 MacLeod Trail S.W., Calgary, AB T2H 2K6, telephone: (403)290-0110, www.alzheimercalgary.com.