January 27, 1935 – March 4, 2021
Grace Darlene Bryan (nee Lundgren) passed away peacefully at the age of 86 in Abbotsford, BC on March 4th, 2021 and will be sorely missed.
Darlene was born in Innisfail on January 27th, 1935, the second of two children for Mariam and Rudolph Lundgren of Kevisville.
Wherever mom was and whoever she was talking to - whether a SaveOn clerk, a doctor at the seniors clinic, or a publican in Ireland - she referred to herself as a 'farm girl from Alberta'. It was always said with pride and was attached to so many happy times of riding her horse Speedy to the schoolhouse in Dickson, going to dances at Sylvan Lake, and all sorts of things around the farm with fond memories of grandpa, grandma, mom, dad, and her beloved brother Ken. Although to be fair, the memories of the temperamental geese may have been less fond.
With the homestead in the capable hands of Ken, this 'farm girl from Alberta' went further afield; to a dam sight in Northern Saskatchewan, to work in Portland Oregon, and then to many other spots in the US where the girls wrote the names of each town they stayed in, on the ever dustier car that somehow managed to keep going.
A return to Alberta saw time spent in Calgary - sharing elevators with Joe Kapp dontcha know - and Edmonton, then marriage and a move to the West Coast. After living in Vancouver for a while, the birth of son Dallas led down the well trodden path to the suburbs. It is there in Abbotsford that Darlene spent most of the next 45 years. She raised her son largely on her own as a single working mom and gave him an upbringing beyond anything he could have expected. The support and love was unerring. It was a constant for 49 years and is irreplaceable and will be missed each and every day.
In retirement, mom kept trying out different flowers in the garden, the birds fed, supporting local charities, having the neighbours around for coffee, and talking as much as she could to her son, brother, and family and friends from the farm. The smile never faded and a laugh was always at hand.
Darlene is survived by her adoring son Dallas and the remaining Lundgren family, from Myrna, to the kids Norman, Roger, Darcy, Karen, and their partners, kids, and grandkids. Times such as they are, there will be no public service. If desired, in lieu of flowers or condolences you can always donate a dollar or two, in person or online, to the Dickson Store Museum.
