In the early morning hours of December 31, 2021, our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother Vicki passed away peacefully in her room at River Park Gardens Personal Care Home in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was 90 years old.

 

Myra Victoria Reid was born on February 18, 1931 in Los Angeles, California and was the fifth of seven children. Her parents - William John Reid and Myra (McPhaden) - had moved there in the mid 1920s, where they lived and worked there until their return to Canada in July 1932. Back in Canada, she grew up in the McConnell area of Manitoba, with her family moving eventually to Hamiota, Manitoba. Following Grade 12 graduation, she moved to London, Ontario and worked at London Life until the early 1950s. She then moved to Brandon, and started working for the Manitoba Power Commission (now Manitoba Hydro). It was at one of the company’s social events where she met Richard (“Ri”) Morgan, her future husband.

 

Ri and Vicki married on June 12, 1954. They lived their whole married life in Brandon’s East End in the two homes they built together on Percy Street. In May 1955, their first son Jordan (Jody) was born, followed by son Mark in October 1958, daughter Reva in July 1961 and son Hugh in November 1965.

 

Although Vicki returned to work for a short time after Jody was born, she became a full-time mother for the rest of her life - and she was a great mother. She always encouraged her family to be positive, good to others, and to reach for their full potential.

 

From an early age, Vicki enjoyed and loved to show her artistic side. During her school years, and throughout her married life, she loved to sketch and paint. She loved working with oil and acrylic paints, and often pencil-sketched some outlines of future projects onto paper or canvas. As a couple, Ri and Vicki enjoyed an active social live, getting involved in a Brandon square dance group where they made many life-long friends. She was the Charter President of the Urbanacres Toastmistress Club in the early 1960s. She was an active blood donor for the Canadian Red Cross, and continued as a volunteer with them after age 65. Family trips were always a highlight for Mom. She always made sure that everything was packed and ready-to-go on every morning of those trips. After their children left home, and for many years after Ri’s retirement, they enjoyed many trips away – road trips across Canada to visit family and friends, and several international flights to England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland, where Mom was able to retrace our family’s roots on both sides. In her later years, she was involved in several church groups at Knox United Church, and she also performed in a handbell chorus to the delight of residents of many personal care homes in Brandon.

 

Following Ri’s death in January 2007, she continued to live in their home on Victoria Avenue East for several years. She moved into Riverheights Terrace in Brandon, where she lived until July 2013. With the encouragement of all of her children, she moved to Amber Meadow in Winnipeg. In 2014, she moved into Norberry House at the Rosewood, and then to River Park Gardens in October 2016. Our family would like to acknowledge the assistance and guidance of every staff member at each these residences and homes that provided excellent care and support to our mother during her stays. We saw that Mom was always well cared for and made comfortable wherever she was living, and we never worried about Mom.

 

Vicki was predeceased by her husband Ri, daughter Reva Kowalchuk, grandson Mitchell, her parents Jack and Myra, her six siblings (Mavis, Hugh, Barclay, Roger, Ethel E., Alex) and their spouses. She is survived by son Jody and his wife Irma, son Mark and his wife Donna, son-in-law Stan Kowalchuk, and son Hugh and his wife Anita; her grandchildren Richard (Amber), Ben (Melissa), Evan (Gina), Robert, Jordan (Harlyn), Ryan and Victoria; and her great-grandchildren Alexys, Madilyn, Kaelyn, Sawyer and Hannah.

 

A Celebration of Vicki’s Life will be planned for later this year. Flowers are graciously declined. Donations in her memory may be made to the charity of your choice.

 

We Love You Mom. And we will miss you.