VERNA MARY THIESSEN

On a pleasant Sunday morning in June, Verna Mary Thiessen (née Gusnoski) took one last deep breath before passing peacefully into the next realm, comforted by loving family members and knowing that she had made a difference in their lives. She was 88 years old.

Verna is survived by her son, Brian Cole (Helena); grandchildren, Jeannie Cole and Alana Cole (Trevor Brine); as well as her great-grandson, Michael. She is predeceased by her husband, Rodney Thiessen; her parents, Agnes and Michael Gusnoski; and her brothers, Harold, Martin and Michael.  

Born in 1937, Verna was the second youngest child of Agnes and Michael, and spent the first years of her life on a small market garden in the Rural Municipality of St. Clements. As a young girl, Verna formed many memories of her life on “the farm.” She especially enjoyed playing with her younger brother Michael, who was only two years her junior, and the family visits to the amusement park at Winnipeg Beach.

In time, Verna left home and headed into the city, eventually landing a job as a hairdresser at the old Cold Wave Shop on Donald Street. It was the perfect fit for Verna, a place where she could combine her creativity and technical know-how with her inherent people skills. 

“I just loved it,” she would say of her time at the shop.

A devoted single mom, Verna also had a life away from work, one that essentially revolved around her son. Evenings out for dinner and a movie (Elvis Presley films were her favourite) were a frequent occurrence during those years. They also enjoyed heading out to Grand Beach on summer weekends, taking a bus out in the morning and returning home by late afternoon.

In 1967, Verna’s life changed when she met and married Rodney, with whom she built a life. A few years later, Verna would leave the Cold Wave Shop, eventually becoming an instructor at the Scientific Marvel Beauty School. She loved working at the school because it gave her a chance to mentor a new generation of hairdressers. And nothing gave her more joy than seeing one of her former students succeed in their chosen career.    

As the years passed, Verna continued to focus on her family, especially with the arrival of her granddaughters. Summers at the lake and family dinners were a staple, and no visit would be complete without a review of the newest hair and makeup products or a discussion about the latest gossip surrounding their favourite Hollywood stars.

By the early 1990s, Verna and Rodney had entered a new chapter in their life together. They sold their home in the city and moved into a cozy house a short distance from where Verna grew up. There, they would spend the next thirty years, enjoying their time together, planting flowers and growing vegetables in the summer and travelling south in the winter, usually to Texas. It was a wonderful life, one that continued until Rodney died in 2024 and Verna, now suffering from dementia, moved to the Convalescent Home of Winnipeg, where she could get the care she required. Now, they are together again. 

A celebration of life for Verna will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, July 10, at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Winnipeg, 603 Wellington Crescent.

The Cole family would like to thank the staff at the Convalescent Home of Winnipeg for the exceptional care they provided Verna during her time there. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Convalescent Home, at 276 Hugo Street North, Winnipeg, MB, R3M 2N6.

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