Obituary of Helen Marie Myers

Helen Marie Myers

(September 2, 1921 - April 25, 2018)

Helen Marie Myers of Camrose, Alberta, passed away on Wednesday, April 25, 2018, at the age of 96 years.

Helen was born September 2, 1921, in Regina, Saskatchewan to the late Alfred and Marie (Haack) the second of five children. Predeceased are her parents and three brothers Reverend Walter (Lois), Gerald (Delores), infant Elmer Ohrt; nephew Mark Smith; niece Suzanne Manley; and infant great-grandson Chase Warner. 
Helen grew up on a farm south of Regina and rode her horse to school in Gray. After grade 12 she went to Regina secretarial school.  One summer the Rocky Mountains beckoned her to Alberta where she met her husband of 59 years, Allan Myers of Strasbourg, Saskatchewan while ice skating in Calgary. They married on July 3, 1946, and had daughter’s Wendy and Sandra. They moved to Camrose in 1953 opening the very first fast food restaurant called Al’s Drive Inn. Al was the PR man and Helen the bookkeeper and advertising queen. In 1962 they sold and moved to Vernon, B.C. where they opened a golf range and Guys & Dolls Pool Hall. The family snow skied at Silver Star. They moved back to Alberta and Helen and Al relocated again to Camrose and opened The Grandview Esso Restaurant serving homemade food and pies. In 1967 they had the great fortune to acquire the KFC franchise and opened Burger King Drive Inn, which served KFC, hamburgers, shakes, and fixings. After 10 years Sandy moved to Camrose and joined the business so Al and Helen could semi-retire. They spent their winters in Mesa, AZ and started a Camrose Pot Luck Picnic Day for Camrose and community people providing, you guessed it, KFC. 
Helen had a flair for advertising and developed many promotions. She played the piano by ear and was the organist for the Eastern Star and was Worthy Matron in 1977. In Mesa, she learned many crafts but excelled in watercolour and oil painting.  In 1981 they retired to Fairmont, B.C. where they golfed, fished, motor-homed and entertained. Helen organized the first ladies Golf club at Riverside Resort and served as the first president.  Helen learned to tie flies for their fishing hooks and of course still holds the record for biggest trout caught at White Swan Lake. Helen was an accomplished fisher lady, golfer, seamstress, knitter, crocheter, painter, card player, but due to her diminishing eyesight caused by MD, she was unable to carry on these joys in life. She especially enjoyed listening to music. 
Helen was predeceased by her eldest daughter Wendy (57) from MS in 2004; and the love of her life Al in 2006 at age 83 at their retirement retreat in Mesa, AZ. After Al’s passing, she remained at Fairmont for 5 years and wintered in AZ. close to daughter Sandy and Carl Krenning. Very independent at 90 Helen moved to Deer Meadows. January 9th, she suffered a stroke and spent two and a half months in the hospital. On April 6th, Sandy and Helen flew to Abbotsford, BC where her grand-daughter Crystal (Jason) and great-granddaughter Riley reside, to a new private facility. It was like a five-star hotel called The Oxford. Daily, her caregivers dressed her to the nines, donning earrings, lipstick and perfume and gave her naturally curly hair a flip, just the way she always looked. On April 25th a massive stroke took her into God’s hands at a glorious age of 96 plus very well lived happy years.  
Helen always had a sparkle in her eyes, big smile, and always had kind words for everyone who met her. She will be sadly missed by her surviving daughter Sandy (Carl) Krenning; her younger sister Evelyn (Jack) Smith of North Battleford, Saskatchewan; grand-daughters Crystal (Jason) Warner, Lisa (Rob) Ardron and grandson Craig Baker; great grand-daughters Paige (Dave) Bratiuk, Brittany Reed, and Riley Warner; nieces Lisa Rogalsky, and Nancy Cowbell; nephews John and Paul Ohrt, Thane, Kent (Colleen), and Colin (Carolyn) Smith; and great-great-grandson Braxton Bratiuk.  Helen and Al were a great couple and will be greatly missed by their many dear friends. 

 

A Funeral Service was held at 11:00 a.m., Saturday, June 16, 2018, from the Burgar Memorial Chapel with Rev. Brian Hunter officiating. Inurnment will take place at a later date in the Camrose Cemetery.

If family and friends so desire, memorial contributions in Helen's memory may be made to CNIB as well as Heart and Stroke Foundation.