Violet Rae Schrader

Vi Schrader (aka Mom, Momsy, Grandma, Great-gran) was a character for all of her 95 years. She was born Violet Rae Twist on July 5, 1921 near Montreal QC, the only child of middle-aged parents who had been told she was a fast growing tumour. This was a story she loved to tell and a beginning that probably laid the groundwork for her unfailingly quick wit and charming, self-deprecating sense of humour.
Fiercely independent with an adventuresome streak, there were a couple of notable times in her life when she left the comforts of what most people would consider the safe and sane path for an adventure of her own making.
Instead of marrying and settling down, 18 year old Vi left Canada at the outset of WWII to serve in the St. John's Ambulance as a nursing aide in London, surviving the Battle of Britain before returning home.
While working at CIL industries in the post-war years, she met and married her one beloved, Cecil Schrader. They had some wonderful years and two children together during which Vi's life was as close to typical as it would ever be. Sadly Cecil passed away suddenly in 1964 leaving "we three" on our own.
In the spring of 1965, Mom decided to take what remained of her little family out of an increasingly hostile environment for the anglophone community of Quebec. In addition to the unfriendly political climate of the day, she also HATED the cold and snow of Montreal, so with two young children in tow she embarked on a mission to build us a new life somewhere warmer. Lacking the funds to get to Australia (her first choice) she settled us in Victoria BC and never looked back, enjoying a full and rewarding life here until her remarkably peaceful passing on Sept 30, 2016.
In addition to being an adventurer, she was also a meticulous planner, even a worry-wart sometimes. Never wanting us to wonder about her final arrangements, she left complete instructions for saying our goodbyes including that "...it all be kept simple and short so that those attending can get on with their lives with good and happy thoughts of me." Anyone who knew Vi is welcome to join us in doing that at her Celebration of Life, to be held on Saturday Oct 22, 2016 at 1:30pm in the Chapel at Royal Oak Burial Park, 4673 Falaise Drive, Victoria BC.

Celebration of Life