Obituary of Madeline Claire Stokes

It is with profound sadness that the family of Madeline Stokes announce her passing on September 30, 2011 at the Assiniboine Centre of Brandon. Madeline was born July 4, 1925 in Halifax, NS to Russell and Louise (Christian) Lawrence. She attended school in Halifax, until beginning work with the Maritime Telegraph & Telephone. She then obtained employment with the Canadian Navy at HMC Dockyard, taking messages from incoming ships in Halifax Harbour. This led her to a job in the coding department, where she decoded messages from ships and other wartime establishments. It was during this time that she met Lloyd, who was RCN Permanent Navy and stationed at Port War Signal Station at the entrance to Halifax Harbour. They were married in Halifax in 1944, a "shore" job with the Navy took them to St Hyacinthe, Quebec. It was while they were living there that the war in Europe ended and this would mean they would move back to Halifax for a time. In 1947, when Lloyd's seven year Permanent Navy career ended, they travelled to Souris, MB, by train. After several more moves in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, they finally settled in Souris and Madeline began her 26 year career with the Manitoba Telephone System, first in operator services and then advancing to Manager of Operator Services. When it was evident that the office in Souris was slated for closure, Madeline took a job as a Regional Instructor, working out of Brandon. During this time she saw a great deal of Manitoba as her territory stretched from Melita to Churchill. Madeline retired in 1985. In 1998, she moved to Brandon where she resided until her passing. She had been very active with the Manitoba Telephone Volunteers and thoroughly enjoyed that time spent with her many friends and colleagues. Madeline is survived by her son, Richard and wife Donna (Farden) Stokes and their sons, Jeff and Ryan Stokes, all of Brandon and her daughter, Diane and husband Claude Martin of Hartney, MB, and their son Bryce Martin of Winnipeg and daughter, Andrea (Derek )Rothnie of Brandon. Also left to mourn are her brothers, Jim Lawrence of Halifax and Ron (Barb) Lawrence of Musquodoboit, NS, and her sisters, Kaye Gertz of Windsor, ON, and Lorraine Merchant of Halifax, NS, as well as many nieces and nephews. Madeline was predeceased by a daughter, Carol Ann in 1946, and her husband, Lloyd in 1987, her brothers, George Thomson and Russell Lawrence of Halifax and sisters, Helen Mullen of Brockville, ON, and Dorothy Lawrence of Halifax, as well as her father and mother, Russell and Louise (Christian) Lawrence of Halifax and father and mother-in-law, George and Yonna (Davidson) Stokes of Souris. A Memorial Service was held at Brockie Donovan Chapel on Monday October 3, 2011 with Rev. Ralph Clark officiating. Interment was held in the Souris and Glenwood Cemetery. If friends so desire, donations may be made to the Canadian Diabetes Association 727B-10th Street, Brandon, MA, R7A 4G7 or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba, Unit B-824 18th Street, Brandon, MB, R7A 587. "If love could have saved you, you would have lived forever"