Mooney – Myrna Mooney passed away peacefully late in the afternoon of Tuesday, May 12, 2020 in Brooks. She was born in July 6, 1938 in Arborfield, Saskatchewan to Lea and Cecil Ubdegrove. Myrna is survived by her husband James Earl Mooney of nearly 65 years. Myrna and Jim had a long life of teasing and kidding each other. She left a legacy in her daughters Debbie Kowal, Renee Clarkin and Leanne Graham and her son Brad Mooney. Her family awarded her a medal at 60 years married to honour the simple fact that in all those years she hadn’t smothered Jim in his sleep. Their family loved nothing more than watching Jim spin Myrna around on the dance floor at every opportunity. Myrna followed her husband all around Alberta and Saskatchewan allowing him to follow the oil patch. She lived with him on many a rig lease in various trailers without complaint. They eventually settled their family in Brooks and then later in Okotoks. Myrna was very involved in the Oil Wives Clubs of both Brooks and Okotoks. She rode on many Oil Wives floats in parades and attended numerous Oil Wives conventions. Myrna made many lifelong friends in these groups all clearly following the mantra of “what happens at Oil Wives, stays at Oil Wives”. If you were a part of her Oil Wives shenanigans you were lucky enough to be connected to her for life. Myrna will be remembered by everyone that was lucky enough to know her by her amazing sense of humour. She had a come-back for everything and even late in her life she loved to tease the doctors and nurses. Her quick wit formed many friendships over the years. Myrna loved being in on practical jokes. Her true friends would not be surprised if she lost a bet and paid her debt in a huge 20 pound bag of loose pennies or if she had her $50 bill laminated before she gave it to them to honour a debt. If Myrna really liked you, you might have been lucky enough to be the victim of one of her funny schemes. She would spend an hour getting the noose just right around a plastic mouse’s neck so that she could secretly hang it in one of her sisters’ homes. The mischievous smile on her face when she heard the blood curdling scream when the prize was discovered was a constant and regular high point in her life. When she and her husband retired to Nanton, Alberta in 1991 they made many friends and became regulars at the Nanton Golf Club and the Senior Center (which she referred to as the Geritol Club). Myrna and Jim golfed regularly, but she would never count an extra stroke for a lost ball. Myrna said it was bad enough that she had lost the ball she wasn’t taking any penalty strokes for it. It was likely a ball that she picked up walking beside the creek on their acreage so her philosophy was that it was a lost ball already, so no penalty strokes required for putting it back in its rightful place. Back in the 90’s she was a loud and loyal Flames fan. Her crush on Lanny McDonald lasted throughout her life. Myrna could be heard referring to him as “her Lanny” or “there’s my Lanny” if she ever saw him on TV. As in all things in her life she was fiercely loyal, and the Flames were lucky enough to have her on their side. Myrna loved nothing more than a day of fishing and spent many days on the water with her family. She loved a day doing what she referred to as “drowning worms,” especially if she could catch more fish than Jim, which according to her, happened a lot. Myrna was an avid vegetable gardener. She loved pulling a few veggies out of the soil to send with anyone who happened to drop by. Myrna would give the veggies a quick rinse with the hose and send her guests off with a lovely bunch of fresh picked carrots or radishes. It gave her so much joy to share from that garden. She suffered her first heart attack in her late 50’s but still lived into her 80’s. That is one stubborn lady! She smoked from the age of 8 until almost 80. Myrna said nobody liked a quitter! She fought Alzheimer’s disease as hard as she could but it eventually took her life. Her family knows that she is in a better place where she is likely smoking her brains out while enjoying a Rye Coke Press! Myrna’s humour carried her every single day of her life. She was the most thoughtful and caring woman to all that she loved. Myrna will be very missed by her friends and family. You were a lucky person to be cared about by her and to care about her in return. She will be missed by many people she touched. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. In memory of Myrna, if friends desire, memorial donations may be made directly, in her humour, to the Alzheimer’s Society of Alberta who supported Myrna’s family to deal with a very difficult disease, 10430 – 61 Avenue N.W., Edmonton, Alberta T6H 2J3 https://alzheimer.ca/en/ab
Cremation is entrusted to and conducted by
Smith Funeral Home Ltd. and Crematorium, Brooks
Funeral arrangements entrusted to:
SMITH FUNERAL HOME LTD. AND CREMATORIUM
BROOKS, ALBERTA
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