The family of Mabel Hannah Charlton (nee Vipond) is sad to report that she passed away peacefully at Crocus Plains Villa on September 1, 2016 at the age of 95.  Mabel was born in Griffin, Saskatchewan, on May15, 1921.  She grew up on the family farm with her parents, Joseph and Susannah Vipond, her sisters, Viola, Mildred, Vivian, and Opal, and her brother Gilbert.  She was the sole survivor of this generation.

Mabel was predeceased by her beloved husband Jim and her oldest son Murry.  She will be deeply missed by her loving children, Bonnie (David) Little, Jack (Carol) Charlton , Janice Charlton and special daughter-in-law, Valorie McLeod.  Mom celebrated and adored her seven grandchildren: Barclay (Calinda), Ryan (Brooke), and Chad; Carla (Nathan) and Marcia (Jay); and Troy and James (Liz).  She also leaves behind six wonderful great grandchildren: Mason and Tylan Charlton, Adam and Kaleb Charlton, and Sonny and Jude Kinash.  Mom was a special aunt to our Nelson, Vipond, Olson, Rommann and Charlton cousins. 

As a child, Mabel and her siblings learned how to create a beautiful yard in an often dry, prairie setting.  Along with Dad, she created a park-like prairie haven on a bare hilltop north of Griffin, Saskatchewan.  When they retired, they remade the yard of their Weyburn home into a showcase peaceful garden.  Many novice gardeners benefitted from Mom’s expertise with growing perennials and exotic plants.  Many were impressed with her knowledge of plants, for example, she knew all the common names and all the Latin names for every plant in her yard.  Her love of gardening lives on in numerous gardens around Saskatchewan and Alberta. At 18 years old, Mabel went to the Regina Normal School to train to become a teacher.  After four months, many male teachers enlisted to serve in the Second World War.  Mabel's instructors had confidence that she could go out and teach. She went to a one-room school in Porcupine Plain, Saskatchewan, then to Kennal School, rural Lumsden, and then to Regina Public where she was one of the first kindergarten teachers.  When the War ended, Mabel left teaching and married her high school sweetheart, Jim Charlton.  She remained connected to teaching and was a favorite substitute teacher at Griffin School for many years. 

Mabel was always interested in learning and she was especially creative.  She was an artist who created handmade note cards with her fine-line drawings and pressed leaves. Mabel was an avid photographer with a great eye for picture composition. She took pictures of nature, farm life and her family. She owned many cameras. In her 80s, when she took up computing, she enjoyed sending and receiving pictures with her emails. She enjoyed watching sports while knitting, crocheting and quilting.  She was an avid reader, especially of gardening books.  Her weekly flower arrangements were appreciated by many including Crocus Villa and her hair salon.  Mabel wrote two local history books, Griffin Prairie Wool I and II, with her good friend and neighbors, Mrs Scarrow.  She also wrote a memoir chronicling her life with Dad on the farm. Along with her sisters and brother, the Vipond farm house was moved to the Weyburn Heritage Village, as a window into a farm life on the prairies. Her most lasting legacy is her service to others.  She was a faithful member of the Griffin and Grace United Churches.  After knitting 250, Mabel stopped counting the baby sweater sets she knit for the Weyburn Hospital Auxiliary.  Every Christmas, she would put together care baskets of homemade bread, cookies and jams for elderly friends and relatives.  Mabel and Jim delivered Meals on Wheels for many years.  As a volunteer at Crocus Villa she  read to many guests.

A Service of Remembrance for Mabel was held on Wednesday, September 7, 2016 at 1:00pm from RD Family Funeral Chapel, Weyburn, SK with Rev. John Ferrier officiating. Interment was held at Griffin Cemetery, Griffin, SK.

The family wants to thank the staff of the Crocus Plains Villa for the care and kindness they gave Mom during her years at the home.

 For family and friends so wishing, in lieu of flowers, charitable donations in memory of Mabel may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, 1910 McIntyre St., Regina, SK  S4P 2R3

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