Obituary of Florence Pearl Tyler

Pearl slipped away peacefully on January 12, 2014. She was born on June 3, 1918 in the town of Rose Valley, SK, the daughter of James and Agnes McDonell, Pearl grew up with two sisters and they enjoyed a strong family bond throughout their lives. Pearl met her husband, Howard, the love of her life, at a small town dance and they married in 1942. He trained as an RCAF air crew member, and then left for three tours of duty overseas. Pearl moved to Montreal, with her sister Patricia, to work in a factory and to wait for his return. When Howard returned from the war, he was employed with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and after several moves, they relocated to Regina. Howard designed their home and had it built, and it was here that they put down roots. Pearl grew up a tomboy, independent and strong-willed. She was a skillful athlete and most recently when she was asked what other career path she would have chosen in life, she revealed that she would have loved to be a hockey player. Pearl thoroughly enjoyed a range of sports and belonged to the Caledonian Curling Club; she played golf avidly, and attended as many hockey games, curling tournaments, and Rider home games as she could fit in her busy schedule. A consummate mother and homemaker, Pearl was an excellent cook and a gracious host, and she enjoyed creating lovely events for her family and friends. She was also an avid gardener, and her yard was a flourish of colour –beds of pink and red impatiens, clematis climbing wildly against the side of the house, a fence of gigantic sunflowers framing the yard, and an effusion of flowers and plants. Pearl was never happier than when she was dressed in her gardening clothes and digging in the dirt. She also tended a rose garden and took great pride in the variety of rose bushes she nurtured. Pearl would share her knowledge of gardening and would offer slips of her plants to anyone who wanted them. She was predeceased by her parents, James and Agnes (nee McDonald) McDonell; her loving husband, Howard in 1979; and her dear sisters, Gladys (MacAllister) 2010 and Patricia (Boyle) (2013). Pearl is survived by her children, Rod (Mary Ann), David (Lorna), Ian (Jane) and Holly (Collin); grandchildren, Sean (Melinda), Marek (Erin), Keely (Paul), Darcy, Evan (Alice), Joe, Owen and Lavinia; great-grandchildren, Leighton, Kaleb, Keone and Xander. A private family service will be held. A celebration of Pearl’s life will be held later in the summer when the flowers are in full bloom. Into the freedom of wind and sunshine, we let you go Into the dance of the stars and planets, we let you go We love you…we want you to be happy Go safely, go dancing, go running home. (R. Burgess, “Saying Good-Bye”) Godspeed.