Della Balzer (née Moreau)
Della was born in Dollard, Saskatchewan on August 11, 1922 and died 90 years later in Parksville, B.C. on Earth Day (April 22, 2013) after a brief illness.
Della was pre-deceased by her husband Harvey and her twins Marie Eva and Marie Annette. She is survived by daughters Anne Newhouse, Donna Balzer (Keith McCrae) and Delima Stacey (Brad Rushton). She has seven grandchildren: Kalen, Chelsie, Brennan, Ayla, Breanna, Luke and Ben and three great-grandchildren Mali, Kale and Cohen.
Although she only had a grade 3 education Della always bragged about her CS (Common Sense) Degree and Delima called her the Energizer bunny. She volunteered for Hospice, in the kitchen at the Seniors Centre and at the Qualicum Manor. At the Manor she took seniors outside for walks in their wheel chairs until staff there realized Della was over 80 and they cut back her duties to card playing and visiting. Della was a seamstress by trade and she helped people by hemming their clothes, weeding their gardens, looking after their children, and helping with cooking and cleaning. She lived to help others.
Mom was 32 years old when she met Harvey. “I thought he was military- and I wondered - am I desperate? And then I thought – it’s my last chance. He was good looking and he had a sense of humor. I couldn’t stand someone who didn’t have a sense of humor.”
Harvey taught Della to read because he wanted her to read to him on their many long driving holidays. Reading was a great gift and Della loved romance novels. Reading also helped her learn to drive and to become an avid price checker. Della knew the price of butter at every store from Courtney to Nanaimo and would often ask her daughters and others “What did you pay for that?”
Celebrate Della’s life story with us at 2:00 PM Thursday May 2, 2013 at the Grace United Church in Coombs, BC.
In lieu of cards or flowers please consider donating to one of Della’s favorite charities: Ronald McDonald House in Vancouver or Salvation Army in Qualicum Beach.