In memoriam

On Sunday December 17, 2023 Maria Pires of Edmonton, AB, passed away peacefully at the age of 90 years.

She will be lovingly remembered by her husband Manuel; three children: Helen (Jorge) Castelo Branco, Carlos (Lori) and Walter; two lovely grandchildren: Anabella and Jacqueline; three great-grandchildren, a brother Augusto Rainho (Lucilia) as well as many other family and many friends.

She was predeceased by her parents Jaquim Gonsalves and Maria Agusta das Dores; and a brother Manuel Rainho.

Maria was a proud AUPE member who worked as a Heavy Duty Caretaker at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology until she retired in 1997. She will be deeply missed by her union family.

On November 15, 2023, long-time AUPE member Ava Raadik passed away in Grand Prairie, Alberta. Ava will be remembered for her 40+ years working in healthcare. In 2016, she retired from her position as Acute Care Clerk, saying that she truly enjoyed all the people she encountered and worked with during that time. 

Gordan Northam (Local 095 Chapter 001) 

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Gordon Northam of Calgary, Alberta. Gordon passed away at the age of 77-years old due to complications with COPD and will be remembered as a loving husband and father. He spent most of his career at the Foothills Hospital in housekeeping, part of Local 095 Chapter 001, where he worked from May 1982 to May 2017.   

A Celebration of Life ceremony will be held for Gordon on Saturday September 16, 2023 at 12:00 noon at St. Mark’s Catholic Church (5552 Madigan Drive NE, Calgary) in the reception hall. Friends and former colleagues from Foothills Hospital are invited to attend and celebrate Gordon’s life. 

GOA member makes donation to Members’ Benefits Benevolent Fund 

Dawn Lomas, a long-time activist with AUPE, has passed away. 

She was born on June 7, 1960, in Portage La Prairie, Man. Her family later moved to Edmonton and then St. Albert. 

In 1978 Dawn graduated from Ross Sheppard High School. Following high school, she earned certificates from NAIT for Micrographics and Medical Terminology. 

Dawn then began her career working for the Alberta Government at Alberta Health. She started in Micrographics before moving to Claims. While in Claims, Dawn worked her way up from the front-line position of Assessor to become the Supervisor of Practitioner Liaison. 

Later, she worked for Alberta Transportation in Stony Plain and then moved to Alberta Education in Edmonton, where she was a Finance Officer until her death. 

Dawn held numerous positions with AUPE, including Chapter Chair, Local Council Representative, Representative on two Area Councils (Edmonton and Stony Plain/Spruce Grove) and was a Convention Delegate several times. 

Dawn was tireless in her efforts for AUPE members. It is in keeping with her spirit of service that one of her final acts was to donate $500 to the Members’ Benefits Benevolent Fund. 

An obituary for Dawn, including details of a celebration of life, can be found here. 

Wayne Eugene “Chico” Paquette (AUPE Staff) 

On the early morning of September 30, 2022, after a month-long illness with his family by his side day and night, former AUPE union representative Wayne “Chico” Paquette passed away peacefully at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Ontario at the age of 80 years. 

Wayne leaves behind his wife of 59 years Susan (Carpenter), four children, ten grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren. 

Wayne, born August 26, 1942, was the second oldest, first son, and one of 15 children, (eight eight sisters & six brothers). Predeceased by both parents Earl Paquette & Ila (Sweet), sisters Cynthia, Elaina, brothers Robert, Randy, David, Kim, & Shawn. Survived by sisters Darlene, Donna, Susan, Janice, Cheryl, Tammy & brother Larry. He will be missed by many nieces, nephews, great nieces, great nephews, extended family & friends.  
 
Born in Peterborough, Ontario, Wayne and Susan moved to the Preston area in 1963, where he worked at Grist Mill, then onto other companies such as Goldie, McCulloch & Co., Babcock and Wilcox before landing a job at Budd Automotive where after many years he took the position as their union president. He took pride in supporting his fellow workers. In 1981, Wayne took a position as a union representative with the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees. Wayne was a skilled Union Rep and Negotiator who worked out of the Edmonton office and, later, in Red Deer. Renowned for his kindness and gregarious sense of humour, Wayne retired from his position at AUPE in 2002.  

Family and friends are invited to attend a celebration of life to be held on 29th of October 2022 from 1 PM to 5 PM at the Polish Club, 265 Avenue Road, Cambridge ON. As expressions of sympathy, donations can be made to Diabetes Canada or the Cambridge Food Bank.  

Rosemary Ann Tworkowski (Local 053)

The family of Rosemary Ann Tworkowski is sad to announce her passing on August 27, 2022.

Rose left behind her very much cherished dog Henry, her brother Jim, stepsiblings Troy and Heather, as well as Mom, Laura Lemky. Rose was predeceased by grandparents, Henry and Annie Lemky, her dad Peter, and his mother Maria, along with her niece Cheryl, aunts and uncles.

A Memorial Service to remember Rose will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, September 6, 2022 at PARK MEADOWS BAPTIST CHURCH, 2011 - 15 Ave N, Lethbridge, with a time of fellowship to follow the service.

Rosemary had worked as a caretaker at ULethbridge, Local 053, since being hired in 2016 and is described as someone who came to work every day with a contagious smile on her face, her unique giggle, and often bearing treats to share with her co-workers.

“Rose will be dearly missed by everyone who knew her,” adds Judy Jaeger, Manager of Caretaking. “You could see how special she was to our staff because when she was sick in hospital, she had so much support from so many of our employees, and especially Corinne, Joanne, Noreen, Yvette, Deb, Virginia, Mercy, and our retired staff member Stepheny, who all visited regularly.”

Morag MacKenzie (Local 006)

Long time AUPE activist and Local 006 leader, Morag MacKenzie, passed away recently. 

A memorial to celebrate her life will be held:

Friday October 1, 1:00pm – 4:00pm 

The Lodge at Snow Valley

13204 Rainbow Valley Rd NW, Edmonton

Morag was loved and respected by all who knew her through her passionate activism in AUPE, Local 006 and broader social justice movements.

Morag was a long-time Child and Youth Care Worker at the Yellowhead Youth Centre in Edmonton. As a worksite activist she was a formidable advocate for workers’ rights and the services they provided to vulnerable children and youth.

As a former Chair of Local 006 she helped lead the fight against government cuts during the Klein era of the 1990s and helped stop the privatization of the entire Children’s Services Department.

Morag never missed the opportunity to be on picket lines, rallies, demonstrations or wherever workers were standing up and fighting back.

For her tireless dedication to the members of AUPE over many years, Morag was awarded AUPE Life Membership upon her retirement a few years ago.

Our AUPE family, and particularly Local 006, is in mourning at the passing of Morag. But we celebrate her guidance and leadership knowing that our union and our province are better places because of her passion and activism. She will forever be in our hearts and minds.

Pamela Voysey

It is with great sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Pamela Voysey (Wilford) on July 31st, 2021.

Pam is survived by her daughter Kimberly Voysey (David), her son Michael Voysey, and their father Robert Voysey; brothers Rick (Lora) Wilford, Ivan (Donna) Wilford; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and friends. She was predeceased by her mother, Ingrid Wilford and grandmother, Martha Brandl.

Pam was born in High River to Ingrid and Lawrence Wilford on July 20, 1962. They moved to Ponoka when she was about 6 or 7, where she grew up and attended school. Pam excelled in school and often achieved honour marks. She set the bar high and always held herself to a higher standard. She was a perfectionist, and if it wasn’t done right, it was going to get re-done again and again until it was.

She married Rob Voysey in May of 1982 and they had 2 children, Kimberly and Michael Voysey. She started working at the Alberta Hospital Ponoka, (later renamed the Centennial Centre for Mental Health and Brain Injury) and was the third generation to work there, after her grandmother and mother. She was kind, caring and compassionate and had a work ethic second to none. She was well loved by those she worked with in the 35+ years she was with the hospital. She loved singing and song-writing and played the guitar very well.

Pam always had a love for animals, especially horses. She spent lots of time riding and taking care of her horse when she was growing up. Her love of animals carried on throughout her life and she always had a soft spot for a stray kitty or two. She loved being in her garden and backyard, planting flowers or sitting at her fireplace. She was always learning to do new things and there wasn’t much she wouldn’t try her hand at. She spent her time renovating her home and landscaping her back yard almost entirely herself. She will be terribly missed by all that knew her.

A celebration of her life will be held at the Ponoka Funeral Home on Friday, August 13, 2021 at 1:30 p.m. with a fellowship to follow after the service. The service will be live-streamed and can be viewed at service time on the viewer at the bottom of this page. The recording will remain on this page for 90 days.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Old Macdonald Kennels or The Canadian Diabetes Association.

Terry York (Local 095 Chapter 001)

Terry York of Calgary, AB passed away on Thursday, March 18, 2021 at the age of 49 years.

Terry was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia on July 20, 1971.

He moved to Calgary, Alberta in August 1979.

Terry graduated from Viscount Bennett High School.

Terry served his co-workers and his union as a Worksite Contact, Union Steward, Chapter Council Rep, Local Council Rep, and as Local 095/Chapter 001 Chair. He also volunteered with Theatre Calgary.

Terry accomplished much through his life and was particularly proud of his cats and working with Alberta Health Services for fifteen years.

Terry enjoyed playing bingo and computer games. He was passionate about his job and loved to interact with everyone.

Terry’s favorite verse from the Bible was “the Lord is my shepherd”

He will be most remembered for his kindness and consideration of others.

Terry is survived by his mother, Sharon, father, Charles, step-father, Gerald; as well as numerous cousins and friends.

Michael Kennedy (Local 54 Chapter 01 - retired)

It is with deep sadness the family of Michael Kennedy announces his passing on November 16, 2020.

Michael was born on January 08, 1941 in Portsmouth, England. He entered apprenticeship at the age of 15, working in the Port Kembla steelworks in Woolongong NSW, Australia. He moved to Canada in 1964 and worked on many residential and commercial projects in Edmonton.

Michael worked as an electrician in Physical Plant at the University of Alberta Hospital from 1979 until his retirement in 2006. Michael was an active member of Local 54 Chapter 01; serving as Shop Steward, Health & Safety Representative and an elected delegate to numerous local and national conventions. He was honoured with the Rolyn Sumlak Memorial Award in 2002.

It was shortly after his retirement in 2006 that he was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease. He will be remembered for his wry British humour, his creativity in the arts and love for camping and canoeing. He leaves behind his partner Della Letnes, son Mark and family, daughter Lara, as well as many friends and relatives across the world. We hope to gather, when circumstances allow, to celebrate this passionate, creative man who believed in the Union and worked hard to make the workplace a friendlier and safer environment.

Andrew Brown (Local 039)

Andrew Brown (Local 39) Andrew Brown of Calgary, AB passed away on Sunday, May 19, 2019 at the age of 39 years.

Andrew was born in Sheffield, England on July 31, 1979; the eldest son of David and Catherine Brown. He attended local schools in Dronfield, his hometown, before pursuing a diploma at Sheffield Hallam University. As a boy, Andrew developed a great love for football (soccer) and played for many years as a goalkeeper on local teams. He was a lifelong supporter of Sheffield United and was thrilled that they were recently promoted to Premier League.

Andrew's second passion was for ice hockey. He captained the Ice Tigers and supported Sheffield Steelers in the UK. This love helped guide him towards immigrating to Canada in 2011. Andrew quickly immersed himself in Canadian culture and enjoyed spending time in the great outdoors - making regular trips to the Rockies and Kelowna, BC. He played hockey with the Vipers for many years, captained the Alphas and worked for a long time as a referee. He was a devoted Flames fan who worked hard towards his dream of getting season tickets.

Andrew first came to Canada in 1999 for a year away after graduation. During this time, he worked at Sport Check where he made many lifelong friendships. Upon returning to the UK, Andrew took a job at HSBC in Sheffield before starting his career in post-secondary work at Sheffield Hallam University. After immigrating to Canada, Andrew became an International Student Advisor at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT) and a member of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE).

Andrew met the love of his life, Tanya, in 2016. He proposed while they were camping in Kelowna in August 2017 and he married Tanya on April 20, 2019.

He will be most remembered for his passion for life, his generosity of spirit and his ability to think of others before himself.

Andrew is survived by his loving wife, Tanya, and his parents, David and Catherine. He is also survived by his sister Anna, her husband Matthew and their sons, Duncan and Alastair; Andrew's brother Jonathan, his partner Jenifer and their son Dougie; as well as a large extended family and many, many friends. Andrew was predeceased by his younger brother,
Richard.

Jane Brynda Pederson (Local 46, Chapter 009 - retired)

On Monday March 9th, 2020 Jane Brynda Pederson (Roberts) passed away at the age of 69 years.

Jane leaves behind her loving husband of 49 years Gordie Pederson of Cadogan, AB, Children Nikki (Neil) Scammell of Cadogan, AB, Kelly Johnson (Doug Warner)of Sherwood Park, AB, Shannon Pederson (Colin Bailes) of Calahoo, AB.

Grandchildren Kaylee (Cory) Fossen, Shania Scammell, Quincy Reid, Jeremy Scammell, Mackenzie Johnson, Rylee Johnson, Cayden Johnson, Katie Warner.

Sisters Abbie (Doug) Young, Lori Roberts (Gord Danielson) Brother Maldwyn Roberts as well as numerous nieces and nephews, and a large extended family.

Jane was predeceased by her father Bryn Roberts, Mother Emma Grace Roberts, Twin Sister Joan Hagen, Aunty Tiny (Joan) Caithness, Nephews Robbie, and Neil Young. Dogs Dudley and Norman Pederson.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Jane’s name to the Edmonton Humane society or any animal rescue society of your choosing.

In keeping with Jane’s wishes cremation has already taken place, and a celebration of Jane’s life will take place at a later date once the Coronavirus pandemic subsides, and Jane’s husband Gordie is finished his cancer treatments at the Cross Cancer institute.