Avis Cassells

After celebrating her 93rd birthday, Avis departed this life to be reunited with her beloved Hazen on March 22, 2023.

Avis was born and raised in Strathclair to Myrtle and Bill Hunter on February 28, 1930. Her first singing engagement was at the age of 5 for the United Church Choir. On June 15, 1948, at the age of 18, Avis married Hazen. They farmed for 12 years in the R.M. of Shoal Lake before moving to the village of Shoal Lake in 1960.

Avis was incredibly community minded and much of her life was dedicated to helping others. She taught Sunday School as a member of Westminster United Church, served 18 years on the church board, served as superintendent, and was a proud choir member since 1960. She was baptized into the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in July of 2001 and attended church in Brandon until she was unable to drive.

Additionally, Avis served 5 years on the hospital board, 8 years as a C.G.I.T. leader, and 40 years as a member of the Royal York Chapter of The Order of The Eastern Star in which she also had served as past matron. She enjoyed membership in the Ladies Curling Club and was a Charter Glee Club member.

Avis worked at Grieves Hardware for 14 years. She was the assistant manager at the Buffalo Plains Inn and worked for Nesbitt Publishing as an advertising salesman. She chaperoned MANY school dances! Perhaps this is where she learned her love of young people’s music as she spent years DJing for weddings and parties, which notoriously lasted far longer than originally scheduled.

A woman of many talents, Avis loved singing, reading, making friends, knitting, crocheting, cooking, baking, and going out for coffee with her buddies. She loved to hear people laugh and children sing. In her later years she became famous for her peppermint chocolate muffins which she loved to share with friends.

Avis considered her most significant accomplishments to be becoming a wife and partner in marriage, becoming a mum, and a gramma and great gramma. Her favourite thing is hearing her grandchildren say, “Hi Gramma!” Her grandchildren adored her, and one even brought her to school for show and tell!

She will be missed by all those who loved her, especially her children: Jerry and Corinne. Jerry and his wife Marian (Toronto) and their three children, Erin, Alanna, and Clint, and Erin’s children, Marlee, Logan, and Elizabeth. Corinne (Calgary), her daughter, Megan, and her children, Hazen and Elise. She was an aunty with many nieces and nephews and a great aunty to even more!