Obituary
Dixie passed away this month in Edmonton, Alberta at the age of 86 years. She was one of the three Lowes children, all growing up in Rainy River Ontario. Dixie, being the oldest, had two younger brothers, Ray and Dale.
This year when passing, she left behind 4 children and their families who reside in different provinces. Doug is in Alberta, Cheryl in BC, Donna in Ontario, and Margret also in Alberta. The Vellieux family also includes 10 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren. Dixie married a local boy, Harvey Vellieux, who was also from the same small town of Rainy River.
At an early aged of 18 and 20 they married and moved west by train to Vancouver, BC to start life as a newly married couple. Harvey found work in local residential construction, then moved into the heavy industrial construction field. This career change required moving home and children from town to town throughout the interior of BC. Dixie soon gained expertise of moving the family home on a moment’s notice. The Vellieux family lived in Vancouver, Castlegar, Nelson, Mackenzie, Canal Flats, Kimberly, Golden, Nanaimo, and then finally Kelowna, all these locations within a 12-year period. The Kelowna area was to be the end of the road trip and the Vellieux family home became a permanent location for the future years and memories which were to follow
After retirement and years in the Kelowna area and with no children living at home they moved east, back to Rainy River for a short period. On a trip to visit their youngest daughter, Margret, and family in Edmonton, Dixie gave notice that the new homestead would now be in Edmonton near the young grandchildren. Harvey, in good faith, returned to Rainy River to pack and move the household goods to Edmonton, Alberta. They purchased a home just a few doors away, now they were the happy grandparents, always on call when needed. Here they remained to the end of their years. Harvey passed away 13 years ago. Dixie passed away this month. Margret and family have always supported the needs and wishes of both Harvey and Dixie in their later years with so much love and attention. When the Covid alarm was heard, Margret and her husband Dwight moved Dixie from her apartment to their home where she remained amongst the grandchildren and family to her last day. She will be missed by family and the many people she interacted with through work or friendship during the days she was with us.
