Yvonne Burnell Pohl

Yvonne Burnell Pohl

1935 - 2024

It is with heavy hearts that we, the family, announce the unexpected and sudden passing of our mom, Yvonne Pohl. 

Mom was born in Eston Saskatchewan, on May 14, 1935.  She was the youngest of seven children, born to Ivan and Etta McLeod (Middleton).  Etta passed away when Yvonne was very young.  Ivan feeling that he was unable to raise Little Vonnie on his own, planned with his sister Berti and her husband to raise Little Vonnie with their family in British Columbia.  Mom’s oldest sister, Jean, was to accompany Yvonne on the LONG train ride.  Yvonne preferred bare feet, but new shoes were purchased for the trip.  Little Vonnie was NOT happy on the train ride, she was NOT happy at Aunt Berti’s… She refused to wear her new shoes… SHE WANTED TO GO HOME TO BE WITH HER DAD!  Her STUBBORNESS paid off and Little Vonnie returned home. 

Ivan, living through the dirty 30’s in Saskatchewan, made the decision to move his family to the Swan River Valley.  Another train ride for Yvonne.  All of Ivan’s worldly possessions along with his livestock were loaded into a boxcar, headed for Manitoba. Ivan and his son Robert were allowed to tend to the livestock in the boxcar, but there were to be no other passengers.  Ivan smuggled his 2 youngest daughters Leah and Yvonne on board and hid them in the straw.  The girls were given strict instructions, so that whenever the train stopped, they were to hide and be quiet.  Yvonne LIKED to hide but she LOVED to talk, it was hard for Yvonne to be QUIET! 

Yvonne was raised by her Dad in the Big Woody area. She attended school at the McVey country school, a considerable distance for her to walk, along a heavily wooded path.  As Yvonne grew older, she helped with the household duties, farm chore tasks, and gardening.  Ivan taught her the importance of working hard and whatever the task, doing it WELL.  Yvonne moved to Swan River to finish her high school education.  She lived and worked for a family, earning her room and board. She took her formal teaching education in Winnipeg.  She first met Dad in 1954 on a trip to Winnipeg with another student, Dad’s cousin, Lloyde Besselt.  Yvonne graduated and took on her first teaching position in 1955, at Heyes School, teaching grade 2.  The next year, she married her lifelong partner of 66 years, our dad, William (Bill) Pohl. 

Bill and Yvonne lived in Minitonas for a short while, longer in Yvonne’s opinion, having to live with her in-laws, Joseph, and Hulda Pohl.  In 1959 they moved to their first home, newly built, across from Craigsford School.  They would live there until 1972, deciding then, to move to Bowsman.  Yvonne moved from a small, poorly insulated, drafty house to a big, poorly insulated, drafty house.  The six of us would adapt, wearing extra clothes to keep warm in the winter and very little throughout the heat of the summer.  But we had RUNNING WATER and Yvonne could not have been happier.  

Yvonne loved teaching.  Marlene was the oldest child by two years and for three CONSECUTIVE years, a son was born in August, first Don, then Robert and then came Sheldon.  And Yvonne went back to teaching at the beginning of each September with the help of a hired girl.  She taught in Swan River, Minitonas, Bowsman and country schools Hall and Craigsford.  She enjoyed teaching every one of her students and remembered so many of them years later. 

Yvonne was a great cook and baker.  She made a lot of her baking from SCRATCH as her granddaughter Meghan fondly remembers.  Each year she baked two angel food cakes and one chocolate, from scratch, in August, for her three sons’ birthdays.  She passed along her passion for preparing meals and baking to three generations.  What she did not pass along was the use of measuring cups or spoons, she didn’t own them or use them!   

Yvonne is to be commended for her infamous boxed lunches sent to the farm for the boys, Dad, and the hired help; her ability to drink the hottest water… straight from the kettle; her determination to lose weight through the Tops/Kops program and keep it off; her frugal tendencies; her WORK ethic; and MOST OF ALL her loyalty to Bill. 

In 1995, Yvonne retired from her beloved teaching career, to join Bill farming for ten years.  In 2005, they were BOTH officially retired. 

Yvonne enjoyed gardening, she belonged to the Bowsman Horticultural Society and had a HUGE garden with ALWAYS a bountiful harvest.  We, her family, continue to reap the benefits of her gardening knowledge and skills. 

Yvonne expressed her love and compassion for others through her actions.  Family was always greeted with a kiss and hug.  She spent endless hours in the hospital at the bedside of family and friends, visiting at the Care Home and enjoying the fellowship of food and drink with all.  When her mobility became an issue, she reached out by phone.  Lots and lots of phone calls, to those she loved and cared for. 

Yvonne and Bill would make a final move in 2017, to the Midtown Estates in Swan River. Thankful, happy, and content, living out the remainder of their lives, Bill passing peacefully, at home, in bed, in April of last year. Our family will forever be grateful for all the love and support Mom received from the residents living in their building after Dad passed. THANK YOU. 

Yvonne lived a long full life, from driving with horse and buggy to driving her last car… from cooking on a woodstove to electric… from running water found in a ditch to a tap… from Aunt Berti’s letter to her last letters posted the day before she passed… from watching her Dad gardening to watching Joyce, across the back lane… from her first classroom with Henry Barkowski to her last with Tenneil Anderson, her granddaughter… from running in bare feet to pushing a walker… from her first breath to her LAST. 

Left to lovingly remember Yvonne, daughter Marlene Anderson (Dale) of Bowsman, sons Don (Susan) of Dauphin, Robert (Keri-Lynn) of Oakville, Sheldon (Marilyn) of Winnipeg, 9 grandchildren plus 2 from a blended family and 16 great-grandchildren.  Yvonne remembered every one of us, on our birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, and Christmas, with a card and a little something inside. 

Yvonne is predeceased by her husband Bill, her parents Ivan and Etta, sisters Jean, Betty, Doris, Myrtle, Leah, and brother Robert. 

As per Yvonne’s wishes, cremation has taken place and there will be no formal service.  BUT… come join family and friends for SNIC SNAK, at the Swan River Senior Centre, August 31st. from 1:00 - 4:30.  A thankful remembrance of BOTH Mom and Dad. 

Memorial donations may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Manitoba 1379 Kenaston Blvd Winnipeg, MB R3P 2T5 or a charity of one’s choice. 

Come join family and friends for

SNIC SNAK

A thankful remembrance of Mom and Dad

Swan River Senior Centre

Saturday August 31, 2024

1:00 - 4:30 PM