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August 15, 1930 - October 10, 2018
Elaine Balahura passed away peacefully at her home surrounded by family on October 10, 2018. Elaine was born on August 15, 1930 in Provost, Alberta to Alice and Louis Schneider. The family moved to Nelson in 1947 where Elaine finished high school. She met Gus, the love of her life, in 1949 and they married on September 1,1950. They had two children, Michael in 1954 and Donna in 1956.

Elaine worked at Mann's Drugs starting in 1947 and continued to work there for many years until it closed downtown whereupon she moved to Shopper's Drug Mart in the local mall. She was a Brownie leader, active with the Parent-Teacher Association, as well as a volunteer with all the other organizations or activities that involved her children. Elaine was very active in the church, first at Fairview United then at Nelson United where she was a member of 56 unit. She was secretary for the unit for many years as well as making all the pastry for their pie sales and contributing muffins for teas and bazaars. Elaine enjoyed sewing and this also was passed on to the church for bazaars and teas.

As well as sewing for her church and family, Elaine loved reading and working in the garden especially with the flowers. She spent 30 years travelling to Honolulu, Hawaii with Gus and staying at their favourite hotel - The Royal Grove. She met many new friends there that she enjoyed seeing every year as she and Gus escaped from the snowy winters.

Elaine loved all her family but especially her grandchildren of whom she was very proud.

Elaine is survived by her husband of 68 years, Gus and her children Michael (Brenda) and daughter Donna (Richard), grandchildren Brent (Marcie), Marissa (Jeremy), Justin (Lindsay) and Danielle (Darcy), great-grandchildren Audrey, Austin, and Autumn Roberts, Elaine and Malcolm Kraus, and Cadence Balahura, as well as two brothers, Frank and Bill Schneider. She was predeceased by her mother and father, Alice and Louis Schneider.

The family would like to thank Doctors McKechnie, Maytom and McKay as well as the staff at the Vancouver Eye Care Centre and the staff of Kootenay Lake Hospital.

The service will take place at Nelson United Church on Saturday October 20, 2018 at 11:00 am.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Kootenay Lake Hospital or H.E.L.P. Honduras, a Rotary health, education and literacy project (www.helphonduras.ca).

You are invited to leave a personal message of condolence on the families online register by visiting www.thompsonfs.ca.


Thompson Funeral Service Ltd.



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