Doris Opal Irving

Doris Snell Irving

1924 – 2018 

Our precious mother passed away Tuesday, March 20, 2018  at the Three Hills Health Centre.  She was born at Leedale, Alberta, the fourth child of a family of eight, born to Sarah and Ralph Jacobs.  Mom was raised on a farm at Rumsey and attended a country school called Stonehenge.

Before marrying our father, Russell Snell in 1945, she took youth training and became a riveter at Aircraft Repair in Edmonton for two years.   While in her teens she worked on many farms around the Carbon area and even was a domestic for Judge Riley, in Calgary for awhile.  Never afraid of hard work, she milked cows, raised turkeys, chickens, pigs, ducks, geese, cattle, sheep, and always had a huge garden on the farm north of Carbon.  After Russell passed away at the young age of 44.  Mom moved to Three Hills and worked for Austin and Lorraine Sawdon in their drugstore before meeting and marrying Bill Irving from Huxley.  Again she was in her element on a grain farm, her yard was kept like a park and there was always fresh baking to enjoy and again, a huge garden.  Bill and Mom eventually left the farm and moved to Red Deer where they enjoyed many years wintering in Arizona.  Due to health concerns, Mom and Bill moved to Three Hills, to be closer to family.  A few years after Bill’s passing Mom became a resident of the Golden Hills Lodge and then spent just over one year at St. Mary’s Care Centre in Trochu where she received excellent care.

Doris is lovingly remembered by her children Gordon (Bonnie) Snell,  Marvel (Gordon) Nash ;  grandsons RJ (Amy) Snell and Darrell (Raquel) Nash;  grand daughter-in-law Thi ; great grandchildren Grace, Mather, Clara, Emma, and Molly Snell and Mallory Nash.  She is also survived by Bill ‘s  family Loran (Linda) Irving and Keith (Minnie) Irving and families. Mom was predeceased by her parents and siblings; first husband Russell Snell,  second husband Bill Irving and grandchildren, Shelley Nash and Russell Nash. 

An informal get together to visit and reminisce will be held Saturday, March 24, 2018 at the Three Hills Community Centre 222 Main Street, Three Hills, Alberta from 2 to 4 pm.  

If you wish to donate in memory of Doris Irving please consider:

                        St. Mary’s Health Care Centre

                        Box 100, 451 DeChauney Avenue

                        Trochu, Alberta  T0M 2C0