Obituary of My Mother Dearest
Corae Hionz died peacefully on May 1, 2021 at Belvedere Care Home in Coquitlam, B.C. with her eldest son Wayne at her side.
Known for her generosity and kindness, Corae was always there for friends and family to lend an ear, offer advice where needed, or to take in a relative or two to live in her home. Her desire was always to bring her family and friends together and over the years she hosted many large gatherings. Her final get-together with her family was on her 87th birthday in December 2020 where she enjoyed a Zoom conference call with some of her sons, daughters, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
Born Mary Rosaline Florence Hintz on Dec. 23, 1933 in Duck Lake, Saskatchewan to George and Helene Hinz, she was the youngest sister to Theresa and Doreen.
Theresa, Rosaline, and Doreen.
Her mother Helene died of pneumonia when she was four-years-old. Rosaline went to live with her grandparents, Frederic and Clarisse Primeau (nee Hamelin), also of Duck Lake, SK. She lived with her grandmother until she died. Rosaline was eight years old and was the sole caregiver for her grandma in her last days.
Her father George remarried and Rosaline gained a new mother, and two stepsisters, Hazel and Ruth; as well as two stepbrothers, Angus and Georgie.
Rosaline left home and went to live at the Catholic orphanage in Prince Albert, SK. Her father, a trapper who spent much time away from the farm on the Carrot River, wanted her to return to help on the land. She refused and so he appealed to the court. The court sided with Rosaline and she remained at the orphanage.
At the age of fourteen she left the orphanage, and went to study and work as a practical nurse at the hospital in The Pas, Manitoba. At the age of fifteen she began work at the Clearwater Lake TB Sanatorium. This is where she met the love of her life, William (Bill) Wachal who was working on the expansion of the sanatorium.
Rosaline (Rose) married Bill on Nov. 25, 1949, just one month before her sixteenth birthday. They went on to have seven children, Linda, Wayne, Ronald, Daniel, Catherine, David and Jacqueline.
Family photo with the whole crew. The late sixties. Thompson, Manitoba.
Rose was the consummate construction man’s wife. She went on the road with Bill as they put in highways. She lent an ear or provided a meal to those who were missing their families and homeschooled her own children along the way.
Bill worked with Simkins Construction and lived in Winnipeg, MB before starting Wachell Construction in Wabowden, MB where Rose ran her own restaurant adjacent to the Shell gas station they also owned and operated. They moved to Wabowden in 1959. Then to Thompson in 1964.
In line with her strong Christian faith she went on to teach catechism. She was always one to help at church or at the schools her children attended. She said it was expected of her for having so many children.
In search of a better life, they began to sell Wachell Construction in 1969. Rose took the kids and traveled out to Alberta to find a new home. They purchased an acreage in the hamlet of Carbondale, north of Edmonton. Once the construction business and equipment were sold Bill joined the family about a year later.
It was in Alberta that Rose took interest in Kabalarian philosophy, the study of numerology. Seeking to better understand herself and others, she continued her studies and helped many people to understand their strengths and weaknesses. This led to name changes for most of her family. She changed her name to Corae, and Bill became Curt. She later helped name many of her grandchildren.
When the children were older and all in school, Corae took up work at the St. Albert Inn and later became a real estate agent.
Late seventies. Edmonton, Alberta.
Curt took a job as manager of roadworks with Standard General Construction and they moved to St. Albert in 1973.
Her lifelong love was music. She taught herself to yodel as a child and later sang in the church choir. While encouraging her children to play instruments like accordion and piano, she met Francis Schuhard a piano teacher in St. Albert who got her singing and performing at seniors homes, and at Klondike Days. Corae also became involved in musical theatre.
The Whachells returned to their acreage home in 1976.
Corae and Curt’s marriage ended in 1984 and Corae later purchased a piece of land in the interior of BC by Rock Creek, as an investment for her children. She lived on the land, grew herbs and vegetables, chopped wood and carried water. During those days she helped with some of her grandchildren (her youngest daughter lived on the land also) and spent down time reading her bible and continued her interest in esoteric studies.
Corae loved to travel and visited such places as Hawaii, the Philippines, Mexico, many locations in the USA, and The Bahamas. She was known to pack up her car and hit the road. Never afraid to travel solo or with others along for the ride. In the year of Canada’s Centennial she packed up her children, along with a niece and grand-nephew and did a several week road trip to the west coast and Vancouver Island, stopping in at points-of-interest along the way which included Metis sites in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.
In the 90s, she returned to Vancouver and her daughter-in-law helped her with the discovery of her indigenous lineage. It was learned that she was connected to the heart of the Metis Nation through her maternal birthline. Her children have since been able to trace her Metis and French lineage back to the 1400s. Some of the more prominent names from Manitoba’s Red River Valley that she is a descendant of are Primeau, Hamelin, Houle, Lambert, Ducharme, Parisien, and Lauzon, just to name a few.
She is survived by her seven children, Allynne Nixon, Wayne Wachell, Jonn Whachell, Dean Whachell, Robbin Whachell, Nollind Whachell and Jacqueline Wachell.
Her twenty grandchildren, Rea Dann, Jennifer Small, Davyde Wachell, Michael Wachell, Jarret Hynd, James Maltby, Alainnah Cavasin, Roxsane Kerstein, Kaayla Whachell, Kiki Whachell, Odeshah Whachell, Curt Whachell, Loryn Geng, Nathen Blower, Tohni Blower, Jackie Blower, Lorea Wachell, Samaya Whachell, Seleena Warren, and Breonna Whachell.
Her nineteen great-grandchildren, Ashley Small, Dylan Small, Sarah Small, Jordan Small, Nissi Dann, Cruz Dann, Zaria Dann, Catalina Wachell, Beckett Wachell, Grayson Maltby, Isaac Kerstein, Kai Kerstein, Kestrel Cavasin, Everett Geng, Kelly Heyduck, Orean Whachell, Tonnera Whachell, and Blake Maruska.
Due to the pandemic, a celebration of life was held one year later on the anniversary of her death: May 1, 2022.
View the video overview and montage captured by Jacqueline Wachell.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Hoy/Scott Watershed Society to support salmon enhancement in the Coquitlam area where she enjoyed many afternoons walking through the forest along Hoy Creek, and salmon spotting in the fall. hoyscottcreeks.org