Mrs. Hellen Ilmi Miranda Lindeman (née Pudas), aged 89, passed away on Tuesday, April 25, 2017 in St. Joseph's Hospital.
Miranda was born in 1927 in Port Arthur and grew up on her parents' farm in North Branch, with three sisters and four brothers. Her first job was as a cookee at bush camps in Stevens. She met her husband, Robert (Bob), at a sports event/dance at Isku Park in 1946 and they were married two years later in 1948. They bought a tiny farm close to her family and their two elder daughters, Margaret and Edith were born.
In 1951 they moved to Jumbo Gardens. In August 1953 Miranda contracted Polio. After a long and difficult period of illness and therapy, she recovered sufficiently to walk and resume her home-making and child-rearing, although the effects of the disease continued throughout her life.
The birth of her third daughter Dorothy in 1955 helped with her rehabilitation. She saw her daughters through school and university, tended home and garden, did crafts, painting and sewing, enjoyed fishing, camping and amphipod collecting, and travelled with Bob.
In 1988 she developed the debilitating Menierre's Disease and for the remainder of her life her health began to deteriorate and Bob became her primary caregiver.
Miranda is survived by her husband Bob, daughters Margaret (son-in-law Ward Anderson), Edita, and Dorothy. She is also survived by her sister Nelma Salmijarvi and brother Ed Pudas, as well as sister-in-law Bertha Pudas, and numerous nephews and nieces of the Pudas and Lindeman families. She was pre-deceased by her father and mother, Antti and Margaret Pudas, her brother Edwin, Oiva and Eino, sister-in-law Hazel, sister Gertie and brother-in-law Willie, sister Edith and brother-in-law Lauri Harju, brother-in-law John Salmijarvi, and Lindeman in-laws Bud and Fran Lindeman, Mike and Arlene Furgala, and Roy and Mary Claire Stirrett.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the March of Dimes or the charity of your choice. A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, April 29, 2017 from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at the Oliver Road Community Centre, 563 Oliver Road, in the downstairs room.
