Iris Cynthia Bennett

June 1, 1926 - February 11, 2023
When Iris gently slipped through the veil on February 11, 2023, many of us who were left behind said quietly, "There she goes!".
But on the other side of the veil, her late husband Don shouted, excitedly, "Here she comes!" Also celebrating were Iris' parents, Maurice and Emily, her brother Ralph, his wife Annelie, and many more family and friends who had predeceased her.
Iris was born on June 1, 1926, in Edmonton, Alberta. She was a city girl who loved the country. She always remembered with fondness the many summer vacations spent at the family cabin called "Sunset Point" on Gull Lake, or at their friends' farm at Three Hills riding her favourite horse "Lady".
After high school, she had a number of jobs. One of them was working as a long distance telephone operator during World War II, where she was sworn to keep confidential any information she might hear regarding the war or national security. She was excited to hear the D-Day announcement while she was on the job.
It was at another job at Blue Cross where she met Don, her future husband. They were married on July 30, 1949. They were together for almost 71 years before Don passed away on April 11, 2020.
They are survived by their three children, Barry, Linda, and Shari, as well as grandchildren Evan, Kimberley, Kaeli, Jordan, Courtney B., Courtney F. and Camille, and two great grandchildren, Weston and Rhett.
Iris was kind, caring and compassionate. When she would visit Don in the hospital, she wanted to stop and talk to every patient and nurse as she walked down the hall. She was truly interested, and her interest and smile cheered up their day. After a while they approached her when they saw her coming. She loved to talk with friends and strangers alike.
Iris' kindness extended to animals as well. She loved to feed and talk to the horses nearby, and to the squirrels and birds in the back yard, especially the Jays. The Jays became so accustomed to her that one day one of them landed on her head!
Iris had a repertoire of memorized poems. One of her favourite poems, which she remembered from her childhood, was this:
God sees the little sparrow fall,
It meets His tender view,
If God loves the little birds,
I know He loves me too.
Iris was always a pillar of faith. She was a committed disciple of Jesus Christ. She was happy to serve voluntarily for decades in various capacities in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She spent many hours counseling, comforting, supporting, teaching, and listening.
Iris always had a great sense of humor. She had a quick wit and a ready smile. She also had an amazing ability to accept her circumstances without complaint. She was a strong woman who made the best of every situation.
She was deeply committed to her family, whom she loved unconditionally. She firmly believed, that "families are forever". We miss her terribly, but look forward to a family reunion with her.
Many thanks to Dr. Medhat Moussa, Home Health Palliative Care, and Save-On-Foods Pharmacy, for each of their excellent and outstanding care and support.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, March 4, 2023, at 4 pm at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 11750 - 207 Street, Maple Ridge.
Light refreshments to follow.