Obituary of May Cairns
It is with great sadness and heartbreak that we must announce the passing of (Margery) May Cairns (Tittemore) on February 28, 2024, at the age of 99.
May was born May 13th, 1924, and raised on the family farm in Liberty, Sask with 3 brothers, Charles, Delbert, and Jimmy, and 2 sisters Margaret and Joyce.
May spent her earlier years working at the Leader Post in Regina until she married her husband Jim in 1947. Together they started and developed Cairns Homes Ltd. in Regina in 1954. They lived in Regina until retiring in 1972.
We all have so many great memories with May and Jim at their beach cottage in Kanata Valley Sask, boating, water skiing, and playing hours of beach volleyball late into the night. May also enjoyed snow skiing, and was a natural at golfing (.. much to Jim’s competitive frustration).
Both May and Jim loved travelling and they spent many a holiday in exotic destinations around the world. Once retired, they spent their winters in Waikiki Oahu Hawaii, & then in Arizona. They moved to Calgary Alberta in 1973, and finally resided in Red Deer Alberta in 1991.
One of the highlights of May’s life, was spending many a day fun-shopping with her beloved sister Joyce in Red Deer, on what was their legendary “Tuesday May-Day Shopping Days”, and you could always hear the two of them giggling and having such fun in the aisles of the shopping mall stores.
From childhood, May had a great love for all animals. Always near and dear to her heart, were memories and photos of her childhood horse “Queeny”, the paintings, and figurines of her wild white horses. She spent many special hours helping, caring for, loving, and cuddling with all our dogs and cats.
She was admired, adored, and loved by so many. Always so self-less, compassionate and giving, gracious and kind, always with such a positive attitude towards life, she was an endearing role model for us all. Even at age 99, she had an independent and respected strength for quality of life.
May was predeceased by her husband Jim, her son Gord and her 5 siblings ~ Charles (Ruby) Tittemore - Calgary Alberta, Delbert (Pat) Tittemore - Cochrane Alberta, Jimmy (Maureen) Tittemore - Liberty Sask, Margaret (Vince) Skeldon - Winnipeg Manitoba, and Joyce (Don) Lancaster - Red Deer Alberta.
She is survived by her daughter Sandy Cairns (Mark Dakin) - Red Deer Alberta, her granddaughter Bree Silver Cairns (Sasha Sircus) - St.Croix, US Virgin Islands, her daughter-in-law Shelley Silver - Vancouver BC, granddaughters Melissa Walsh and great-granddaughter Meadow - Vancouver Island BC, Melanie Walsh (Ryan Peters) and great-grandchildren, Preston and Ava - Sechelt BC, grandson Greg Kallen and family - Vancouver BC , and special nieces Donna Rode (Freddy) and family - Red Deer Alberta, Marge Karpins (Dennis) and family - Winnipeg Manitoba, Lynn Haugen and family - Red Deer Alberta, nephew Doug Lancaster (Grettie Hennessy) - Red Deer Alberta, dear friends Karen Nett and Lee Wilkinson - Red Deer Alberta, sister-in-laws Mina Grozell-Davidson - Saskatoon Sask, Myrel Cairns - Bengough Sask, Donna Cairns - Medicine Hat Alberta, and many more special nieces and nephews, and their families.
“We will forever hold you in our hearts Mum, as you will always be a part of everything we are.” You embraced all our lives with so much love, thoughtfulness, generosity, and compassion. We will forever miss you, and we will always love you.
If desired, memorial donations in May’s memory may be made to the Red Deer Hospice ~ for all the beautiful care and gentle attentiveness they gave to her. 99 Arnot Avenue Red Deer, AB T4R 3S6.
Interment will take place at the Red Deer Cemetery at a later date. Condolences to May’s family may be emailed to meaningful@telus.net. Please indicate "Cairns" in the subject line.
Arrangements in care of
Meaningful Memorials Funeral Service
A locally owned cremation and funeral provider
serving Red Deer and all of Central Alberta
587-876-4944