Obituary for Novella Delia Allbee (Hamon)
NOVELLA DELIA ALLBEE (nee Hamon)
Our beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Friend was hand picked and planted in God’s Garden 28 March 2020.
Novella was born 7 August 1944 in New Westminster, British Columbia, and went to school in Langley. At the age of 18, she went to Jasper to visit her half sister, Irene and she decided to stay. Within 6 months of being in Jasper, Novella met the love of her life, Dale Loyd Allbee; they started dating in January 1964, got engaged March 17, and were married 26 June 1964, and celebrated 56 years together. Working as a Waitress at the Whistler Restaurant, she would make sure to give her love pies, and fresh buns with soup whenever he came in. In March of 1967, Novella and Dale welcomed their daughter, Brenda Elizabeth, then in May 1969, their son Gary Dale Hollis.
In 1973, the family moved to Grande Prairie as the college and the pulp mill were just being built, and this provided Dale the opportunity for daylight work and more family time. After establishing the family home on an acreage, Novella and Dale became Foster parents to over 13 children, as well as numerous teenage nieces and nephews. She was fondly referred to as “Big Mama”, "LaLa", and "Yaya". In 1974, one very special boy, Clifford Ronald Voshall was welcomed as a permanent family member, and remained close to his mom until the end.
Mom started working at the Seton Hospital in Jasper, leading her to a 40 year career as a Porter and OR Unit Clerk. She worked at the Grande Prairie Auxiliary Hospital until it closed in 1982, then the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, and at the Holy Cross Hospital and Rockyview Hospital in Calgary, before returning to her OR family in Grande Prairie where she retired in 2017. She always referred to the OR as her second family, and they lovingly referred to her as their Robin that returned to them every spring.
Mom loved to travel, and took every opportunity to explore and experience the world. With her loving husband, they became Snowbirds and spent 19 years in Yuma, Arizona, where they met many cherished friends. Above all, she lived for her grandchildren: Kyra Allbee, Kelsey Allbee, Shayna Allbee, Natashia Woodman, Jenissa Allbee, Zachary Woodman, Denae Allbee and Nathan Allbee. She was always so very proud of each of them, and had a special bond.
Mom, you are the major reason we have all grown into the people we are today. You mean everything to us and we love you with every inch of our hearts and souls. You were the most caring, loving, generous to a fault, nurturing Matriarch of our family; you are truly a saint in our eyes. We all know you will be our guardian angel, and we all promise to show gratitude and appreciation for all you have graciously done and the support and love you gave us. We will all continue to strive to make you proud. We all treasure and cherish the time we have had together and thank God everyday that we had you in our lives. You are the wind beneath our wings.
Survived by her loving husband, children and grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, and numerous friends.
To view and share photos, condolences and stories of Novella, visit www.choicememorial.com.
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I am that little robin
That sits upon a tree
I sing to you each morning
But you don’t know its me
I am that little robin
In your garden everyday
I will never leave you
I will never fly away
Our beloved Wife, Mother, Grandmother and Friend was hand picked and planted in God’s Garden 28 March 2020.
Novella was born 7 August 1944 in New Westminster, British Columbia, and went to school in Langley. At the age of 18, she went to Jasper to visit her half sister, Irene and she decided to stay. Within 6 months of being in Jasper, Novella met the love of her life, Dale Loyd Allbee; they started dating in January 1964, got engaged March 17, and were married 26 June 1964, and celebrated 56 years together. Working as a Waitress at the Whistler Restaurant, she would make sure to give her love pies, and fresh buns with soup whenever he came in. In March of 1967, Novella and Dale welcomed their daughter, Brenda Elizabeth, then in May 1969, their son Gary Dale Hollis.
In 1973, the family moved to Grande Prairie as the college and the pulp mill were just being built, and this provided Dale the opportunity for daylight work and more family time. After establishing the family home on an acreage, Novella and Dale became Foster parents to over 13 children, as well as numerous teenage nieces and nephews. She was fondly referred to as “Big Mama”, "LaLa", and "Yaya". In 1974, one very special boy, Clifford Ronald Voshall was welcomed as a permanent family member, and remained close to his mom until the end.
Mom started working at the Seton Hospital in Jasper, leading her to a 40 year career as a Porter and OR Unit Clerk. She worked at the Grande Prairie Auxiliary Hospital until it closed in 1982, then the Queen Elizabeth II Hospital, and at the Holy Cross Hospital and Rockyview Hospital in Calgary, before returning to her OR family in Grande Prairie where she retired in 2017. She always referred to the OR as her second family, and they lovingly referred to her as their Robin that returned to them every spring.
Mom loved to travel, and took every opportunity to explore and experience the world. With her loving husband, they became Snowbirds and spent 19 years in Yuma, Arizona, where they met many cherished friends. Above all, she lived for her grandchildren: Kyra Allbee, Kelsey Allbee, Shayna Allbee, Natashia Woodman, Jenissa Allbee, Zachary Woodman, Denae Allbee and Nathan Allbee. She was always so very proud of each of them, and had a special bond.
Mom, you are the major reason we have all grown into the people we are today. You mean everything to us and we love you with every inch of our hearts and souls. You were the most caring, loving, generous to a fault, nurturing Matriarch of our family; you are truly a saint in our eyes. We all know you will be our guardian angel, and we all promise to show gratitude and appreciation for all you have graciously done and the support and love you gave us. We will all continue to strive to make you proud. We all treasure and cherish the time we have had together and thank God everyday that we had you in our lives. You are the wind beneath our wings.
Survived by her loving husband, children and grandchildren, brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews, and numerous friends.
To view and share photos, condolences and stories of Novella, visit www.choicememorial.com.
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I am that little robin
That sits upon a tree
I sing to you each morning
But you don’t know its me
I am that little robin
In your garden everyday
I will never leave you
I will never fly away