Inez Arline (Begg) Kimber

Inez Kimber was born on December 21, 1939, in Coronation, Alberta to Iona (nee: Bargholz) & Hillyard Begg. Inez passed away on August 12, 2023 at the Sturgeon Hospital, St. Albert.

Inez was the eldest daughter; her mother wrote that Inez “was always a big help. She usually had the floor cleaning job, the bed making and was a good one to help with outside chores.”

The Begg family moved from the Metiskow area to the Youngstown area in 1954. Inez and her siblings attended the New Bliss School, located on the Begg property. Inez enjoyed academic and athletic achievements in school. She was an excellent student who loved to read and passed from grade 9 to grade 10 with 4 months of schooling. Inez enjoyed sport activities at school, winning the school division high jump at the track meet.

Inez met William (Bill) Kimber at a dance in Hemaruka, where Bill was playing in the band. The next year, Inez married Bill on January 2, 1956, in Hanna on a cold winters’ day. Inez liked to recount the story of her and Bill’s sleigh ride home following the marriage ceremony.

Inez and Bill ranched in the Sedalia area for 25 years before moving to Cow Lake for a few years. Eventually the couple settled in Caroline for their retirement years. Here Inez enjoyed her horses, gardening, cross-country skiing and a variety of retiree activities. Many of the grandchildren enjoyed spending the day riding horses and evenings dancing at the Caroline Legion with Grandma.

Inez and Bill loved music; Bill’s old time country band played in many lodges and legions where Inez enjoyed dancing while Bill played guitar and accordion. They also enjoyed their travelling experiences to Australia, the United Kingdom, United States, and Mexico. Inez still had the travel bug when she was debilitated by a severe stroke in May of 2021, and she was unfortunately not able to finish planning her trip to Africa to see Victoria Falls and Serengeti National Park.

Bill predeceased Inez in 2009. Inez is also predeceased by her parents, her eldest brother Jack, her brother and his wife Gene and Gladys, her brother-in-law Orval  and her son Terry.

Following Bill’s passing Inez moved to be closer to her children, first in St. Paul, then Sherwood Park, and finally St. Albert. She enjoyed playing cards and games with friends and was known as the in-house gardener tending to her apartment buildings various flower boxes where she always managed to sneak in a few vegetable seeds. The building manager gave her the water key and told her she was the best and most economical groundskeeper they have ever had.

Inez is survived by her following children: Arline (Brian), Allan (Laurel), Dale and Keith (Peggy). Inez is also survived by her 13 grandchildren: Lorrie (Darren), Rhonda, Deanna (Scott), James (Tara), Candace (Kyle), Michael (Julieanne), Brett (Nicole), Eleshia (Peter), Janelle (Jared), Kimberly (Chad), Bradley, Chenel (Spencer), Miranda (Ricardo); and her 20 great grandchildren: Taylor, Tonisha, Mikayla, Alyssa, Hudson, Katrina, Piper, Joseph, Maya, Benjamin, Jacinda, Lillian, Reid, Taryn, Thatcher, Kale, Edie, Clea, Tate and Remi.

Inez leaves behind her 6 sisters: Nelda, Verna (Jeremy), Del, Irene, Bernice (Max)  and Dena; and her 4 brothers; Rolland (Rosalie), Leslie (Linda), Cliff (Melloddee), and Frank (Lori); her sister-in-law, Marlene and various nieces and nephews.

Inez has spent the past 2 years at the Citadel Care Centre St. Albert – her family wishes to thank all the staff involved in her care.

Her family would also extend their appreciation and love to her sisters, Irene, and Del, for their time and support with Mom, and especially their understanding of the changes in Mom’s mood and demeanor over time, as well as their aid in keeping the family updated on mom’s health.

In accordance with Inez’s wishes she will be cremated at the Prairie Sunset Funeral Home, St. Albert/Westlock and she had requested that there be no funeral or memorial service.

The Kimber Family requests no floral arrangements and that floral funds be donated to the Heart and Stroke Foundation. Anyone who wishes may make a memorial donation directly to Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta, Suite 144, 5241 Calgary Trail NW, Edmonton, AB T6H 5G8 or heartandstroke.ca.