Jessie Gates, resident of Grande Cache, AB, formerly of Rimbey, AB passed away peacefully at the Grande Cache Community Health Complex on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at the age of 89 years.

Jessie was born on October 24, 1934 on the Noble family farm east of Rimbey, AB. She was the fourth child of eight and was born in the middle of the great depression to Wes and Marie Noble.

Jessie grew up on the family farm with her siblings. At a very young age, Jessie showed how much her family meant to her as she held her sister Rosie’s head above water after falling in the cattle water trough, calling for help until it arrived. She was a motherly big sister to the younger siblings and a special little sister to the older ones. Walking two miles back and forth, Jessie attended Wooddale School, completing grade eight. From there, she went to work for various neighbours.

In 1951 Jessie married Henry Fisher. Jessie worked through the years in multiple occupations in Health Care, Rimbey Auction Mart and Solicitor General. Her love of farming intertwined through the years, working with animals, yard landscaping, planting trees and gardening, while cooking, sewing, and raising children.

In 1976 Jessie moved to Lindale, AB to begin a new chapter; and in 1983 she married Robert Gates. Together they built a life at Lindale, farming and working outside the home. In 2012 Jessie and Robert retired from farming and returned to Rimbey, where they enjoyed rekindling old friendships, making new ones and became avid members of the Rimbey Seniors Centre.

Jessie was a good athlete in her younger years, enjoying baseball and track and field. Jessie enjoyed nature, especially birds, and spent many hours in her flower beds and vegetable garden. She enjoyed camping, crafts such as crocheting, playing cards (once dealing a 29-hand-in crib) and time with friends. Jessie’s love of math showed in her accurate and exceptional bookkeeping, submitting farm taxes through her farming years and personal income taxes until she was 85. She moved with the advances of her era, learning to use the computer, iPhone, Facebook, and solitaire on her iPad.

In later years, Jessie enjoyed every trip, whether travelling in Alberta, British Columbia, to places such as London and Tofino, or across Canada and the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. In retirement, Jessie bowled with the ladies as well as floor curled at the Seniors Centre. Music was always a part of her life, playing the Hawaiian guitar, piano and singing. She was so proud of her family’s musical talents. Most of all, Jessie cherished her family and gatherings held through the years.

Jessie will be lovingly remembered by her husband of 40 years Robert; children: Moira Gates (Chuck Johnson) of Bashaw, Myrna Nadworny of Sherwood Park, Jack (Deb) Fisher of Rimbey and Mary (Todd) Nelson of Grande Cache; siblings: Rosie Smithson of Vernon, Johnny (Sharon) Noble of Salmon Arm, Bill (Sadie) Noble of Rimbey and Joy (Lloyd) Sheils of Rimbey; 14 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, as well as numerous extended family and friends.

Jessie was predeceased by her parents Wes and Marie Noble; siblings: Evangeline Van Nest, Donald Noble and Hardy Noble; several sisters and brothers-in-law; daughter-in-law Wendy Fisher; son-in-law Larry Nadworny; and one grandson.

A service to remember Jessie will be held at a later date.

Memorial donations may be made to the Parkinson’s Association of Alberta (parkinsonassociation.ca), Alzheimer’s Society of Canada (alzheimer.ca/en), Arthritis Society of Canada (arthritis.ca), or the Grande Cache Community Health Complex (10200 Shand Ave W, Grande Cache, AB T0E 0Y0).