Crystal Elizabeth (Kerr) Zurba

It is great sorrow that we announce the sudden passing of Crystal Zurba of Dauphin, Manitoba, at the age of 67 years, on October 31, 2019, at home.
Crystal was born in Altona, MB to Orrin and Mary Kerr, December 21, 1951 and in 1956 arrived in Dauphin, MB with her family. She went to school in Dauphin and was a lifelong resident.  She married Harvey Zurba, November 29, 1969 at St. Paul’s Anglican church. They had a daughter, Naomi, in December 1970 and a son, Aaron, in December 1974. 
Crystal was an active community member. Crystal was very involved in her church, St. Paul’s. She was often baking up a storm for fall suppers, or church dinners. She participated in the church’s vestry, acting as the Anglican Church Woman for the group, organizing the teas, suppers and bake sales. She found great comfort in attending services, especially when attending the women’s retreats. Crystal also took her beliefs outside of the church by thinking of those less fortunate, doing what she could to support that community effort, through fundraising, and attending events. She also instilled this belief in her daughter who has done volunteer work. She was also a leader in the Manitoba Girl Guides for many years, once winning a Provincial award for her work. She really enjoyed helping young girls in the Brownies, Girl Guides and Pathfinders to learn new skills and community service. They would go camping – once even in the winter in a rural hall – and caroling at senior homes at Christmas time. One time, she had the Pathfinders do a wake-a-thon in the windows of the old Stylerite, right on Main Street. In order to keep everyone awake for the fundraising, everyone made children’s books and sock monkeys for donation. This creative side also was seen in her knitting of afghans, hats, scarves for Naomi and others.  She also made many holiday crafts and even sold them at the local crafts fairs for a few years.
  Crystal also obtained her Licensed Practical Nurse diploma in 1986 in Brandon, MB.  She worked as an L.P.N. at the Dauphin General Hospital until 1998 and was very involved in the local chapter of the L.P.N. provincial association. She really enjoyed the work and all those she worked with there. After leaving the nursing profession, she worked many other places, but eventually returned to caring for others as a Home Care Attendant.  She made good connections with the seniors she worked with and families have expressed their gratitude for her care.
  Crystal also enjoyed travel. Besides many trips to the west and North Dakota, she traveled often to visit Naomi. Harvey and her went to Arizona, even venturing into Mexico. She traveled to Hawaii twice and Washington, DC. with Naomi.  And there was the infamous 60th birthday trip with her oldest friends Denise, Diane, and Bernice to Las Vegas.  She was game for adventures and to see what could be seen. Crystal also enjoyed bowling, once earning an award for the lowest score of the season which she took with great humour. She also was quite a flower gardener, also tending to her plants over the summer days. She was a pet lover too, with many over the years and her latest pal, Lulu, who would cuddle by her often.
Crystal was predeceased by her son, Aaron and her parents.  She leaves to mourn her husband, Harvey of Dauphin and her daughter, Naomi (Perry) Zurba, of Anchorage, AK.  She also leaves behind her siblings, Orrin Kerr of Ottawa, ON, Susan Kerr of Edmonton, AB, Doug Kerr of Winnipeg, MB, Muriel Safroniuk of Erickson, MB.  Also mourning are her siblings-in-law, Ralph and Martha Zurba of Dauphin, MB; Zenon and Margaret Zurba of Ochre River, MB, Norman and Sharon Zurba of Armstrong, BC, Marvin Zurba of Kamloops, BC, and Gail Starling and Harvey of Chase, BC.  She also leaves behind many nieces and nephews who are great support to the family, many great-nieces and great-nephews, and friends from town, across Canada and Alaska.
A Funeral Service was held for Crystal on Wednesday, November 6, 2019 at 2:00 pm  from the Sneath-Strilchuk Family Care Centre in Dauphin with Frances Stewart officiating.  

Should friends so desire, donations in memory of Crystal may be made to Charity of Choice.

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