Tribute

Gisela “Peggy” Schima December 3, 1929 to November 3, 2018 Gisela was born in Frankfurt, Germany, and early on knew two things: she loved animals, and she was going to travel to the “West.” So, after graduating Agriculture University in Germany in 1954, she immigrated to Canada and went to work on a ranch in Saskatchewan, where she was nicknamed “Peggy” after an adventurous kids’ storybook pony. “Peggy” she would be forever more. Peggy’s adventures took her farther west: horse wrangler in Jasper; camp cook/wrangler for survey crew at Dease Lake; and taxi-cab driver in Whitehorse, where she met Frank Schima. Soon the family grew, and Peggy and three kids followed Frank’s mining job from Manitoba to Alberta to Texada Island in 1963, where Peggy found her place on the West Coast, and vowed to never leave. Peggy’s passion for animals, but especially horses, is known far and wide. She shared it with everyone, bringing kids and horses together, spending countless hours with the Texada Saddle Tramps, and later the Powell River Trail Riders, and doctoring every sick and hurt horse that needed her. Peggy fostered so many dogs that were in need of her special love and care, most of them stayed the rest of their lives with her. Peggy connected with a lot of kids on Texada and Powell River through army and air cadets, riding clubs, soccer and ball teams, and many of those young people continued to visit over the years, bringing her much joy and laughter. Peggy also worked for many years with the Powell River Homemakers Agency, proudly caring for the ill and elderly in their homes all over Texada and Powell River. She helped unionize this agency, and with the support and blessing of “her Union,” UFCW 1518, she went on to help organize 20 or so other homemaker agencies around the province. Peggy was predeceased by her husband Frank and her son Mark. She is survived by her daughter Colleen, son David, and deeply missed by her granddaughter Stephanie (Josh) Robertson, great-grandchildren Aiden and Everett Robertson, grandson Garrett (Andrea) Symchuk, granddaughter Rori Davies, special friend Alan Riggs, and longtime Yahtzee partner Phoebe Becker. By Peggy’s wishes, no service will be held. Please, in her memory, give in time or aid to the BC SPCA or any animal assistance group of your choice. As she always told us…”take care of the critters…”