Carolanne Mary (Collins) Bayne

In Loving Memory of
Carolanne Mary Bayne
(nee Collins)
age 81
Lovingly remembered by her daughters
Cynthia, Candice, and Melissa 

Died
January 30, 2021
Rock Lake Hospital  
Crystal City, Manitoba

A celebration of Carolanne’s life 
will be held at a later date.

Interment ~ Greenwood Cemetery

Donations in memory of Carolanne may be made to the Pilot Mound Golf Course (cheques made out 
to the Municipality of Louise) Box 310 
Crystal City, Manitoba R0K 0N0 -or- 
the Pilot Mound and District Foundation 
Box 235 Pilot Mound, Manitoba R0G 1P

Carolanne Mary (Collins) Bayne, beloved daughter of Grant and Mary Collins, passed away on January 30th at the age of 81 at the Rock Lake Hospital in Crystal City, Manitoba. Carolanne was born July 26th, 1939 in Morden, Manitoba. She was the first child of Grant and Mary and the first grandchild for both sides of the family. 

As a child, Carolanne already possessed a natural curiosity and an infectious joy for life. She loved to spend time in the garden with her adored grandmother, Elizabeth Collins. She made many friends growing up in Pilot Mound and had countless adventures with them and her three younger siblings, Dale, Gary and Connie. Carolanne was multi-talented and athletic. She was accomplished not only at drawing, needlework and playing the piano but also at drama, figure skating and curling (a family passion).

Carolanne married Jack Burns at the Pilot Mound United Church in 1956. In quick succession, she had three daughters, Cynthia, Candice and Melissa who grew up enjoying her stories of raising 3 little girls on the farm without the comforts that we take for granted today. The whole family moved to Thompson for Jack’s work and in addition to a busy life raising her children, Carolanne continued to curl as the skip for her team, winning many bonspiels. At this time, she also learned how to be a bookkeeper, a skill that she relied on throughout her working life.

Following her divorce and marriage to Bert Schmidt, she helped to build a cottage on Mystery Lake near Thompson where the only access was travelling seven miles by boat. It was always a crazy time to get kids, groceries and our dog, Velvet into the boat and arrive in one piece. One memorable time, and a testimony to Carolanne’s tenacity and courage, was when she put the kids under wet blankets in the back of the boat and raced back to Thompson, keeping mere minutes ahead of a raging forest fire. For a few weeks most summers, Carolanne would pack up the kids and make the long drive to Rock Lake to meet up with friends and family at her parents’ cabin there. Those precious summer days were filled with endless meals, swimming, company and parties. The music would be playing late into the night with lots of laughter and singing with the Harveys and the Hills. 

The family then moved to Swan River as Bert’s job was relocated. Carolanne had a very full life with three growing daughters as she strove to ensure that they enjoyed all the privileges that she had growing up. Life was full of skating lessons, 4-H, Brownies, piano, and dance lessons. She had the best sense of humour, and it took all of her restraint not to laugh at some of the more memorable dance recitals. To say the least, she was extremely encouraging. 

Eventually, Carolanne and her daughters moved to Brandon where she met Frank Bayne, a Major in the Armed Forces. Frank was a very charismatic and dashing man and swept her off her feet and onto the dance floor and eventually marriage. Despite facing many tough times, Carolanne never lost her zest for life nor her innate curiosity and good humour. After living in Calgary, she eventually made her life in retirement back in Pilot Mound and reunited with lifelong friends and the community that she had missed. With the encouragement of her beloved aunt, Eileen Collins, she dug right in and chaired the Chamber of Commerce for five years and managed the Norquay Apartments. She worked tirelessly to make sure that the Chamber’s two smorgasbords each year were carried out with great efficiency, overseeing every detail. She was very proud of her work and fundraising in helping to build up the community. Carolanne was also an amazing cook. Her specialties were her pies, pickles and the astounding Christmas cake. You knew you were a special friend if you received one of her culinary gifts, especially the white Christmas cake.

She was always an early riser and would be out on the golf course playing 18 holes with Jack Paterson early in the mornings or to catch the dew on her gorgeous tea roses which could only be done at 4:00 a.m. These spectacular photos would then be posted on her website arcticroses.com. The knowledge required to grow such tender roses ranged from the perfect soil mixture, the digging of trenches each fall to bury them below the frost level, the careful potting each spring which in midsummer drew dozens of admiring local folk to Ez Collins’ back garden. It was her secret recipe. She continued to find delight in painting and sketching, however, her great love was music and she would play every day on her piano, electric keyboard or auto harp. Carolanne also loved history, especially British history and met her great friend Gary Syrad while researching genealogy. She shared her expertise first traveling to England multiple times and later online .She and Gary chatted daily and played online golf and pool - much to her delight. He always remained a cherished friend. 

Carolanne was predeceased by her parents, Grant & Mary and beloved sister, Connie Delorme. She is survived by daughters Cynthia Easley (Kerry Pedrick), Candice Collins (Simon Tooley), Melissa Wilson (Richard Lake) and by her brothers, Dale (Lee) Collins and Gary (Sherry) Collins. Carolanne was blessed with 7 grandchildren: Scott, Rebecca and Thomas Easley; Erika and Courtney Wilson, and Nina and Joseph Tooley. With so many stories of her adventures left to tell, Carolanne’s beauty, remarkable creativity, humour and love for nature and family will be cherished forever. 

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