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June 22, 1940 - November 10, 2020
Veronica Ann (Small) Cassels, lovingly known as Flower Gramma, age 80, passed away peacefully November 10th, due to complications from living.
Ann, raised in Langley, graduated from Langley Secondary School in 1958.
She worked various jobs until co-workers at a butcher shop grew tired of working with her and flattened her tires at a party, so she would accept a ride home from her future husband. She eloped and married her lifelong love and irritation, William Cassels, in September 1967, who preceded her in death in 1996.
Shifting to horticulture in the 1960's she held a variety of careers until starting her own nursery, where she met her new spouse, Joe. For almost 20 years they shared their families and their love of plants and cooking.
Ann loved to cook and bake and was known for her pies. Unfortunately, she tried to teach her daughters her pastry recipe, but was terribly disappointed. Her recipe, and her secrets, died with her.
Ann also had a passion for gardening. She spent her life learning about, and growing plants. She especially loved growing Sweet Mama squash, which she believed her spouse, Joe, equally enjoyed throwing out when he thought she wasn't looking.
Ann was also very active and enjoyed the life-long sport of 'roasting' people, in particular her family. We also believe she enjoyed a secret and well-crafted art of passive-aggressively getting even. Luckily her children were still sportsmen enough to write her obituary.
Above all else she was a genuinely devoted and loving mother, our hero, and our biggest fan. Although we still are not certain she entirely appreciated all the gray hair we helped her acquire. She was deeply loved and admired, will truly be missed, but will live forever in our hearts.
Ann is survived by her spouse, Joe Zanatta; her siblings Ronnie (Julie), Bill, Brian (Marlene), Sam (Mary), Sallie and Wendy (Jim); her children, Jo-Ann (Barney), Jessie (Brad), David (Melissa); her step-children, Dina and Lynn; her nieces and nephews; her grandchildren and great grandchildren.


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