Isabel Jeanette Allison was born to William and Marion Allison on February 09, 1930, near Roland Manitoba. She had an older brother Robert (Mildred,) and two younger brothers, Lyall (Lois,) and Calvin (Joan.) Isabel received her early education at Anderson School, just over a mile from home. For grade 11 she travelled five miles by horse to Roland and for grade 12 she boarded with relatives in Carman. After taking a six-week Permit Teacher Course, she taught for a year before attending Normal School in Winnipeg in 1950. Isabel attended Winnipeg Bible College, now known as Providence College, receiving her BRE in 1961. She graduated from Ewert Presbyterian College Toronto with a Diploma and Diaconal Certification in 1965. She received her BEd from the University of Manitoba in 1976 and in 1983 she received her M.Div. Degree from UW. She also completed many short courses, especially in creative writing and education. Isabel was well educated but mostly she educated others.
She was a teacher through and through, whether paid, volunteer, formal or casual. Some of the places she taught are Bannerman MB, Crystal City MB, Cecilia Jeffry Indian Residential School, Lac Du Bonnet MB, Fisher Branch MB, Birtle Indian Residential, Long Plains, Rossburn MB, Calvin Christian Winnipeg, Grosvenor School Winnipeg, Dufferin School, Miami Hutterite School MB, resource teacher at Gretna MB, Peru with Wycliffe Bible Translators, and others. When she retired she volunteered at Roland Elementary School MB and tutored students especially in English and writing.
Isabel expressed her joy of teaching in this little story:
“I enjoy telling the joys of teaching, for instance, the pupil-teacher identity. One day in Peru, my grade one Josiah, who had been saying he was going to be a pilot when he grew up, needed some diversion just before noon. So he and I flew paper airplanes back and forth across our little classroom while his older brother finished some work. “Aunt Isabel,” (teachers were called Aunt or Uncle there) Aunt Isabel, Josiah said, what are YOU going to be when you grow up? Almost exploding, I turned my back to retrieve a plane. Then Josiah said, “Oh, I know, A teacher!””
Isabel attended Knox Presbyterian Church in Roland from birth to early adulthood. She was baptized as an infant in the home of her paternal grandparents. Isabel writes about coming to understand salvation and accepting Jesus as he Savior and Lord in 1950. She was baptized as an adult during her time at Winnipeg Bible College.
Isabel served in church work in many capacities. Summer Camp staff, Flora House and Anishinabe Fellowship, Union Gospel Mission with their literacy program and Siloam Mission, are a few. (All of these are or were inner city Winnipeg missions.) In 1998 she went to Peru where she taught the children of the translating staff. This was not a boarding school. The children she taught lived with their parents. It seems Isabel must have always attended and more often been leading a Bible study group around her kitchen table. She served at Whitemouth MB and preached as a guest at many other places. She moved to Roland in 1983. She officially retired in 1993 but continued substitute teaching. During her years living in her cozy little house across from the school in Roland, she attended first Grace Church in Winkler and then Covenant Church in Winkler. Isabel’s other interests included gardening, reading, writing, sewing and other handiwork, and travel. She went tenting in many Provincial Parks. She went on bus tours to the Maritimes and Alaska. In
1996 she went on a memorable trip to Israel. The summer of 2002 she was teaching in the Ukraine! She helped Barbara White prepare her book of poetry, Forget-Me-Not-Trails, for publication. She wrote and had published many devotionals and published 2 books of her own devotionals. She edited books for other local authors.
In 2021 Isabel decided to move to Lions Manor in Winkler. However, it became apparent that Isabel had dementia and would not be able to continue to live on her own. After a short hospital stay, she was moved to Morris Personal Care Home. Suddenly this fiercely independent lady was expected to live by the rules of a personal care home! This was a tough time, but to her credit, she did learn. This was during COVID, which didn't make it any easier. When a room became available in Salem Home in Winkler, she was moved there, closer to people who knew her. She enjoyed the programs on the second floor and the fact that her brother Lyall lived across the hall.
Isabel went to be with her Lord and Savior February 17, 2026, shortly after she turned 96 years old.
She was predeceased by her parents and brothers. She is survived by nieces, nephews and friends.
She was a teacher through and through, whether paid, volunteer, formal or casual. Some of the places she taught are Bannerman MB, Crystal City MB, Cecilia Jeffry Indian Residential School, Lac Du Bonnet MB, Fisher Branch MB, Birtle Indian Residential, Long Plains, Rossburn MB, Calvin Christian Winnipeg, Grosvenor School Winnipeg, Dufferin School, Miami Hutterite School MB, resource teacher at Gretna MB, Peru with Wycliffe Bible Translators, and others. When she retired she volunteered at Roland Elementary School MB and tutored students especially in English and writing.
Isabel expressed her joy of teaching in this little story:
“I enjoy telling the joys of teaching, for instance, the pupil-teacher identity. One day in Peru, my grade one Josiah, who had been saying he was going to be a pilot when he grew up, needed some diversion just before noon. So he and I flew paper airplanes back and forth across our little classroom while his older brother finished some work. “Aunt Isabel,” (teachers were called Aunt or Uncle there) Aunt Isabel, Josiah said, what are YOU going to be when you grow up? Almost exploding, I turned my back to retrieve a plane. Then Josiah said, “Oh, I know, A teacher!””
Isabel attended Knox Presbyterian Church in Roland from birth to early adulthood. She was baptized as an infant in the home of her paternal grandparents. Isabel writes about coming to understand salvation and accepting Jesus as he Savior and Lord in 1950. She was baptized as an adult during her time at Winnipeg Bible College.
Isabel served in church work in many capacities. Summer Camp staff, Flora House and Anishinabe Fellowship, Union Gospel Mission with their literacy program and Siloam Mission, are a few. (All of these are or were inner city Winnipeg missions.) In 1998 she went to Peru where she taught the children of the translating staff. This was not a boarding school. The children she taught lived with their parents. It seems Isabel must have always attended and more often been leading a Bible study group around her kitchen table. She served at Whitemouth MB and preached as a guest at many other places. She moved to Roland in 1983. She officially retired in 1993 but continued substitute teaching. During her years living in her cozy little house across from the school in Roland, she attended first Grace Church in Winkler and then Covenant Church in Winkler. Isabel’s other interests included gardening, reading, writing, sewing and other handiwork, and travel. She went tenting in many Provincial Parks. She went on bus tours to the Maritimes and Alaska. In
1996 she went on a memorable trip to Israel. The summer of 2002 she was teaching in the Ukraine! She helped Barbara White prepare her book of poetry, Forget-Me-Not-Trails, for publication. She wrote and had published many devotionals and published 2 books of her own devotionals. She edited books for other local authors.
In 2021 Isabel decided to move to Lions Manor in Winkler. However, it became apparent that Isabel had dementia and would not be able to continue to live on her own. After a short hospital stay, she was moved to Morris Personal Care Home. Suddenly this fiercely independent lady was expected to live by the rules of a personal care home! This was a tough time, but to her credit, she did learn. This was during COVID, which didn't make it any easier. When a room became available in Salem Home in Winkler, she was moved there, closer to people who knew her. She enjoyed the programs on the second floor and the fact that her brother Lyall lived across the hall.
Isabel went to be with her Lord and Savior February 17, 2026, shortly after she turned 96 years old.
She was predeceased by her parents and brothers. She is survived by nieces, nephews and friends.