2018 Obituaries

Obituaries are arranged by date. To search for a specific person, use the search bar on the right.

Elsie Tkach (Dec. 2, 1932-Jan. 15, 2018)

Elsie May Tkach passed away at the Coronation Hospital and Care Centre on Monday, January 15, 2018 at the age of 85 years.

A Memorial Service was held at the Veteran Community Hall, Veteran, Alberta on Saturday, January 20, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. with Pastor Darrel Durksen officiating. The processional hymn was “In The Garden” and the recorded hymn during the service was “Just A Closer Walk With Thee”, longtime friend Mary Readman gave a loving tribute, Granddaughter Candice Preston shared the eulogy and memories; grandson Garrett Schacher read 2 poems. Granddaughter Ashley Duncan made the video presentation and the special recessional song was “Walk Through This World With Me”. Honorary Pallbearers were “All of Elsie’s Family and Dear Friends”. The Interment followed the service at the Veteran Cemetery. The luncheon was held immediately following the interment prepared and served by the Veteran United Church Ladies and the Talbot Homemakers. Memorial Donations may be made to the the Alberta Diabetes Foundation or to a charity of the donor’s choice.

Heather Caseley, Funeral Director of Coronation Funeral Home, Coronation, Alberta was entrusted with the care and funeral arrangements. Condolences can be forwarded to the family by visiting our website at www.coronationfuneralhome.ca
Elsie’s Family:

• Greg (Vi) Tkach, Veteran

Chris (Jing) and Chloe

Tkach of Taiwan

Curtis Tkach, Lethbridge

• Dwayne’s daughter –

Brandi Tkach (Matt

Lavigne) and Nolan of

Edmonton

• Terry (Robert) Preston

of Talbot

Jennifer Preston (Justin

Jarhl) of Edmonton

Candice Preston (Andrew

Felczak) of Edmonton

• Joanne (Wes) Sieger of

Coronation

Misty (Conrad) Schacher

of Grande Cache

– Garrett Schacher

(Kayla Studley) of

Grande Prairie

– Makenna Schacher

(Nick McMordie) and

Maverick McMordie

of Grande Cache

– Makenzie Schacher

of Grande Cache

Robyn Sieger (Jeff

Lowe) – Shayla, Tacey,

Mylee of Calgary

Logan Sieger (Kelsey

Glazier) – Brooklyn,

Seth, Jayda, Deken of

Coronation

Ashley (Dustin) Duncan

– Cienna, Elise of

Castor

• Lory “Schultz” Tkach of

Coronation.

Predeceased by her husband Arlos, sons Dwayne and Pat “Fudd”.
Tribute

Presented by Candice Preston

Elsie May Tkach, Gramma, was born to Clifford and Esther Dewolfe in Consort on December 2, 1932. She was the youngest of seven and is predeceased by all her siblings: Helen, Ralph, Walter, Alfred, Clayton and Clifford. Her Mother passed away when she was only 2 and so Helen, her older sister, became the only mother she knew. But Helen left home when Grandma was only 6 years old, leaving her with a houseful of boys. She spent her young life on a farm about 6 miles northeast of Consort. She started her schooling at Whitten School which was about 1½ miles from home, then traveled to the big school in Consort, learning there until she was 16.

Her favorite thing was following her Dad outside. Even though there were 5 boys already, he used to call her Dick; she was his shadow, enjoying life outside. She loved the horses and would sit out among them. Being only 4 at this time, she had no fear and the horses loved her visits.

Their home was nothing but a tar paper shack with buildings built on as needed. Water came from a spring, or the well behind the house, having to be carried in.

There was a time when she and Uncle Clifford, being the only children at home, had gone barefoot all summer. When it became time to go to school, a note was sent home that said they had to have shoes or could not attend. The teacher was kind enough to still let them attend and wait until her dad could afford to buy a pair for them both.

She also remembered a year when the school was having a Christmas Concert and all the kids were talking about Santa Claus. Since her Mother passed away within the Christmas holidays they were never really celebrated or spoken of. But this year, on Christmas Eve, her Dad told Clifford and her to put a stocking up on the clothes line, maybe Santa would come. When going downstairs the next morning the stockings were filled to the top with candies and treats, she remembered screaming “He came, He Came, He Came”. It was 1938 and that was the first year they had celebrated Christmas since her Mother passed away.

Summer would come and Dick would be the go girl – go for the horses, go for the cows, go chase the pigs. Go, go, go. Her Dad was a very hard taskmaster and was not one to spare the rod. She would help him move cattle to town to sell. One time they rounded up the herd – about 20 cows – and drove them all into town. After they cut out one or two, he helped her cross the highway and then left her to bring the rest of them home by herself. She got 3 miles from home, at this point its pitch black, the cows are hungry and thirsty and she couldn’t get them to move any further, so she left them and went home. By the time she got there everyone else was in bed, and she went crying into the house.

At the age of 10, she would come home from school to do the morning dishes and daily chores. Saturday’s were always for mixing bread and sometimes washing clothes. The washing was done in a big tub, you would have a plunger that you pounded the clothes with then you’d put them through a hand wringer, rinse them, then through the hand wringer again. There were a lot of sweat and tears put into this operation.

There was a time when her sister Helen sent a parcel from Calgary with a note saying “do not open till Christmas.” Being home alone a lot, she decided to open it carefully and rewrap it. Inside she found the most beautiful doll she had ever seen and fell in love, but when she was rewrapping it a letter had slipped out and her Dad found it the next morning. Realizing what she had done, he made her take the beautiful doll to the neighbor kids. There was a time when she ran away and stayed the night with the neighbors and she had found her doll torn to pieces.

When she was about 11, she had a satiny blue dress that she wore for years, it was the only one she owned. For the Christmas Concert she had washed it and was pressing it with the old sad iron and managed to burn a hole in it. With tears she told her teacher what happened and that she couldn’t be in the concert, but the teacher insisted that she come and her Dad actually took the dress and said he would see if Mrs. Polson could mend it. The cattle never got fed that morning because he took the team and sleigh and drove to Polsons to get the dress fixed. And, well, the patch certainly didn’t match. While waiting, Gramma received a call at home. It was Mrs. Tainsh saying her Dad was coming from town but he couldn’t find her a dress, so Mrs. Tainsh was making her one and did she want pink or green. At this point she didn’t know that Mrs. Tainsh had torn her own dress apart to make her one and the teacher had rearranged the program to put Gramma on later.

When she saw her Dad, he had a box with a lovely green dress and she was so happy. On she went to the concert and sang Whispering Hope; there were tears in her Dad’s eyes and he was not the only one. When she thought of how many miles her Dad drove that day and the kindness of two wonderful ladies she then realized that her Dad kinda liked his little girl.

At 16 she quit school and answered an ad she found in the paper asking for a girl at Merritt Webb’s in Veteran. Never having any experience with children she was shocked to find twin 5-year-old boys, a one-year-old boy and a very pregnant Mother. She came to love those bratty twins, wee Dougie and baby Cheryl.

This is the time when she met the love of her life, Arlos Tkach. He was one of Merritt’s neighbors. They were married September 11, 1951 in Consort and from this union came 6 beautiful children: Greg, Dwayne, Terry, Joanne, Pat “Fudd”, and Lory “Shultz”.

They lived in Consort, then moved to a farm south of Veteran. My Mom recalls when Gramma was raising turkeys, chickens, and pigs. The kids would help slaughter, pluck and clean the turkeys, then everyone would pile in the Chevy 2 and peddle turkeys around the area before Christmas.

She remembers going to the Coronation Auction Mart where Gramma bought two small calves. But she didn’t think about how they were going to get them home. The calves were loaded in the back seat with the kids holding them down till they got back to the farm.

Gramma worked all her life – the kitchen in the nursing home, a waitress, a cook, a store manager, a barmaid, even as a printer at the Consort Enterprise where she worked with her dear friend, Mary Readman.

Gramma was a little league baseball coach hauling kids around to all the games, a bookkeeper for Jim Slater, worked in the greenhouse for Wilma Slater, and spent time with Kory Krotesch in a butcher shop, and owned her own store.

Although being very well read Gramma didn’t graduate. So gramma, my mom and dad (Robert and Terry) decided to get their GED’s. They went to write the exam in Castor, time passes and she proclaims she was finished and heads out, gravel flying from the tires on her way. Turns out she was in too much of a hurry to finish so she failed to follow the essay instructions, did not write a draft and did not pass her GED. Her reasoning why she finished so quickly and skipped the steps – she would have missed BINGO!

She also loved bowling, and has a 300 game to her credit; as well as bonspieling; knitting; and was a Legion Member in Consort.

She was a world traveler and loved it ever so much. She’d been all over Canada, Alaska, Hawaii, Great Britian, the Mediterranean, China, Japan, New Zealand, Australia, Mexico, Panama Canal, Israel – Bethlehem. It was during her trip to the Holy Land when Grandpa Arlos passed away and the travel bug was lost a little.

After Grandpa’s passing Gramma moved into King Court in Coronation where she remained until her passing.

Gramma always said she had a good life with no regrets. Her love and caring way was evident by all the people she helped. She loved to visit and spent a lot of time going to Bingo with Aunty Jo all over the country and visiting casinos. Her days at home were spent reading, resting and watching TV. She was very content with her life.

She managed to stay in her home because of so many people willing to help out: friends, relatives, family and home care. She had a dear neighbor down the hall, Anne Lakusta. Anne would always check on her, feed her, and just be there for her. We, as a family, would like to say a special thanks to Anne for her thoughtfulness toward Gramma.

In the mornings she would have home care come in. Anne came for coffee and would sometimes stop after dinner. Auntie Jo also stopped in whenever she was working, stopping to shop, get the mail, play nickels or take her to play Bingo. We all stopped when we could.

She was a daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, great-great-grandmother, and great mother-in-law. And most of all a best friend to all in her family.

She made a point of keeping in touch with her grandchildren. She was there for us when we couldn’t talk to our parents, or buy cigarettes. She always listened without judgement and always tried to solve our problems.

She never wanted to be considered one of those old ladies and was still sharp as a tack with a frisky side to match.

I’ll leave you with this final story.

When she first moved into the manor you could still smoke in your rooms, some of the other residents were non-smokers and did not like it very much. Betty Orbeck, who lived down the hall and would come over to visit, came out into the hall one day to see Gramma on her hands and knees in front of a non-smoker’s room. Betty asked her what she was doing. She told her, “Shut up and get down here.” There they were, two senior ladies blowing smoke under the non-smoker’s door.

We all loved that woman as much as anyone could, she will be missed by so many and has left a deep hole in our hearts. Today we cry for the loss of an amazing lady, but we will always remember her with a smile. I know she will always be an angel on our shoulders still taking care of us. Whenever she started a new journey she would say a little prayer. May we all remember and say to ourselves before all our journeys – GIVE US A GOOD DAY DEAR LORD!

Letter from Chris

I am sorry I can’t be there today as Taiwan is just so far away. Nevertheless my thoughts are with Gramma and all of you. I would have so liked to be there with everyone to help celebrate Gramma’s life and hear all the wonderful stories of good times.

It is ironic, that it is because of my Gramma that I can’t be with you all today. You see it was ten years ago that I brought my future wife Jing, to Canada for a visit, and while we were there we spent an afternoon at Gramma’s over the Christmas break. We laughed and talked for hours drinking tea and coffee. Gramma told so many stories about the cousins and the family. Even getting Jing to sing Christmas songs. We had such a great time. As we were leaving Gramma hugged me and told me she is a keeper and to marry her. So I did.

And now when I look at my beautiful daughter I remember that afternoon and thank my stars for Gramma and that day.

I will miss you Gramma but I will never forget you.

Love Chris, Jing and

Chloe

Tribute

by Mary Readman

There’s a little embroidered change purse, full of nickels, that won’t be getting used again, for this Monday morning I got the word that my lifelong friend, Elsie, the gal I’ve played cards with these many years, has passed away. I’m grateful that we had a few hands of cards together, not long ago. She was still at home, although her health had been deteriorating for some time. It broke my heart to see what was happening to her, but there’s a saying, “old age ain’t for sissies”, and she certainly was no sissy. She’d had a hard life; her mother passed away when she was two and she was raised by an older sister along with her dad and a family of boys. They were poor – we all were back then. Elsie was born December 2nd, 1932 and we celebrated her 85th birthday this past December with friends gathering for open house and tea hosted by the family.

We first met as young girls at the School of Community Life camp at Gooseberry Lake. We were about eight years of age and a lifetime friendship was born. Later, we attended grade nine at Consort School and it was during that fall that we became involved in a car accident when she ‘borrowed’ her dad’s old 1938 Model B Ford. She rolled it just north of the Marion Kelts farm and I still bear the scar.

We learned how to hand-set type at the Enterprise, the weekly newspaper in Consort. Her uncle, Wilburn DeWolfe, had operated this business since 1916, taking over from his sister, Mabel. Elsie and her brother, Clifford, both set type for Wilburn and when I started, just after his passing, in January of 1950, I was again in Elsie’s company. We were young girls – teenagers full of life and likely to burst forth in giggles – something that stayed with us through the years, as we shared the same sense of humor. A few years later, I was her bridesmaid, when she and Arlos Tkach married. Her dad had once told her that she would have a large family – he saw this in an omen when she dipped right to the bottom of the soup pot. He took that as a sign and she did, indeed, have a large family. Four boys and two girls were raised by Arlos and Elsie and even though sometimes life was hard, those kids were raised in a happy, close family, and I was honored to be close to them, too.

Elsie and I remained close friends – she was the nearest thing I had to a sister – and during the years, Bill and I, along with Arlos and Elsie, travelled together; sometimes big trips and sometimes just to a dance – and we played cards, lots of cards. It became a tradition that on Boxing Day, we would go to their home at Veteran, for games, eating up the leftovers and visiting. After our men passed away, Elsie and I continued traveling together, going overseas or on a cruise, until her health curtailed her. She loved Bingo and spent many years coming to Consort every Wednesday to the Lions Bingo. She has been a resident of Coronation for some years and I was often there to visit and play cards.

She cared so much for people and was always ready to help wherever she could. One birthday, I was especially upset, so she came here, picked me up and took me to Edmonton, to a Casino, where she even found a little piece of cake for me to celebrate with. A few years ago, as we aged and our health began to falter, we talked about it – talked about life and death and that one of us would go before the other, but in the meantime, we would stick together – two old women, sharing life’s problems and joys, and understanding how we felt about things, with a deeper understanding than young folk might have. There are so many memories from these long years together. I will miss her dreadfully, but take comfort in knowing she is again with her beloved Arlos and the two sons, who preceded her. You’ve earned your rest, old friend. The following poem says it all.

Should you go first and

I remain,

To walk the road alone,

I’ll live in memory’s garden, dear,

With happy days we’ve known.

In spring I’ll wait for roses red,

When fades the lilac blue,

In early fall when brown leaves call

I’ll catch a glimpse of you.
Should you go first and

I remain,

For battles to be fought,

Each thing you’ve touched along the way

Will be a hallowed spot.

I’ll hear your voice,

I’ll see your smile,

Though blindly I may grope,

The memory of your

helping hand

Will buoy me on with hope.
Should you go first and

I remain,

To finish with the scroll,

No length’ning shadows shall creep in

To make this life seem

droll.

We’ve known so much of happiness,

We’ve had our cup of joy,

And memory is one gift of God

That death cannot destroy.
Should you go first and

I remain,

One thing I’d have you do:

Walk slowly down that long, lone path,

For soon I’ll follow you.

I’ll want to know each step you take

That I may walk the same,

For some day down that lonely road

You’ll hear me call your name.
Card of Thanks

The Tkach family wish to thank the following for all their thoughtfulness and caring during the recent loss of our Mother.

Heather Caseley for her guidance in our arrangements for the day; Darrel Durksen for kind words and being with the family; Mary Readman for her thoughts of our Mother; the Veteran United Church Ladies and the Talbot Homemakers for the delicious and plentiful lunch.

Your thoughts, prayers and words of sympathy were greatly appreciated.

It’s great to belong to a small and close community.

Greg, Terry, Joanne, “Schultz” Lory Tkach

and families

Alexander Deleff  (September 27, 1925 – January 16, 2018)

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, Alexander “Alex” Deleff at the age of 92 years.

Alex will be lovingly remembered by daughters, Lorna Deleff and Elaine (Behrooz) Tahririha; grandchildren, Patti, Romez, Derek, Holly, Theo; and great grandson, Avery. He will also be fondly remembered by his sister, Lillian; and brother, Marin; as well as numerous nephews, nieces, extended family and friends.

He was predeceased by his parents, Odoria and Dimo Deleff; wife, Jennie; siblings and in-laws, Vasil and Dorothy Deleff, Harry and Jean Deleff, Eddie and Shirley Deleff, Isabelle Deleff, Helen and Alex Murray, and Charlie Jarrett, as well as nephews, Leslie Jarrett, Kenneth and Bruce Deleff; and niece, Marie Fookes.

A special thank you to the staff of Citadel Care Center who lovingly provided comfort, care and happiness to Alex during the last years of his life.

Father, brother, uncle, friend – gentle, humorous, imaginative – teacher, artist, scholar – ever resourceful and optimistic – Alex’s legacy lives on in our hearts.

A celebration of Alex’s life was held at 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, January 23rd, St. Albert Connelly-McKinley Funeral Home, 9 Muir Drive, St. Albert, Alberta.

Deborah “Debbie” Aline Letniak (Sept. 23, 1952 – Jan. 6, 2018)

Debbie Letniak was born to Franz and Doris Siemsen on September 23, 1952 in Sandpoint, ID. Two years later she was joined by a sister Patti, and when Debbie was 9 and 12 years old Don and Dave entered and completed the family. As the eldest Debbie was most often the leader and kept the children going from adventure to adventure.

Debbie went to Sandpoint Jr Academy, then attended Upper Columbia Academy from 1968-1970 after which she left home to attend Walla Walla College in College Place, WA. She pursued a degree in education. Debbie was a student missionary in Sierra Leone, Africa from ’72-73. She came back to Walla Walla and finished her teaching degree where she met the love of her life, Lawrence Letniak. On June 29, 1975 the couple exchanged vows in Sandpoint, ID. Adventure and challenges never deterred Debbie and the newly-weds began their first year of married life in Zimbabwe, Africa where they both taught school.

After their year of missions was over, they came back to the Alberta prairie lands, where she embraced farm life with the same vim and vigor that she did everything. She taught at Veteran School from ’76-82.

On March 9 of 1981 Debbie and Lawrence welcomed Ryan Lawrence and twenty-three months later, on February 11, Jodi Aline was born. When it came time for the children to go to school it only seemed natural that Debbie would teach them at least for the first few formative years.

In 1991 she returned to the workforce and spread her joy and enthusiasm for education throughout the community. She worked at various schools in the community as a teacher and speech therapist assistant. In January 2009 she became the principal of Veteran School. She was a dynamic, passionate, and energetic educator and administrator. Throughout her life Debbie served her church, community, and educational system on several boards and committees. She always looked at the needs of the children as her foremost concern. Mamawi Atosketan Native School in Ponoka, AB was close to her heart. She raised funds, served on the board, and brought in motivational speakers for the students. She retired from teaching in July of 2015 in a conscious effort to spend her time with family and friends. At her core, she loved adventure and enjoyed including others.

The last 18 months were challenging and emotional as she fought against a glioblastoma but Debbie drew strength from her Creator. Debbie’s zest and zeal for life didn’t stop with her diagnosis. You never found her disheartened or discouraged. She filled her life with positivity and thankfulness. Family and friends drew closer than ever. Love and support never wavered. She was a friend of Jesus, our Savior, so she lived and died with the promise that she would be part of the resurrection when Jesus comes again. We can’t wait to see her again.

Debbie Letniak is survived by her loving husband Lawrence Letniak, son Ryan (Trina) Letniak of Edmonton, AB, daughter Jodi (Marvin) Primero and grandchildren Chloe (6) and Braden (4) of Burleson, TX. One sister Patti (Steve) Schultz of Post Falls, ID; Brothers Don (Cyndie) Siemsen of Tillamook, OR and Dave (Sue) Siemsen of Newport, WA. Brother-in-law Ron (Connie) Letniak of Consort, AB; Sisters-in-law Darlene (Paul) Karmy of Burleson, TX and Ellen (Bob) Bell of Lacombe, AB. Ten nephews and six nieces. She was preceded in death by her parents Franz and Doris Siemsen and parents-in-law James and Marie Letniak.

The Letniak family would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who have shared comfort and encouragement with us during this time of loss.

A Memorial Service to honor Debbie was held on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at the Full Gospel Church, Veteran, Alberta at 2:00 p.m. Lunch followed immediately after the service at the Veteran Community Hall. The Interment took place at Lake Road Cemetery, Consort, AB. Memorial donations can be made to Mamawi Atosketan Native School in Ponoka, AB or to STARS.

Heather Caseley, Funeral Director of Coronation Funeral Home was entrusted with the care and funeral arrangements. Condolences can be forwarded to the family by visiting our website at www.coronationfuneralhome.ca.
Family Tribute for our Sister, Debbie Letniak

Presented by Patti Schultz

Many of you here knew Debbie as Debbie Letniak or Mrs. Letniak. I knew her as my older sister, Sis, best friend and confidant, encourager, and leader.

I find it difficult to believe why we are here….to honor our sister at her memorial service. But here we are. I am pleased to tell you a little about the Debbie her family knew and loved.

Debbie was born just 27 months ahead of me. I’m told she was delighted to see me – although I am sure that initial excitement lost some of its shine as I grew up to be the little sister who wanted so badly to do everything my sister could do and go everywhere she went.

We grew up in north Idaho, in the small town of Sandpoint, nestled between the mountains and the lake.

When she was in the first grade she would come home excited to show me what she had learned and she would sit me down and teach me to read…so I was reading long before I entered the 1st grade…in fact that year they just put me into the 2nd grade because of the good teacher I had already had. She was putting into place her excellence in teaching at the early age of 6.

And she kept teaching me. She taught me that life is more fun when you make it an adventure. She was always searching for adventure. I didn’t seek it like she did – but she made sure I experienced it.

She loved horses. She always wanted to ride. We rode horses over mountains, through the woods, we swam them in the lake. We were just talking a few weeks ago how we rode them over a long railway trestle! So maybe not the best adventure choice, but it does give good memories if you survive it! She loved building family memories.

Our brother Don, who by the way, is alive today because Debbie saved his life. She breathed life into his small 2 year old body after a near drowning when she was only 11 years old. He has a memory with Debbie and the horses. One of his earliest and fondest was when Debbie took him up to the barn to watch a foal being born. Debbie and Don were lying in the rafters watching her mare give birth and once the colt was born Debbie said “He is yours,” and then they got down to meet the colt and named him Sheikie-Boy. Debbie had just created another sibling with a love for horses.

Having a sister and two younger brothers always gave her someone with whom she could entice to have fun with…it might be the horse ride, motorcycles, water or snow skiing, hiking, biking, or camping. We Siemsen children were extremely blessed to have parents who provided the opportunity and encouraged the family fun together.

And our brother Dave remembers that he always gained energy from being around Debbie. She never stopped moving or having wonderful ideas. She always wanted to have an adventure. And you know what, they always did. When you were with Debbie, boredom did not exist.

Debbie had a heart for others. I think many of you here today knew that part of Debbie too. After her freshman year at college, she signed up to be a student missionary to Africa for the following school term. She taught English there and fell in love with her students. Debbie always had the ability to adapt to any culture and make it her own.

Our parents, along with Don and Dave, went to Africa to visit Debbie while she was there. Don, about 10 at the time, remembers when Debbie and he were walking around the open air market and she allowed him to get a baby crocodile. I am sure no one took the time to ask our mom! But Don was so excited while walking back, proud owner of a baby croc. Once home the people Debbie was staying with took the baby croc and flushed him down the toilet. Don stood just starring. What did they do that for? But that’s what they did there. They flush baby crocs into the sewer system to take care of less desirable pests. But she had gotten him one because she thought it would be so exciting for him to have it, short lived as it was.

When it came time for Debbie to return from Africa, she toured for two weeks all the way home, sometimes with other youth, much of it by herself – frightening our parents and canceling their sleep. She didn’t know she was, but I heard their worried talking. Young 19 year old – traveling as long as she could afford the time to see as much of the world as she could.

Debbie and I depleted our parents’ energy and sanity by graduating at a week apart and a few weeks later having our weddings just a mere 5 weeks apart – outdoors on the home lawn we grew up on at the lake we loved.

And then – Lawrence whisked her off to Alberta!

We got together as much as we could – at our childhood home in Sandpoint, at various ski mountains to ski together as our families grew, numerous camping trips, lots of bike rides. Many of them right in the midst of the beauty Canada offers.

I have always been impressed at how well Debbie adjusted here. It’s a lot different here from home. She once again used her skills to adapt and make this place, this country, part of her. It was an adjustment to farm life and I might add, the cold winter weather, but I never heard her complain. It was all just part of the adventure of living here. Talk about adapting and working with what you have – she even drove around the pastures on the four wheeler, collected perfect cow pies, dried them, treated them with coats of sealing spray, and turned them into clocks. There is actually one hanging on a wall in my parent’s house!

She became quite the gardener and sold produce (I seem to remember that growing up she had quite an aversion to gardening, especially weeding) but here, she came to love it. She even started her own greenhouse business. She impressed and inspired me. I was incredibly proud of her.

We loved hearing about her teaching experiences. She had a special connection to David because he is an educator as well. He’s a little jealous of the school staff here that Debbie was privileged to work with. Jealous in an admiring way because they got to work with and spend time with her professionally. Dave believes that he is the teacher he is today because of their endless talks about motivating students and creating units or lessons that meant something to the kids. They would run ideas off of each other and plan out how they would accomplish these tasks. True to Debbie’s style, this was often done while paddling in a canoe, paddle boarding, long car rides, or riding a chair lift.

Our kids often thought of Debbie as “second mom”. We saw that she was a life lesson teacher to not only her students but to our children too. They would love coming up to the farm and spending endless hours riding horses, racing around on the four wheelers, driving the combines with Lawrence, working in her garden and picking the produce. Our families all cherish the memories of our trips to the farm.

So the Debbie we knew and the Debbie you likely knew was one who never backed away from a challenge. She chose the more adventurous route….

Did you know that she even hiked Angels’ Landing in Zion National Park less than 2 years ago? They advertise it “as not for the faint of heart!” They might as well have put a sign up saying “Debbie will be here!” So she trained, ate well, exercised for weeks to make sure she had the stamina to make the trip. The trail is strenuous and steep with several drop-offs where they actually put chain ropes along the way. These are there so you have something to hold onto so you won’t plummet off the cliff!

But she did not choose the adventure trail that happened next. About 3 months after her hiking feat, she drove the 10 hours to Sandpoint to spend the 4th of July with our mother. In a swirl of events that happened next, she was hit – we all were – with the devastating diagnosis that she had a non-operable glioblastoma. Devastating. In her words after her doctor’s appointment, “just the worst possible news.”

So family rallied. Friends did too. We were all determined that we would do whatever we could to build her up, to make it better somehow, to get the best possible outcome.

She never had backed away from a challenge – and she did not back away from this one either. She gave us all notice that “negativity or despair” was not allowed – for that does not move us toward healing. She took on the challenge to do what she could do to fight this tumor with the prescribed radiation and chemo, to adopt an even healthier diet – she claimed to love all the different foods we fixed for her – exercise, positive thinking, gratefulness without complaining, but most of all, her faith in God. And it gave her 18 months – many more months than the doctors said would be hers to live. And most of these months gave her quality life – a different quality than she’d had of course, but it gave her time with family and friends where she remained as active as she could. We are so thankful for this time. She was even able to hike several miles for the 1-year-survival celebration hike last summer.

Debbie lived her life as a teacher – beginning at the tender age of 6….and she lived the last months of her life teaching us still. She taught us about gratitude which casts out despair. She taught us about faith which helps bring peace in the fear. She taught us about being strong when the body grows weaker. She taught us about caring about others when you yourself are trying to survive. She taught us that when the realization and disappointment hits that the glioblastoma is going to win, that in the end….it does not. Because one day, there will be a healing and a renewing when Jesus comes to take us home. She believed this with all her heart and as a friend of Jesus – she knew and claimed the promise from her Savior.

We were so very fortunate to be part of a family that was close growing up, stayed close as we grew our own families, and came together so tightly as Debbie fought this invasion on her health. Debbie left us much too soon and we can’t imagine moving forward without her. Yet we are thankful, that to a great extent because of her, we have wonderful and amazing memories – memories that keep her always in our heart. We can’t wait to see you again, Debbie!
Tribute

Presented by Jerri Perrin

Many of you knew her as Debbie. But at school she was Mrs. Letniak, or as one young student called her, Auntie Letniak.

Through the years, Mrs. Letniak was involved with Veteran School in many capacities: as a teacher, a parent, a substitute teacher, a speech therapy assistant, again as a teacher, a principal and in the past 2 ½ years, a visitor arriving with a huge smile and a basketfull of muffins.

As well as her years teaching in Veteran, Mrs. Letniak taught in Africa, Brownfield and Coronation. She had experience at a variety of grade levels and didn’t shy away from unusual assignments. At one time she taught ECS and Jr. High Foods on the same days. She would gracefully sail into the school with a small kitchen appliance tucked under her arm, a bag of frozen apples from her own tree and miscellaneous items to enhance a kindergarten lesson. Each morning, her bright smile was accompanied by a cheery “Good Morning” with heavy emphasis on GOOD. That is how she approached every situation, finding the good and making it better.

Mrs. Letniak held high expectations for her students. She encouraged them to behave and work in a manner which would make them proud of themselves. She celebrated their accomplishments and consoled them through disappointments. She viewed lack of success as the first step to finding an alternate plan, not failure.

When a student or staff member talked to her, she listened, without rushing to judgement or interrupting with a solution. She was a strong advocate for students and respectful of staff members. As a principal, she saw herself as an equal on a team. When necessary, she was willing to make difficult decisions and take ownership of consequences. She believed the most important ingredient in a successful school was good relationships with all of the people involved.

Mrs. Letniak gracefully accepted reasonable excuses from others, but didn’t offer any for herself. Whether recovering from a migraine, experiencing back pain from a tipped quad incident, or lacking sleep after arriving home from a long trip just in time to get ready for school, she gave her whole attention to the task at hand. In fact, no one even knew of her discomfort unless they noticed subtle signs. One day after school, she made a house call to check on a student. Shortly after, she returned for a meeting. She was composed and attentive during the meeting. Later, when someone noticed the blood on her leg, she confessed that she had been bitten by a dog. To escape she had crawled through a caragana hedge in her skirt and heels.

Mrs. Letniak showed good judgement and the ability to make decisions based upon reason rather than emotion. Every rule has its exception. More than once she would arrive at school when road conditions were nearly impassable. One particularly nasty morning, when asked why she came when busses were cancelled, she responded that she had started out and realized she was in a white out. She didn’t feel she could safely turn around in the deep snow and poor visibility, so she came all the way to school. Her driving skills were not limited to heavy roads. Had she not chosen education, she would have made an excellent race car driver.

Mrs. Letniak had great diplomacy skills and a knack for persuasion. She spearheaded the students’ effort to replace Private First Class Pennington’s WW II medals. Once this had been accomplished, she contacted CFB Wainwright to arrange a guest speaker for the surprise ceremony to present the medals. A high ranking officer was astounded by her request. He tried to replace his father’s medals and was unable to do so, since protocol dictated the soldier had to apply for them personally. The presentation ceremony for Mr. Pennington was covered by CBC television. As a result, our Jr. High students were invited to Ottawa by Dr. Paul Kavanagh. Mrs. Letniak eagerly put in the work to make it a trip the students and supervisors will always remember. It brought positive recognition to our school when our MP, Kevin Sorenson, spoke in the Canadian parliament about the students’ project.

During her time as an administrator, Mrs. Letniak was nominated for an Excellence in Teaching Award in the principal category. The nomination came from Prairie Land’s Central Office, indicating that her work was recognized and appreciated not just in our school and community.

In the years to come, we will be reminded of Mrs. Letniak when we look at the school orchard and the evergreens growing around the playground, projects she initiated with lasting benefits. We will treasure memories of her kindness, enthusiasm and energy. She holds a very special place in the hearts of her students and colleagues.
Tribute

Presented by Darrel Durksen

I have been asked to share a tribute of Debbie with you today. I talked to Jan Allison who was a very close friend of Debbie’s and I will incorporate some of her memories as well. Debbie was truly an amazing woman in many ways. I want to start out with a scripture that I think describes the kind of person Debbie was and it is found in Colossians 3:12-17. It says this, “Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. 17 And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” To me that really does describe who Debbie was.

Now in saying that, Debbie was fun loving and always looking for a new challenge in life. Jan was telling how she used to babysit Ryan and Jodi, and on one occasion her and Debbie found out that Mr. Dressup was going to be in Red Deer and they got tickets for the event. And at some point during the show Amy began to cry because she didn’t want it to end and wanted to see Mr. Dressup. Their seats were way up in bleachers and Jan said, Debbie was able to use her persuasive powers and before long they were back stage getting their pictures with Mr. Dressup. For anyone that knew Debbie, they would know that when she wanted something, she usually figured out a way to get it.

I don’t recall Debbie a person who liked to sit around and do nothing. She was always on the move and it didn’t seem to matter what it was, but she was up for almost anything. She loved plants, gardening, the outdoors, but she really loved skiing. I don’t know how many ski trips I drove for Debbie, but it was quite a few and they were always a lot of fun.

Ryan and Jodi and our kids are the same age, so over the years of them growing up we had many opportunities to visit. There was kids club, skating club, Coronation Music Festival, school activities and the daily grind of school. I can remember as a family going to their place to visit and wouldn’t you know it, we had to play games.

I remember driving the grade 5/6 class to Edmonton for her a number of times and I had the discussion with her many times about taking those young innocent children to visit the legislature and sit in the gallery to watch the fighting below among grown adults who supposedly lead our province. I mentioned to her on more than one occasion that if those kids acted like those politicians, they would get a spanking.

Debbie seemed to like rules. I remember one field trip to Edmonton and I had a number of boys in my room and we decided to order in pizza one night when we probably should have been sleeping. Debbie found out about it and told me that I wasn’t allowed to order pizza again on a field trip.

I always wondered if Debbie could have been a race car driver. I think she only knew two speeds, stop and peddle to the metal. As I recall though, Debbie seemed to get stuck fairly often.

Jan reminded us that one year her and Debbie decided to coach baseball when Jodi and Amy were on a team and they couldn’t find a coach. Jan said, “Neither one of us had any idea what we were doing.” But Debbie was always willing to step up to the plate. Coaching didn’t turn out to be along term career for either one of them.

Jan drove back to Sand Point with Debbie last fall and Debbie was bound and determined that they were going to take the canoe out on the lake. Neither one of them was in any condition to go canoeing, but they somehow managed to get it on the lake. I think that was the last trip Jan and Debbie went on.

My wife Pat had the opportunity to work with Debbie for the few years she was principal at the school. She said that Debbie was always a pleasure to work with and a great friend. Debbie never complained and you would never know that something was wrong or she wasn’t feeling good.

Pat also said, “No obstacle was ever an issue for her, she viewed an obstacle as an adventure she had to overcome.” One of the sayings Debbie would often use when things were tense at school was, “Make like a duck and let it all run off.”

Debbie was a kind and compassionate person. She will be greatly missed by her family and friends and we will continue to pray for the family as they walk this new journey.
Card of Thanks

The Letniak family would like to extend our sincere gratitude for the outpouring of support, kind sympathies, and condolences. Thank you to Heather and the Coronation Funeral Home for their acts of love and service. God Bless each one of you.

In lieu of flowers, donation may be made to a charity of your choice.

Margaret Darlene Poisson (Jan. 23, 1934–Jan. 26, 2018)

Margaret passed away peacefully on January 26, 2018, at the age of 84 in Calgary, Alberta.

She was born at Condor, Alberta, January 23, 1934 to Clarence and Thordys Rasmussen. Margaret leaves to mourn, daughter Corrine Pelletier, sons Roy (Linda) and Evan (Sonia), granddaughter Christie (Rob) Rodrigues, great-grandson Aiden, and niece Carol Gray. She is also survived by her brother Richard (Nellie), as well as numerous other relatives throughout Alberta. Margaret was predeceased by her parents, her husband Gus, as well as five siblings Bjorn, Clifford, Claire, Jensina and Marjorie Ann.

Margaret was many things to many people: daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, auntie….to many others an inspiration as an entrepreneur, a successful business woman, a teacher, and a seamstress.

Gus and Marg Poisson and children, Roy and Corrine, first came to Consort in 1957 and left again in November, of that year, as Gus was employed with Tri City Drilling and they followed the rigs. Two years later, they were back, when Gus went to work for Chieftan Mac. In 1961, Gus started work as maintenance man for the Village of Consort and remained in that position for eleven years, before going into the trucking business. Marg worked at the AGT telephone office in 1960. A year later she started work at the Royal Bank and remained there until 1966, when their youngest son, Evan was born. By 1971, Marg was working for Harold and Ann Shannon in the hardware store and lumber yard. Marg’s lifelong dream was fulfilled in August of 1973 when she opened the Fabric Shop, in the old Royal Cafe building, on main street. Along with the Fabric Shop she operated the Sears Catalogue Sales Office. She eventually moved the business into a brand new building just east of Consort Hotel (now Patti’s Place).

She took this opportunity to hone her skills as a business woman and to introduce her love of sewing to many people, teaching various sewing courses, and 4-H, retiring in 1991.

After retirement she took up golf with the same vigor as everything else she tackled. Wintering in Yuma, Arizona gave her the opportunity to golf a mere three hundred or so days a year. She moved to Calgary in 2002.

In 2005, Margaret started a long and hard fought battle with cancer and copd, but it didn’t stop her in her tracks!

In 2007, Margaret started sewing for the University of Calgary – Pumphouse Theatre Productions, and she was seamstress for the designs in Cinderella, Anne of Green Gables, Hello Dolly, Love Boat, The King & I, Brigadoon, New York New York, Cabaret, My Fair Lady, and the last being the highlight – the movie “Drawing Home” – an intimate and epic biopic about Banff wildlife artists Peter and Catherine Whyte.

There was no funeral service, but a Celebration of Life was held Friday, February 2, 2018, 1:00-3:00 p.m., Century Hall, Cranston Community Centre, 11 Cranarch Rd. SE, Calgary, AB. T3M 0S8.

Donna Charlene (McNally) Fawcett (Mar. 20, 1935 – Jan. 22, 2018)

Donna was born at Dodsland, Saskatchewan, the eldest child of Tom and Ivadelle McNally. She grew up on their farm south of Major with her sister Bonnie (Patricia Phyllis), brothers Jack (John Henry) and Ken (Douglas Charles).

At age five, Donna started school at Prairiedale and for three years made the trip with her Shetland pony and cart. In the winter she was taught at home. She attended grades 4 and 9 in Major. The years in between were spent at Gull Lake, Evarts Store and Sylvan Lake when her parents rented out the farm and the family moved to Alberta. Donna attended high school in Major, Kerrobert and Smiley. In 1952 she worked at a bank in Madison and then in Unity for a short time.

In September 1952, her mother was employed as the manager of the Consort School Dormitory, so after helping her father with the harvest, Donna came to Consort to look after her young brother Ken. In January 1953, Art Wiltse offered Donna a job in his store and that’s where she met Charles when he came in one day to shop. They started dating even though he was driving the worst looking truck she’d ever seen. (He had rolled it when he’d blown a tire and hit an approach east of Monitor.) They were engaged in June and married in the Consort Anglican Church November 21st, 1953. Donna’s sister Bonnie and Charles’ good friend, Robert McCullough, were their attendants.

They settled down on the Fawcett farm and worked hard over the next few years to establish their own farm.

Donna’s sister-in-law, Verda (Kruschel) Fawcett (married to Keith in Aug. 1953), soon became a close friend. They enjoyed having coffee together and taught themselves how to knit, crochet and garden.

Charles and Donna’s children, Linda, Joanne and David, were each born about two years apart so Donna had a lot to keep her busy. As Charles’ brothers and cousins married and their families grew, there were many happy occasions to celebrate.

Gardening became a passion which Donna enjoyed for the rest of her life. Her happiest times were spent planting and tending her vegetable and flower gardens. There was always lots of fresh fruit and vegetables in the summer and a well stocked cold room and freezer in the winter. In addition to strawberries, raspberries and the orchard produce, there were fun days spent picking saskatoons in the Neutral Hills.

Donna was a self-taught seamstress and very much a perfectionist. She sewed most of the kid’s clothes and also took in sewing for a few years which included bridesmaid dresses and alterations. Between knitting, crocheting, cross-stitch and embroidery there was always a project on the go. She developed an interest in quilting and made many beautiful quilts, most of which were stitched by hand. For many years she entered her handiwork and garden produce in the local Fair and was rewarded with a large collection of beautiful ribbons.

Her interests also included writing and refinishing furniture. She taught herself to play piano and would accompany Charles when he played the guitar. They had very musical parents: Ivadelle and Allison played piano; Tom and Neal played the violin.

For about a year Donna worked with Marie Meier at Marie’s store in Consort and really enjoyed it although this meant that she was extremely busy.

In the 70’s Donna tackled renovating the house they had moved from Edmonton. It had been a motel office so it needed some work to make it a home. Although this was all new to her, she took down a wall on the main floor and built rooms, closets and shelves in the basement. Luckily she had Harold Shannon to talk to and he was generous with his advice. She learned how to install paneling, ceiling tiles, flooring, baseboard and doors. Then she modified the kitchen cabinets, built a pantry and repainted the whole house inside and out. When Charles came in from the field he would look a little bemused by the changes but would not offer much in the way of comment.

Donna was a strong, capable woman, unafraid of hard work. There didn’t seem to be any project she couldn’t tackle. Several of Joanne’s friends have said what a strong role model Donna was for them during their high school years.

Donna was active with the U.C.W. as well as with the New to You store. She volunteered a lot of her time there, working in the store and on its renovation.

Donna always helped with farm work including moving equipment, pulling calves, and hauling hay. Charles said she was the best combine operator he ever had.

Charles and Donna rarely took time away from the farm, but there were some fishing trips when the kids were young as well as a few road trips to southern Alberta and Montana by themselves later on.

In the 70’s Charles developed an interest in gold panning and took the family on holiday to the interior of BC. There were some scary drives on logging roads (Donna was not a fan), as well as an uneasy night spent camping by a river when they received news of a forest fire. No real gold was found but it was quite an adventure nonetheless.

In the 80’s Joanne asked Donna to go with her on a holiday to Banff, Lake Louise and Fairmont. By the time they left she really needed a holiday as she had to spend the week before helping Donna harvest the garden. The next year she asked Donna to accompany her to the West Coast. Although Donna was afraid of flying, she overcame that fear and they had a great holiday.

Donna faced many difficult times in her life such as the loss of family members and friends. This included the passing of her close friend and neighbor Jean Spencer with whom she shared a love of gardening for many years.

Charles passed away in May 2003 and Dave took over the farming operations. Donna continued to live on the farm and grow a large garden. She said she cut it down in size every year but this was not readily apparent to others. She looked after the large yard, mowing the grass and cultivating the garden until she left the farm.

Donna moved into the Consort Seniors Lodge early in 2014 and came to enjoy the sense of community there. She was always concerned about the health and welfare of the other residents and staff. She was a great cook (her beef stew, turkey casserole, bread, buns and cinnamon rolls were second to none) so it was a credit to the cooks at the Lodge when she said how good the meals were. Dave and Lori would join Donna for Sunday dinners and this became a tradition which they all enjoyed.

Although she faced health challenges associated with her COPD, arthritis and hip surgeries she joined in with activities as she could. She especially enjoyed a friendly game of bingo. Her lifelong love of crossword and jigsaw puzzles continued.

A highlight was her 80th birthday party which her daughters hosted at the Lodge. Knowing that she wouldn’t want any fuss made about her, they only let her know about it the day before. It was a great day that Donna enjoyed very much, especially since her sister Bonnie was able to attend and share the day with her.

Donna passed away January 22nd at Coronation Hospital. She will be greatly missed and lovingly remembered by her children: Lynda Fawcett (husband Dave Wilson), Joanne Fawcett (husband Rick Momney) and Dave Fawcett (girlfriend Lori Hanna).

Donna was predeceased by her husband Charles as well as by her brothers Jack and Ken. She is survived by her sister Bonnie (husband Gerald Busch), sister-in-law Mardell McNally and their families. She is also survived by her Fawcett family – Keith and Inge, Don and Laura, Doug and Adah, Alan and Janice and their families.

– by Joanne Fawcett
Card of Thanks

Thank you to Heather Caseley of Coronation Funeral Home for her kindness and compassion during this difficult time.

Respecting Donna’s wishes there was no funeral service. Instead a small Celebration of Life was held at the Lodge February 8th. Thank you to the Lodge management, staff and especially Dina Nelson for this.

We would like to thank everyone for their expressions of sympathy, hugs, cards and donations. Your caring and support have meant so much to us.

Memorial donations may be made to the Consort Hospital Auxiliary.

Donna’s family

Edwin (Ed) Lee Broadway (Jan. 21, 1927-Feb. 21, 2018)

Edwin (Ed) Lee Broadway was born January 21, 1927, at home near Golconda, Illinois.   At age seventeen Ed joined the U.S. Navy and received the WW II Victory Medal for his navy service.  After the war, Ed met and married Mary Erlean Collins, graduated from Prairie Bible Institute (1952), and started his lifelong ministry as a pastor in Alberta, Missouri, Tennessee, British Columbia and Saskatchewan.

Ed and Erlean had seven children; Diane (Ron Sauer) Ablonczy, Leslie (Meredythe), Edwina (Daniel) Bobocel, Danita (Ed Onyebuchi) Senf, Mark (Melanie), Kerry Lee (Roxanna Sutcliffe) and Danice. In 1986 Ed married Edith (nee Dunn), bringing Edith’s daughter, Connie (Martin) Roberts and their son Clint into the family.

During the last thirty-five years of his ministry, Ed started many new churches and he was still preaching “on call” until God took him into His presence.  Ed passed away peacefully February 21, 2018 in Mayerthorpe, Alberta. Ed was predeceased by his first wife, Erlean; infant daughter, Danice; sons-in-law, Tom Ablonczy and Hal Senf; and sister, LaVerne.

Visitation – Wednesday, February 28, 2018, 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at Park Memorial Funeral Home, 5101 – 47 Avenue, Mayerthorpe.

Memorial Service will be held Thursday, March 1 at 2:30 p.m. at Mayerthorpe Diamond Centre, 4814 – 54 Street, Mayerthorpe. Reverend Ian Smith officiating.

Edith, and Ed’s seven children, nine grandchildren and many great-grandchildren will miss Ed very much and they are joyful to know he is in the Presence of God.

Ed would be honoured if friends made a contribution to Mayerthorpe Baptist Church, Box 397, Mayerthorpe, AB. T0E 1N0 or e-transfers to mbchurch@xplornet.ca.

Photos, memories and condolences may be shared through www.parkmemorial.com.

Park Memorial, Family Owned Funeral Home and Crematorium, was entrusted with the care and arrangements.

Amy Clementine Hewitt (Aug. 23, 1930-Feb. 23, 2018)

Amy was a loving and compassionate wife, mother, sister, sister-in-law, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend.

Amy Clementine Hewitt passed away peacefully February 23, 2018 in the Coronation Hospital and Care Centre with her family at her side.

Amy Clementine Hewitt was born at the family farm at Hemaruka, Alberta, on August 23, 1930. Amy was one of a family of eight children. She was the first born to Clarence and Ellen Dafoe. Amy attended school at St. Elmo and Lawrence School. She also went to Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta. After finishing her schooling she worked at a hospital in Medicine Hat, Alberta and Fort St. John B.C. as a ward Aid. She then came back to Coronation to work here in the Hospital and Union Cafe. It was during this time that she met the love of her life, Gordon Hewitt. They were married in Coronation on March 30, 1952. They started their married life on a farm on Section 31 in the Talbot district where they raised three sons: Ronald, born March of 1953, Leslie – September of 1954, and Darcey – August of 1957. They spent many happy years living in the little house at Talbot. Amy enjoyed singing, with Dad in the band and loved any opportunity to sing.

In 1967, they moved into Coronation and farmed from there. Amy worked at the Post Office and Builders Merit Store for a time. Amy and Gordon enjoyed camping and fishing, trailering with a tent trailer, fifth-wheel and then a motorhome.

They spent many a winter in Arizona with friends, and made more friends. While there she took painting lessons and began to paint on everything; canvas, eggs, cream cans, rocks, spoons, saw blades, etc.

Amy went on many trips with family and friends and enjoyed every minute. At age 80, Amy flew to England by herself to visit relatives. When a close friend, Ruth Bakken, expressed a concern of her going alone, Amy said that she was going with friends she hadn’t met yet. Her last flight was to her granddaughter Amanda’s wedding in Victoria, B.C. last June. She enjoyed her family, friends and was very involved in the community. She was one of the first members who started Talbot Homemakers Club, belonged to Eastern Star, United Church Choir, helped with the Farmers Market, Music Festival for numerous years and was still a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Amy worked very hard on her yard and was very proud of it. Many people used her yard for wedding pictures.

In 1998, they decided to move to Red Deer where they could be closer to medical services. They moved into Waskasoo Estates where they enjoyed many years in that community, making more friends. They traveled to many jam sessions to listen to local music. Amy looked forward to visits and the opportunity to go shopping with her granddaughters Amanda and Nicole.

In March 2002, Amy and Gordon celebrated their 50th anniversary. Later, after Gordon’s passing, Amy moved into a condo on Taylor Drive where she made many more friends. She cherished the times with her sister Eunice who moved into the same condo.

In June of 2015, Amy moved back to Coronation Assisted Living. She felt right at home knowing most of the residents and their families. She enjoyed all the visits from family, grandchildren, and especially those precious great-grandchildren. She loved the staff at Assisted Living, joining in on making crafts and enjoyed the entertainment that came in to play for the residents. Amy never missed an opportunity to go on an outing with family or the Handi Bus. If someone said “do you want to”, before they said where, she said “yes”. She loved to go to any entertainment in the community, Castor Little Theater, Performing Arts, and especially Music Festive and Dancing, watching her great-granddaughters dance. Amy loved her computer, to stay in touch with friends and family by email. She loved to send jokes back and forth.

Amy leaves to mourn her passing her loving family Ronald (Ann), Leslie (Sherri), Darcey (Wanda); grandchildren Kyle (Candace), Ryan (Anita), Kevin (Christie), Mark, Jayden (Renee), Dean, Amanda (Johnny) Vaslovic, Nicole; great-grandchildren Teira, Sara, Kayla, Dylanna, Lynn, Julie Kylie, Kenzie, Codi, Seth, Ella, Luke; sisters Nell Glass of Prince George, B.C., Eunice Anderson of Red Deer, AB; numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many friends.

Amy was predeceased by her loving husband Gordon in 2006, father and mother Clarence and Ellen Dafoe; brothers Earl, George and Fred Dafoe; sisters Jean Sankey, Rosemary Leake; sister-in-law Ann Dafoe; brothers-in-law Andy Glass, Bill Sankey, Bob Anderson, Eddie Leake.

On behalf of the family, we would like to extend a huge thank you to Dr. Noelle O’Riordan, the nursing staff at the Coronation Hospital & Care Centre and the staff at DSL. Your excellent care and compassion shown to Amy and her family made the last couple of weeks as comfortable as possible.

Funeral services were held on Monday March 5, 2018 at the Coronation Community Centre. In lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made directly to Coronation Cemetery Fund. Coronation Funeral Home, entrusted with arrangements. www.coronationfuneralhome.ca

Tresses Kropinske (May 9, 1923 – Feb. 7, 2018)

Tresses Kropinske was born May 9, 1923 at Ardrossan and passed away February 7, 2018 at St. Albert.

Tresses will be remembered and sadly missed by her daughters: Bertha (Gene) Casavant, Judy (Barney) Bremner; daughter-in-law, Karen Kropinske; 6 grandchildren: Shirley (Brad) Haggith, Glen Casavant (April Couturier), Jason (Nicki) Bremner, Joesph (Karey) Bremner, Marcy Plunkett (Rick Laderoute), Blair Kropinske; 9 great-grandchildren: Christina (Allen) Monk, McKenzie and Makayla Laderoute, Desiree, Brandon and Austin Bremner, Natika, Cherish, Chase Bremner; 6 great-great-grandchildren: Taron Haggith, William, Elizabeth and Jasen Monk, Ryan and Claire Ashton; brother and sister-in-law: Charlie (Margaret) Gosling, sister-in-law: Vi Gosling.

She was predeceased by her first husband, Roy Kropinske; second husband, Vic Chabot; son, Ernie Kropinske; brother, Larry Gosling; sister, Connie Faulkner.

The funeral service was held Saturday, February 24, 2018, at 2:00 p.m. at Connelly-McKinley, St. Abert Chapel, with Reverend Sally Boyle officiating. Music was provided by Anne-Marie Switzer and Christina Monk shared the eulogy. Following the service, family and friends gathered in the reception hall for a time of fellowship and refreshments. Memorial donations in honor of Tresses, can be made to the Canadian National Institute for the Blind.
Eulogy

Good afternoon everyone and welcome to Tresses’ Celebration of Life. My name is Christina Monk and Nanny, as I called her (and many knew her as), was my Great Grandmother.

Nanny was never one to stress about things in life, she always saw the rainbow before the storm even started and because she knew the day would come when we would be gathered here today, she wrote her own eulogy. She wanted to tell us about her life, in her own words. I am now going to share her story. . .

It all started in Ardrossan in 1923, when I was born. I grew up in the 20’s & 30’s with a mother, grandma and Uncle Joe with 2 brothers and 1 sister. My parents split in 1930 – 1 was 6 years old then.

I met my husband of 63 years in 1940 and we were married in 1942. My first extended family was joining Roy’s family. He was the 11 of 12 children. We moved to the small town of Consort where my first 2 children were born, Bertha and Ernie.

We moved to Edmonton in 1948 and bought our first house and in 1955 Judy was born. Being a stay at home mom I wanted more children. Unable to have more we became foster parents and for 10 years we had 50 babies go through our house. It was like having triplets all the time! Everyone was so helpful.

Our house had an open door and there were many times that we had boarders or guests, until one day 2 small children from next door found their way in without their mother’s knowledge. She found them at our window waving at her. That ended the unlocked door but a key was always close by.

When Roy retired in 1976 we became Snowbirds and left for Tucson, Arizona. I worked at the Tuc shop at the hospital and we spent our time visiting with Roy’s cousins. No worries on the house as Judy and Barney maintained it for a couple of years and then Reggie did.

We moved again to a Greater Edmonton Foundation apartment in North Edmonton and joined the Lions club and became volunteers, adding again to my extended family. We learned to Square Dance and were 2 callers short of having danced to 100 different callers. In Florida we would dance 3 times during the day and then again that evening. At the Lions I took up painting, badminton, ceramics, bell chore and was active with square dancing, including teaching some new steps we learned in Florida. I started a weekly coffee group at the apartment, which still is happening today.

After Roy died, I moved to McQueen lodge and they became my extended family. I met Victor, my second husband, here. I was welcomed into his family with open arms and hearts. He has 6 children and 9 grandchildren, 18 great grandchildren and they became a part of my extended family.

Now at the age of 94, I have 3 children, 6 grandchildren, 9 great grandchildren and 6 great great grandchildren.
Beautiful words written by a 94-year-old beautiful lady. After reading Nanny’s story, many of us in her family wanted to share a few more details about her life.

Nanny lived a simple yet abundant life. She was born weighing a mere 3.5 lbs. The odds were stacked against her to say the least and yet with the love and knowledge Nanny’s mother had for keeping her warm and safe (in a tiny shoebox in the warming drawer of the stove) created the strong, independent, loving woman we came to know.

No matter what adversity came along, she always overcame it. Nanny was a very determined lady (some would even call her stubborn). This stubbornness became a “Blessing” many times in her life.

When Grandpa had his stroke, she pushed, determined to get him walking and talking again, which she did. Another time was during her fostering era. She was given a pair of twin siblings to care for. One seemed like the perfect child, while the other was always acting out. The doctors thought “Shawn” was mentally challenged, which would make him unadoptable. Nanny took the time to observe the twins and realized “Shawn” was jealous of the attention his sister would receive. Her determination to not give up on him led to such amazing and positive changes. She changed his life’s course by giving him the extra love and attention he desperately wanted.

Nanny attended school until grade 7, when she left to become a Mother’s Helper (first with mother, then to many others). She always insisted on her own children finishing school, reminding them that she liked school and would have loved to have graduated.

Nanny embraced life. She loved to knit and crochet, dress up in costumes (many of which she sewed herself – like her Klondike outfits). She learned to play the violin and mandolin. She made Barbie Doll clothes, fun hats, decorated yummy cakes, created ceramic characters (I still have every one she gave me). She sold jewellery and Avon. Painting was another of her hobbies, which she taught to a few of us. Even when she started losing her vision in her 60’s it did not hold her back from doing the things she loved. I am sure many of you will remember her homemade buns.

Nanny loved to be with family and friends hosting parties, playing cards and dancing. She bowled and even played a game of football with the kids. She loved her badminton and played until she could no longer see. Her love of dancing shone through at 92 when she was up at the May birthday celebration enjoying a dance with Bertha.

In addition to the Lions Club, she volunteered at the CNIB, playing cards with the blind (which in her later life became ironic to her). She also joined the UCW and took a trip to the Holy Land.

When they retired, Nanny and Grandpa took many trips together and with family. There was one time when Judy needed their help (when their Grandsons Jason and Joe were very young). With no power at the house, Nanny and Grandpa took Judy, Jason and Joe on a trip to BC. This trip was long before cell phones and GameBoys so trying to preoccupy the boys, Nanny taught them a game. However, this game became a family joke. You see the boys loved to have one finger talking to another finger that they played it for many, many years… I guess there are some games that have an age limit. Good knowledge to have now.

Nanny touched many lives. She wanted everyone to be happy, to see the sunny side of life. She always had a joke or story to share to make you laugh. She would do the most unexpected (and anonymous) acts of kindness like weeding Ernie and Karen’s lawn while they were at work. Through her quiet examples, she taught us to always take care of family.

It is an honor to stand before you and share these memories of Nanny. She will be missed by all, but as we talk and visit, let us share our memories of her, as her loving Spirit continues to live in all of us. Those we love don’t go away; they walk beside us every day.

We love you so much Nanny, and we will miss you more than words can say. Thank you.

Edward Andro Zaparniuk (Aug. 24, 1937 – Mar. 12, 2018)

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ed Zaparniuk on Monday, March 12, 2018 at the age of 80 years.

Ed was born in Myrnam, Alberta and started working in the oil and gas industry in 1955 in Drayton Valley. Ed then moved to Consort where he became the 13th employee for Dome Petroleum where he worked for 6 years. Entrepreneurship came calling and he left Dome to start his own company and work for T. Boone Pickens and his company Mesa Petroleum. This was the beginning of Corvet Construction and over 50 years of business in the oil and gas industry. Corvet Construction built leases, provided environmental services and constructed plants and pipelines across western Canada and as far away as Barbados.

Ed loved working with people and getting the job done. An eternal optimist, he always made people laugh and tried to find a win-win solution to any problem. A life long learner, Ed was an accomplished pilot, motorbike enthusiast, and could entertain you all night with his guitar and singing. He always found an opportunity to give back to the community through donations or providing heavy equipment for community projects. Ed was part owner of a fastball team in Red Deer called the Red Deer Corvets and also sponsored many different teams and events over the years. Through all the time away from home required to build a company, Ed tried his best to find time for family. Many family trips from Tofino to California to Florida were enjoyed and countless trips in the motorhome. Ed always tried to provide for his family and took great pride in the fact that all four of his children graduated from university.

Ed was predeceased by his father, Peter; mother, Domina; three brothers, Mike, Nick, and Morris; and two sisters, Anne and Helen. He will be missed and fondly remembered by his children, Debbie Dancy (Scott), Lori Zaparniuk (Rod), Brent (Helen), and Lorne (Melanie); six grandchildren, Jake, Connor, Alexander, Nicholas, Zach, and Jaleesa; and one brother, Bill (Olga).

At Ed’s request, a private Celebration of Life will be held. In lieu of flowers in Ed’s memory, donations can be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Alberta at www.heartandstroke.ca. Condolences may be made by visiting www.wilsonsfuneralchapel.ca

Wilson’s Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, with locations in Lacombe and Rimbey, were in charge of arrangements.

Marvin Philip Thomas (Nov. 19, 1934–Mar. 19, 2018)

Marvin Philip Thomas was born at home in Bruderheim, Alberta, on November 19, 1934. He spent much of his childhood there with his father George, mother Emilie and older brother Gordon, who is still with us. They lived on a farm but moved to the city of Edmonton across from what is now City Hall. Later they moved to a homestead farm in Flatbush, Alberta. As a teen, he worked a couple of summers in the logging camps and also worked on road construction in BC and Alberta.

Then he met his wife Nancy and a lot happened in the next 60 years. They have three beautiful daughters together: Sandy, Valerie and Marva.

Marvin was a very hard worker and wanted to provide for his family. He entered the auto-body trade and eventually became a Manager of Big Rig Collision which was owned by Western Mack Trucks. He worked there for 30 years before retiring to his favorite hobbies of raising horses, farming, camping and fishing which he so enjoyed with his children and grandchildren. He also travelled through Europe with his grandson, to see where his family originated and loved salmon fishing in BC too.

He volunteered at his church and the food bank for many years until he moved to Consort. Marvin loved helping people, especially with their taxes. He did this by helping with the Community Volunteer Income Tax program and worked for H&R Block and then his brother doing taxes. He was counted on by many for his phenomenal memory.

Marvin passed away peacefully on March 19, 2018 at his home in Consort, Alberta.

He leaves behind, his wife Nancy Thomas of Consort; his three daughters: Sandy (Jorgen) Pedersen, Val (Dave) Anderson, Marva Coltman w/ (Greg); grandchildren: Kristina (Dave) Vandersteen, Chelsea (Murray) Harder, Phillip Vandenberg w/ (Lisa), Stacey (Tyler) Barber, Andrea Vandenberg w/ (Brandan), James Anderson w/ (Emma) and Ruth Anderson; along with four great-grandchildren: Rebecca, Serena, Avra and Zack and his brother Gordon (Nancy) Thomas.

He was so loved and will be truly missed.

A celebration of Marvin’s life was held on Tuesday, March 27, 2018 at the Consort Sportex, Consort, Alberta with family friend, Reverend D.K. Hale officiating. Loving tributes to Marvin were presented by family and friends. Shirley and Ben Klumpenhower shared their gifts of music. A time of fellowship followed the service with the Consort Community preparing and serving the luncheon. Donations in memory of Marvin are gratefully accepted to the Alberta Diabetes Foundation or Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation c/o Parkview Funeral Chapels & Crematorium, who were entrusted with the care and funeral arrangements.
Tribute

By Marva Coltman

I would like first to thank everyone for coming today. I know many of you travelled a fair distance and a special thanks to D.K. Hale for coming and doing dad’s service.

As I was looking around here today I know most of the faces but for any of those who do not know me, I am as dad would say “number three, another girl”, so he called me Marva.

Dad and I shared many memories as I spent a lot of time with him growing up. Dad spent many hours dedicating his time to my love of horses which he originally introduced to me, through his standardbreds and continued with his many hours of driving me to and from horse shows and more horse shows and every imaginable horsey event that I could possibly find. On those long drives he always had his country music tapes going and we sang along together or he would be quizzing me on the different crops growing in the fields.

Dad loved the outdoors which he taught and passed on to me. Even into his 80’s he continued to fish, hunt and of course his true passion was farming. It was only a few summers ago that he insisted to Greg and I that he could come help “make hay” which of course he did.

Over the years Dad was always there for me through the good times and the bad times. I could always count on him to pick up the phone when I called and have “the answer” or at least some good advice on a situation.

Dad always said “you can do anything as long as you put your mind to it, Marva”. Or that “the early bird catches the worm” or “that life won’t always be fair but things will work out”. He taught the art of good business practices and the importance of keeping good records, told me never spend beyond your means and to always save for “rainy days”.

Dad suffered his first heart attack at a young age of 40. He was in and out of the hospital on many occasions due to different health issue. I used to tease him that he was like the “energizer bunny commercial” that no matter what, he just kept going and going and going. His desire and drive each time to get well made him my hero.

Dad recently spent 6 weeks in the Consort Hospital, and I had the pleasure of spending many of my evenings reminiscing about the good old days. His memory was sharp, as he recited off events and stories about each horse, and fishing trip that we had together, bringing back many fond memories of the times we spent together.

My fondest memory will be that he thought the world of me and that in return I thought the world of him. May you now Rest In Peace Dad knowing you will always be remembered.

I would now like to play a song that says all, about my dad called “Daddy’s Hands”.
Family Memories

Presented by Barry Redel

Good afternoon. For those of you that don’t know me, my name is Barry Redel. I am a good friend and neighbor of Val and Dave’s.

Val and David and their children asked me to read this for them. It’s an accumulation of some of their favorite memories of their grandpa. One of the things that all the kids remember fondly is when their Grandpa would come down for a visit. He would get up early and make everyone biscuits for breakfast. Now these weren’t your regular run of the mill biscuits; the way their Grandpa would make them topped any thing they had ever tasted. These biscuits were a complete meal.

Phillip remembers the time at his cousin Kristina’s wedding. Marvin went up to the bartender and told them that Phillip was underage and that he had a fake ID. So, when Phillip, who actually was 19 at the time, went up to get a beer, the bartender told him no and sent him on his way. Luckily for Phillip, Kristina’s husband Dave brought him some alcohol to the table. They had a great laugh about it, well mostly Grandpa did.

In 2016, James and his Grandpa took a trip to Vancouver Island to do some fishing, since it’s something they both loved to do together. James said that he had a lot of fun bugging Grandpa about the fact that the only fish he could catch while they were there was a 6-inch salmon. This was compared to the much bigger fish that James ended up catching.

One thing you might have noticed about Marvin, if you knew him well, was that he had hard to manage eyebrows. Ruth says every time her Grandpa came down she would try and convince him to let her cut them. One time he told her she could, and while she was concentrating on giving them a trim he yelled “OUCH!”! It scared Ruth so much that she didn’t try much after that.

One unique memory of Marvin is when Stacey was a little girl around six years old. She was obsessed with painting nails and Marvin had let her paint his hot pink. It just so happened that he had an appointment at the hospital and had to have his oxygen content checked with the sensor. He had forgotten he had the pink nail polish on and turned just as pink as those nails as it was removed to check his oxygen.

Marvin was a wonderful dotting grandfather who spent countless hours driving his grandchildren to events, birthdays and sports games without any hesitation. Marvin often liked to dabble in countless activities from winning turkeys at Country Christmas to helping out on the Anderson farm.

He will be dearly missed by his family and his memories will forever live on in their thoughts, words and conversations for many generations to come.

Leslie Lawrence Hainer (Feb. 24, 1943 – Mar. 23, 2018)

It pains me to admit it, but apparently, I have passed away. Everyone told me it would happen one day but that’s simply not something I wanted to hear, much less experience. Once again I didn’t get things my way! That’s been the story of my whole life.

While on that subject (the story of my life)… on February 24, 1943 my parents and older brother Don celebrated my birth and I was introduced to all as Leslie Lawrence Hainer, the son of Lawrence (Hainer) of Loyalist and Margaret (nee Wagstaff) of Consort.

I can’t believe that happened in the first half of the last century but there are records on file in the Alberta Archives which can corroborate this claim.

Just a year and a half later another baby was born, my brother Frank, his arrival doomed me to being the middle child the rest of my life. My world was forever changed.

I grew up on the farm and like all farm kids I had chores to do. I developed a strong hatred towards chickens during this time as it was on my chore list to gather eggs and clean the roosts and coop. The only way I tolerate chickens now is roasted with a tasty stuffing and cranberries on the side.

Education was important in our family and as a child I had to run barefoot, through deep snow, uphill both ways to catch the old bus for our daily trips into Consort School. Frank and I were often in the same classroom together and had an unwritten pact that what happened at school, stayed at school. I was encouraged by the staff and administration to enter Education upon my graduation from High School. I gave it a lot of thought and realized this would be a career choice that gave me so many holidays and days off. The thought of summer holidays was just too good to pass up.

I proudly started my teaching career at Veteran School where as it turned out I spent my entire teaching career.

So many things in my life seemed of little significance at the time they happened but then took on a greater importance as I got older.

Memories … where do I begin?

I was fortunate enough to have traveled with a number of different friends over the years, each with it’s own memories.

I never married because I was waiting for the right lady to come along and she had to be agreeable to living in Veteran. It was 2010 and prayers were answered when I met Christine. Here was a girl I loved and she loved me and best of all, she wanted to live in Veteran. I thought I had won the jackpot. I convinced her to marry me in the spring of 2012.

I had a wife and an instant family. All the things I had hoped to have in my lifetime happened for me. Time did not exist and it felt like the most natural thing in the world.

I have been a teacher, principal, mayor, council member, writer, editor, historian, coach, referee, small business owner, tour guide, consultant, collector, husband, grandpa, friend and many others. Each was a learning opportunity that came with each of the different hats I wore.

Though I had no immediate, living family, Jim and Wendy Dafoe became my family. Christine says she owes Wendy a huge thank you for taking my rough edges off and making me easier to get along with. Not that I felt there was anything amiss of course, but it seemed to make her happy.

Generally speaking you will find me wherever someone complains about the weather or gets on the wrong side of a political discussion or tries to disparage the Calgary Flames or the Calgary Stampeders. I can tell you now, my wife does not cheer for the same teams that I did. She was an Edmonton hold out. I loved her anyway.

I’ll leave you with this…please don’t cry because I’m gone; instead be happy that I was here. (Or maybe you can cry a little bit; after all, I have passed away).

Today I am happy and I am dancing.

Love you forever.”

I was predeceased by my Mother, Father, brothers Don and Frank, numerous family members and friends.

I am survived by my wife, Christine, four stepchildren, nine grandchildren, one sister in law, and one brother in law. I am also survived by my very special adopted family of Jim and Wendy Dafoe and family.

Be kind to one another and enjoy the delicious lunch you are going to get after this service, funeral food is always delicious.
The Funeral Service was held Thursday, March 29, 2018, 1:00 p.m. at Veteran Full Gospel Church, Veteran, Alberta. Officiating clergy was Pastor Darrel Durksen and musicians were Carolyn Devereux, Nils and Jeanette Berg. The congregational hymn was “Just a Closer Walk With Thee” and the eulogy was given by Pat Gorcak. Honorary pallbearers were Ben Kary, Brian Healy, Dan Price, Jim Dafoe, Ron Allison, Pat Gorcak and active pallbearers were Brent Plamondon, Matty Piontek, Gaetan Constant, Justin Wiggins, Tyler Dafoe, Mike Nydokus. Interment will be at St. Olaf’s Cemetery at a later. A luncheon and fellowship was held at Veteran Community Hall immediately following the service with the lunch prepared and served by the Veteran Full Gospel Church Ladies. Memorial donations may be made to the Veteran Municipal Library.

Heather Caseley of Coronation Funeral Home was entrusted with the care and funeral arrangements. Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting our website at www.coronationfuneralhome.ca
Eulogy

By Pat Gorcak

Les Hainer / Mr. Veteran / Wanna-be Senator

I first met Les when he came to Veteran to teach school. It was Les’s first teaching position. I was in grade 12 at the time and Les was only 3 years older than me. He taught school in Veteran for 25 years, retiring in 1988. He was Principal for 5 years.

Les was a very good disciplinarian, but his students always respected him. He always challenged them and encouraged them. Mike Nydokus tells a story of a disagreement Les had with the students. They told him that it is in the textbook. Les’s response was, “The book is wrong”. Les coached Junior Girls basketball and that’s when I started refereeing. Les always insisted that I be paid. I said I didn’t want to be paid. He replied, “I’m always going to challenge you on a call, so you should be paid”. Les always played by the rules but he wanted to stretch them as far as he could. So inevitably, he would argue a call and I would give him a technical foul….mission accomplished! Several times he took some of us high school boys to a Calgary Stampeders game. The highlight of the night was having Kentucky Fried Chicken after the game.

In 1972 he founded the Veteran Eagle newspaper as a school project, with the help of his Junior High students. Each year, new students would come on board to replace graduating ones. They all had jobs such as sports writer, community events, and circulation. Every Tuesday they got together to run the paper off on the gestetner. Wednesday, they would assemble it to be ready for Thursday release. When Les retired from teaching, he converted the paper into a real business. Les had a way of creating discussion with his editorials. I remember someone in the coffee shop telling Les he should not have printed a certain article. His response was, “It is my paper and I’ll print what I want”. Every Thursday morning after coffee someone would say, “I’d better go get the mail to see if the Eagle has shit”. Which brings me to Bennie Kary’s comment to Les that the only thing your paper is good for is to put in the bottom of a bird cage”.

Les was a very good friend. He was always willing to help Sheila and me. Les was not opposed to a good meal, so we had him for supper many times. Just after we were married, we were visiting after supper. I mentioned that our old farm house could sure use a coat of paint. Les said he would paint it during that summer, if we’d feed him supper every night. It was a big 2 story house and he gave it 2 coats of paint and did it all with a brush (probably so it would take longer – more meals).

Another time, in the big snow in March of 1974, we were storm stayed at our farm (Darren was 2 years old) and we were out of milk. Les called to see how we were making out. The road north of Veteran was open, so he said he would bring milk. He drove to my Dad’s on the main road, left his vehicle, and snowshoed 2 miles across the fields to bring us milk. He stayed a few days and the road still wasn’t open, so he snowshoed back to his vehicle.

Les was always intrigued with technology so if there was a new gadget on the market, he would buy it. I think of the small hand-held calculator that he had. It had the four basic functions, addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division and it had the square root! When microwaves came out, Les bought one and invited Sheila and I for supper and cooked hamburgers. All I can say is that it was the best hamburger I had that day. Of course, when digital cameras came out, he bought one of those also. He probably had the first iPad in Veteran. He always brought it to coffee and Terry Schetzsle would say, “Here comes Hainer and he brought his brain”.

Les bought a Segway (you know….upright thing with 2 wheels that required balance to stay upright). One evening he was riding it home and crashed. Someone came along and found him laying on the street and rescued him. Next day there was a ”Segway For Sale”.

Les was always so proud of Veteran. He served on Village Council for 18 years, with 12 years as Mayor. When Les decided to run for Village Council, Tom Thulien said he couldn’t run for council because he didn’t own property in the Village. At that time the municipal act was changed from property owner to resident. In 1972 (?) council decided to put a new water system in Veteran, so a new well was drilled east of the Auction Market and the water lines were installed. After a short while the water at the new well took on a brown color (good soft water – but brown), so a new well was drilled down by the old CPR well. During his time on Village Council, a new subdivision was developed just north of the current hall. It was a little low so for awhile it was called “Sloughview”. Les was very instrumental in forming the Veteran Television Society (VTS), which provided 30 TV channels for village residents. He managed VTS for many years until he had his Kidney transplant. You should have seen all the cables on the back of the 90 pieces of equipment. I tried to operate it while he was in the hospital. His cell phone number was on my speed dial. He’d say “Unhook this wire, short it out, hook it back up and it will work”. When VTS could no longer make money on TV alone, he worked a deal with Camrose Cable to rig it to provide Internet to the village.

Les organized the first Terry Fox Run in Veteran in 1983 and continued as co-ordinator until 2014. He received a plaque from the Terry Fox Foundation for 30 Years of Service.

In the early 2000’s, Les started having medical issues. For several years he drove to Stettler three times a week for dialysis. He was put on the list for a kidney transplant. I believe it was 2009 that he got a call at 3:00 a.m. to inform him there was a kidney available and to be at the hospital by 9:00 a.m.

Christine told me that she kept track of people from Veteran on Facebook, and if they were in the hospital in Edmonton, she would visit them. That is where Les met Christine. She went to visit him because he was from Veteran. (Christine told me that she had a crush on Les when she was in Grade 4 in Veteran School).

Les and Christine were married on June 30, 2012. Les had an instant family with 9 grandkids. He loved those kids and he became Papa Les.

Jean Bryan (Oct. 16, 1918 – Mar. 23, 2018)

Jean Bryan passed away on March 23, 2018 at the Consort Hospital at the age of 99.

Jean Alice Gilmer was born October 16, 1918 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, the oldest of 8 children born to Sam and Pearl Gilmer. She grew up on the Gilmer homestead in the Neutral Valley and attended Silver Beach School. After leaving school behind, she kept house for Jerry and Mabel McCarthy and George and Roseltha Bryan.

On October 22, 1940 Jean married Herbert Victor Bryan. To this union were born Betty Louise, Patricia Marlene, Janice Colleen, Margaret Elaine and Leslie Herbert. Herb and Jean farmed the Bryan homestead south of the Neutral Hills until 1959 when they moved into Consort. After moving into town, Jean worked at Consort Electric, Alberta Registries, as a census taker and took in boarders. After Herb’s death in 1980, Jean continued to live on her own until she moved to the Consort Lodge in 2002 and, finally, to long-term care at Consort Hospital in February 2011.

Jean is survived by daughters Betty Healy, Marlene (Bob) Arp, Janice (Darwin) Liknes, Margaret Kelts and son Les Bryan, 16 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren, 8 great great grandchildren, brother-in-law Roy Anderson, sister-in-law Evelyn Gilmer and numerous other relatives and close friends.

Jean was predeceased by her parents Sam and Pearl Gilmer, husband Herb Bryan, grandson Calvin Healy, son-in-law Mel Healy, son-in-law Bill Kelts, sister Fay Doherty and her husband Wilf, sister Betty Anderson, sister Marie Collier and her husband Phil, brother Bill Gilmer, brother Bud Gilmer and his wife Ellen, brother Bob Gilmer and brother Ed Gilmer and his wife Gloria, great great granddaughter Myah Anholt, nephew Ted Doherty, mother-in-law Roseltha Bryan, father-in-law George Bryan, sister-in-law Ruby Hladik and her husband Ed, sister-in-law Pearl Hainer and her husband Fred, brother-in-law Russ Bryan, brother-in-law Orme Bryan and his wife Gertrude and brother-in-law Charlie Bryan and his wife Bertha.

A Celebration of Jean’s Life was held on Saturday, April 7, 2018 at the Knox United Church, Consort, Alberta at 1:00 p.m. A luncheon and live music was held at the Sportex Hall immediately following the service. Memorial tributes may be made to the Lake Road Cemetery or to the Consort Hospital Auxiliary.

Heather Caseley, Coronation Funeral Home, was entrusted with the care and funeral arrangements. Condolences can be sent to the family by visiting the website at www.coronationfuneralhome.ca.
Eulogy

–– Presented by

Graham Schetzsle

We gather today to celebrate the remarkable life of Jean Bryan. Jean spent all but the first few months of her 99 years in or near the town of Consort. She would have been so pleased to have spent her last days in Consort surrounded by her family. Jean was many things to many people. Daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend. Summarizing her life in a few moments is not an easy task but the following, we hope, will give you an idea of her life and the influence she had on our lives.

Kirk Besse’s book “Grand Times Amid the Sorrows” chronicles the history of the Gilmer family. In it he writes:

&te his homestead at Provost became his in early 1912, Sam Gilmer claimed a homestead in the Neutral Valley area in 1912. He built a fourteen foot by twenty foot house in October 1913, later adding a barn and three and a half miles of fencing. Sam moved to the farm on May 1, 1915.

Sometime in 1917, Pearl Wright came west from her home in Glenella, Manitoba to keep house for her four brothers: Bill, Jack, Gordon and George who had homesteads in the Provost and Consort areas. Pearl had played piano since the age of six and, back in Manitoba, had played for the United Church Sunday morning, the Methodists Sunday afternoon and the Catholics Sunday evening. When Pearl was new to Consort she went to the Big Gap Stampede. Here the music and dancing went on for twenty-four hours straight! With all that music, they needed piano players. So twenty year old Pearl sat down to play. Sometime during these adventures Pearl met Sam Gilmer. They courted, fell in love and were married in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan in 1918.”

Jean Alice Gilmer was born on October 16, 1918 in Saskatoon. The new family returned to Sam’s homestead when Jean was a few months old and the Gilmers settled into their new life. Jean was followed by Fay in 1919, Betty in 1921, Bud in 1923, Bob in 1925, Bill in 1928, Marie in 1930 and Ed in 1933. While searching for photos for today, we came across numerous notes and stories written by Jean that describe in her own words those first years. She writes:

My first years were spent in the Neutral Valley district. My dad, mother, myself and 2 sisters were raised on a farm now owned by the Radefeldt family. In May 1926, dad sold the land and house to Tom Tremaine and we moved lock, stock and barrel down to the Johnny McNicol farm. This was much better land right at the foot of the Neutral Hills.

I remember the day we moved like it was just yesterday. It was a windy, cool and very dusty day. Rain clouds came up late in the day making it very unpleasant indeed. I was 6½, Fay 5½, Betty 4, Bud 3 and Bob was a baby. We moved in the hay rack, with the milk cow tied to the hay rack and a saddle horse named Stew. I presume Tom Tremaine, a bachelor, helped my dad.

It was early morning when we started out so we had a full day to unload all our belongings; moving into a vacant granary until my mother could clean up the old McNicol house. He was a very dirty bachelor and kept all his dogs in the house year-round. He hunted a lot and just cleaned the entrails out of game birds onto the floor for dog food. This house had to be scrubbed, papered and calomined before it was fit to live in. I remember Dad took up the flooring and it was all put outside to be scraped and scrubbed with Lysol and lye to get the smell out of it.

While mother was getting supper, we kids went with Dad on the stone boat and one horse down to the slough just below the pole barn and helped get 2 barrels of soft water for washing clothes, bathing, etc. Around the slough were lots of willows with big pussy willows on them and all kinds of lovely violets and shooting stars and the nice aroma of wild mint. Us three girls picked blue violets and shooting stars for a bouquet. We had never seen them up where we had lived as there were no willow bushes around close at our first home.

Dad and mother had the cook stove set up, a table and chairs, a double bed, cupboards and dishes and some food set up in the granary. This would be where we’d live all that spring and summer. That first night, the wind got up and blew the window out onto our bed. I was very scared. That granary was a summer bedroom for us 3 girls for years after.”

When it was time to go to school the Gilmer kids went to Silver Beach school. Jean went until grade 9. After leaving school Jean went to work. She kept house for Jerry and Mabel McCarthy, George and Rose Bryan and others in the area. As she entered her teens, the prairie was in the midst of the dust bowl and the country was in the midst of the Great Depression. Times were tough, but Jean had her family. She and her brothers and sisters were all close and would remain so all their lives.

The Bryans homesteaded in the Neutral Valley in 1909, and were neighbors to the Gilmers. Herb Bryan, a bachelor, lived with his parents George and Rose. After Jean left school, she worked for the Bryans and, over the years, a romance blossomed. On October 22, 1940 Jean married Herb. Russell and Laura Garbutt were their wedding attendants. After the wedding they moved to the Bryan homestead west of the Gilmers to live with George and Rose in the “big Bryan house” which was an Eaton’s package house purchased in 1912. Over the next twenty-five years Herb and Jean had five children: Betty Louise, Patricia Marlene, Janice Colleen, Margaret Elaine and Leslie Herbert.

Herb’s parents both passed away in November 1944 and Herb and Jean took over the farm. Their four girls were all born while Jean and Herb were on the farm. Jean tells a story of Betty while they were on the farm.

&tt was out playing in the yard in just her diaper when she decided to climb into a cream can. She was okay until she sat down.

I heard her crying so went out to rescue her but found out I couldn’t get her out. We thought we’d have to take her, cream can and all and have someone try and cut the can, but how. Finally, I thought if we could get her shoulders greased with something she’d slip out. I went to the house and got the Ponds cold cream and slathered her with it and it worked!!”

While on the farm, Jean supplemented their farm income by taking in boarders during the Dome Petroleum exploration in the area and she kept books for the Neutral Mutual Telephone Company. The teachers also boarded with the Bryans. In the summers during the 1940’s she and Gertie Beaumont ran the concession at Gooseberry Lake park and at the dance pavilion.

Herb and Jean farmed until 1959 when they bought Wilf and Fay Doherty’s house and moved into Consort. Their new next-door neighbors were Vernon and Gert Doherty, and Jean and Gert would become lifelong friends. Six years after leaving the farm and moving into town, Leslie made his appearance. Jean worked at Consort Electric, ran the Alberta Registries office out of the house, was a census enumerator and cleaned the Post Office and Neutral Hills School Division office. In addition, for many years, Jean and Herb took in boarders. Art Miller stayed with the family for years during the construction of Highways 12 & 41. In the intervening years all the girls married, moved out and started families of their own. After Herb’s death in 1980, Jean and Les stayed on in the house. After Les moved out for good in 1990, Jean continued to live on her own. She sold the house in 1993 and moved into one of the new apartment units on the west side of town and took it upon herself to beautify the location. In 2002, she moved into a self-contained apartment at the Consort Lodge that was formerly occupied by her sister-in-law Ellen Gilmer and now occupied by daughter Betty Healy. Finally, in February 2011, Jean moved to long-term care at the Consort Hospital where she resided until her passing on March 23, 2018 at the age of 99.

Mom’s greatest passion and her main commitment for nearly 75 years was her family. From her 40 years on the Gilmer and Bryan farms to the almost 60 years in Consort, her main goal was to provide a home for her family. Not a house, but a home. A spotless home, with home cooking, clean sheets (more on that later), comfortable beds, books and lively conversation. A home with a vegetable garden, beautifully kept flower beds and precious keepsakes. She taught us all to take pride in our own homes, no matter how humble. She took pride in her house and it was spotless, inside and out. Life wasn’t always easy and she and Herb knew some hardships but Jean made the best of whatever situation she was in.

Her penchant for cleaning became clear after dad broke his hip. When he was wheeled out of surgery in Edmonton, one of the first things he saw was a staff member cleaning windows. His first words were “Jean, is that you?” I think we all have an aversion to a dirty dish in the sink or clutter on the counters. We got that from Jean. A place for everything and everything in its place. Even in her final years you could find her smoothing out her blankets and making sure that everything was neat and tidy.

Jean raised 5 children, although it’s doubtful she expected to be 8 months pregnant at her 25th wedding anniversary in October 1965. She already had 3 grandchildren. The four girls all married and had started families of their own. Betty, Marlene and Bob and Margaret all still reside in the Consort area. Janice and Darwin moved around Alberta and settled at Innisfail in 2001 and Les has been in Red Deer for the past 28 years. While making plans for today, Margaret said there were days when she wondered if mom didn’t like her 4 sons-in-law better than her daughters. She wouldn’t hear anything negative about them and treated the four of them like sons. Mel Healy and Jean were great card players, Bob Arp was the go to handy man, Darwin Liknes was the auto mechanic and Bill Kelts was the provider of game at hunting season.

Jean’s home was also a place where a visitor could always expect a hot cup of coffee or tea, a home-cooked meal, a piece of homemade bread or her legendary apple pie. A home where the news of the day was traded with Gert Doherty, Grandma Pearl Gilmer, Ruby Stillings, Betty, Margaret and anyone else who happened by. In the winter it was around Jean or Gert’s kitchen table. When the weather turned warm, it was coffee on Mom’s deck in the morning and tea in the shade on Gert’s deck in the afternoons. That tradition carried on to the Lodge where she and the “girls” carried on the same tradition, as long as it didn’t interfere with whatever was on the day’s schedule.

As the family grew and the grandchildren and great grandchildren began to arrive, Jean would try to keep track of who belonged to who. While looking for photos we came across various scraps of paper with names and birthdays. At one event at Rick and Georgina Emmett’s she piped up and said to no one in particular “who’s the one with the beard?” referring to Jake’s husband Clint Hayworth. Keeping all those faces and names straight was hard work.

Jean loved Christmas and for years there would be a small gift under her tree for all the grandchildren. It was our job to make sure that no one had been missed. If someone did get missed there would be a mad scramble to find something for them and get it wrapped. Finally, she gave up on buying gifts except for the youngest of the children. As the girls’ families grew and expanded it became less and less feasible for everyone to gather in one place for Christmas. With Les driving, Jean would make the rounds at Christmas, having breakfast most often with Margaret and Bill and family, then on to the others as the day progressed. As she made the rounds, she would deliver presents and open her own gifts and model any clothes she’d received. In 1999, Jean insisted that all the family get together and she rented what was then the Legion Rec Center and we had a huge Christmas celebration. We had to assign one of the grandchildren to follow Jean around and turn down the thermostat each time she turned it up. Jean was in her glory with all the family in one place. It would be the last time we were all together for Christmas.

Anyone that knew mom, knew that she was an avid card player. Not only did she like to play, she liked to win. She played bridge for years and we all remember well those afternoons when we were not allowed to be in the house after school because it was her day to host the bridge party. Herb was likely sent off to the beer parlor for the afternoon as well. She took cards very seriously and she would have Betty reschedule trips so she wouldn’t miss Tuesday afternoon cards at the Senior’s drop-in center. Marlene recalls when Mom taught Charles to play crib before he was even old enough to attend school. And she never ever let him win. She was competitive and played to win, regardless of who the opposition was. If he was to win a game, he would have to do it on his own! There were also all the card games around the Healy dining table with Mel rubbing his hands saying, “I got you Jean, I got you” but she gave as good as she got. Jean and Mel could spend hours trying to outdo each other. She played Schmear into her 90s and I don’t think any of us know of anyone who played as well. The moment Jean and Les arrived at Janice and Darwin’s she’d be digging out her change purse so we could play the Quarter Game. Invariably, she’d have spent all her money by the time the final round came around and she’d be grumbling.

She also loved the slots. In about 1997, Mom, Betty and Marlene drove to Las Vegas for some fun and after they pooled together their U.S. money they began winning buckets of dollars – Jean was not anxious to leave. They finally left late in the day and drove all the way through to Provo, Utah that night so Marlene could be back to work on Monday. She loved the casino, but knew her limit.

Another of Jean’s passions was sports. Her two teams were the Toronto Blue Jays and the Calgary Flames. She was thrilled when the Flames won the Stanley Cup and the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series. While the professional sports were great, her real passion was watching live sports. In the winter, if you stopped at her place on the weekend and she wasn’t around, the odds were that she was at the Sportex with Betty or Margaret or Tracey watching one of the grandchildren play hockey or taking in the curling. In the summer she could be found at the ball diamonds. You could always count on Jean’s little red Escort being parked at the baseball diamonds on July 1st Sports Day. She and Grandma Pearl (a pitcher in her day) would be right behind home plate in their lawn chairs and hats cheering on the home-town team. She also attended the Czar Lake ball tournament for many years. Jean also participated and was an avid curler and belonged to the Consort Curling Club for many years and curled well into her 70s. In her later years, she enjoyed watching baseball, hockey and curling on tv. If a child or grandchild or great-grandchild was involved in something, whether it be hockey or dance, she was there cheering them on or trying to pick them out of a group.

Jean also loved to travel and it would have been interesting to have been a fly on the wall for some of the road trips that she was part of in the 1970s. Imagine Jean, Herb, Harry Williams, Grandma Pearl Gilmer and Dora Scott in Harry’s Grand Marquis toodling off to the U.S. to visit friends and relatives in various locales. Mom was the youngest amongst all the octogenarians and she did the bulk of the driving. You can also bet there were some pit stops at small-town beer parlors along the way for Herb and Harry to quench their thirst. One of the funniest stories that Jean told about her travels was when she and dad went to Hawaii with Harry Williams in the mid-seventies. Well, for anyone who didn’t know him, Harry was stone deaf and would often just smile and nod as if he knew exactly what was being said to him. Once the plane was in the air for the flight out, the flight attendant handed each of them headphones for the movie (back in the day when those things were included). Well, Harry didn’t quite hear what she had said so he promptly shoved them in his nose, assuming it was oxygen for the long flight. Even 30 years later Jean could hardly get through that story without tears of laughter. Jean travelled by bus, car, plane, train and boat to various destinations in North America with family and friends. She traveled extensively in the U.S. with Janice and Darwin and family, as well as with Bob and Marlene and family to see Uncle Ed in Oregon or Aunt Betty and Aunt Marie on the west coast. She went on various fishing trips with Betty and Mel and the girls and sporting events with Margaret and Bill and family. Les drove her out to the west coast for Uncle Roy’s 85th birthday in 2005 and then on to Parksville to see Aunt Marie and Stan.

She was always ready for a drive, even if the driver wasn’t. She had been the driver for the tours that Grandma Pearl loved. Now it was her turn to be the passenger. Most often a drive to Gooseberry Lake or the Bryan homestead would suffice and into her nineties she would recite the names of the original homesteaders. She was often the driver for the ladies in town and you could find her, Gert, Grandma Pearl, Peggy Walker and Bessie Smith in the Escort on their way to someplace or another. She found it difficult to give up her car but, eventually, she phoned Bill Kelts to come get the Escort and take it to the farm.

In June of 2012, a few months before her 94th birthday, Les and Betty picked her up to go for a drive. As they drove through downtown Consort, Jean said she’d like to go for one more beer at the bar. They decided to go to the Red Dog in Veteran so they could see some scenery. This was at 3:00 p.m. in the afternoon and there were a few regulars in the Red Dog. They had their beer and headed north of Veteran towards the hills for a bit more scenery and ended up at Margaret’s for a visit. The first thing Margaret said was “I hear you 3 were sitting in the Red Dog”. The grapevine had been buzzing and Jennifer had tattled on her. With a twinkle in her eye, Jean just laughed and said they certainly had been.

When Jean travelled and came to stay with family there was a very specific list of requirements. Les and Janice, being the two who lived away from Consort, would get the call the night before she was due to arrive. There was to be 2% milk in the fridge, oats for porridge (not that packaged stuff – real oats), tea bags, sugar and jam for her evening toast. She arrived with a hot-water bottle, her quilting and sewing supplies, a suitcase and a book. There was also the required trip to Value Village or the bargain shop to look for treasures. However, when the travelling was over she was only too happy to return to Consort, her home and her flowers. Traveling was fine but home was where Jean’s heart was.

Another memory from Mom’s home was the smell of spray starch. Jean ironed everything that it was possible to iron including the sheets and the washcloths. Margaret tells the story of Jean ironing her “gothic” bras and using so much starch that they resembled Melitta coffee filters. Margaret said she had to finally ask Jean to stop starching her bras. Jean worked for years at New to You in Consort and we would often find her at home washing and ironing the clothes that had been donated, or bleaching the white socks. There was no way she was selling wrinkled clothes or socks that weren’t snow white. When she came to visit or help out, invariably she would find the iron, the ironing board and the laundry basket and get to work. To Jean it wasn’t a chore. She enjoyed it.

Mom was also a talented seamstress and quilter. You will see some of her creations at the hall today. Besides quilts, she also made wall hangings and clothes. Wherever she went, she travelled with her bag of material scraps and would work away at them in the evenings, no matter where she was. Even as her eye-sight failed and her health declined she would often reach out to touch a scarf or a shirt sleeve just to feel the fabric. She would rub the material between her fingers or smooth out the wrinkles. Marlene remembers one time when grandson Charles dropped jeans off for mending he included a note, asking her to fix the “krotych”. Jean had very good English skills and thought Charles needed to brush up. She said she would repair the “krotych”, but he would have to work on his spelling . . .

Jean was also a letter writer. Long before the days of texts and emails, Jean could be found at her desk or the kitchen table writing long newsy letters to her sisters and brothers, in-laws or long-lost relatives. It was her way of keeping in touch and keeping everyone apprised off all the happenings in her family. If she came across a photo she might send it off to someone with the story behind it. Most of her correspondents seemed delighted to have received these very personal notes.

Even when times were tough, Jean was always well-dressed. She preferred florals and bright colors and, of course, white slacks. How she kept them that white is still a mystery. In her later years, she also had no compunction about telling us exactly what she thought of our clothing choices, good or bad. Margaret recalls that even recently Jean quite clearly told her that the yellow top she was wearing was ugly. While in the hospital in Red Deer she said to Les “Are you still wearing that shirt? You should be using it as a floor rag!!”.

Jean grew up in an exceptionally musical family. All her brothers were excellent musicians. Grandma Pearl played the piano for more community events than you could possibly imagine, and was still playing into her nineties. Even though she didn’t play an instrument, Mom could be found tapping her toe and singing along to whatever music was playing, especially at the parties at Bud and Ellen Gilmer’s house. Finally, in her eighties, Jean found the instrument for her when she took up the tub drum with the Lodge band. She would practice until she had blood blisters, but once she got the rhythm, she was in her element. The band played various events around Consort and traveled to the music festival in Stettler on numerous occasions. She taught us all an appreciation for music, any music. Mom’s own musical tastes were quite eclectic, ranging from Lawrence Welk, Don Messer and Liberace to Willie Nelson, Eddie Rabbit and Kenny Rogers, to ABBA and kd lang and more recently Michael Buble and Grass Roots. Brad Kelts tells a story about how she kept asking him to play a particular CD when they were travelling. By the end of the trip, she had taken possession of his Crash Test Dummies CD for her own collection. She loved the Superman Song. Brad would just have to get another CD for himself. She was also intensely proud of kd lang’s success, a hometown Consort girl. We came upon numerous press clippings last week that Jean had kept as kd’s career progressed.

Community was also a huge part of Jean’s life. She was a charter member of the Legion Ladies Auxiliary, belonged to the UCW and the community club. From the time the Gooseberry Lake Rodeo began, Jean would be out at the lake cooking burgers and hotdogs all weekend and enjoying the rodeo during her few breaks. She was involved with various Homecomings, fundraising activities and other community gatherings and didn’t hesitate if there was some event that needed food or a helping hand. She was born in a time when community was everything and you helped the neighbors. She knew the value of hard work and what it took to keep a community thriving.

Jean’s home was where she had the most influence. She wasn’t really a lecturer for the most part, but she would somehow let you know if she wasn’t pleased. She taught by example. We learned integrity, honesty, humility, tolerance, charity and love. There was never a question of doing the right thing. If there was a relative or friend down on their luck, you made room for them and took them in. Both Grandma Pearl and Aunt Pearl lived with us at one time or another. There are always people worse off than you and you must never take for granted the things you have. You make due with whatever you have and don’t complain about the things you don’t have. She pushed us to be the best we could be and to travel our own road. Over the years, she tried to guide us with a gentle hand. When we made unfortunate decisions or mistakes, she would often offer constructive criticism. If something didn’t go our way, she comforted us while applauding our efforts and when we achieved important milestones in our lives she was our biggest cheerleader. She taught us that there was nothing we couldn’t do.

As Jean aged and her health began to fail she took things in her stride. The move to long-term care was a struggle for Jean. She had been independent for so many years and it was hard for her to give that up. Eventually, she came to terms with it and settled in. It probably also helped that great granddaughter Robin eventually became the activity coordinator at long-term care so she had another familiar face. She also knew most of the other residents at long-term care and they’d reminisce about “the good old days”. There were still times though when she wanted us to take her “home”. She never seemed to yearn to live anywhere other than Consort. Occasionally while in long-term care she’d ask where she was. If you pointed out the big bureau in her room and then out the window at the cows and let her know it was the Day’s farm, she’d nod and smile and visibly relax. Her roots were here, her family was here and she had all she needed. Her life was here in Consort. This was home.

As her eyesight failed, we became the needle threaders and menu readers, but she eventually had to give up reading and quilting. Over the last few years, her memory failed but she was always happy for company. She might not know our names but we were all familiar to her and she’d ask how we were and hold our hand. As she aged she also decided that she could speak her mind and she was, at times, as sharp as a tack. The last time that Margaret took her to the Gun Show which she had attended for years, she leaned over to Margaret and said “I suppose they all think I’m dead” and wheeled her way in to listen to the music. She also wasn’t one to mince words as she aged. The day of Uncle Bob’s memorial service in 2014, she’d had a lot of company as the extended family was in town. Janice and Darwin arrived at long-term care late in the day and she was getting a bit tired of all the interruptions to her afternoon nap. After five or so minutes she looked at Janice and said, “you can leave any time you want” and laid her head down. There was no malice. She was just done visiting that day. For the most part however, she always had a smile and a kind word for everyone that stopped in to visit. For the most part she seemed content and the staff at long-term care were exceptionally good to her and she loved them all.

One doesn’t realize when one is young and invincible that your parents are teaching you many valuable lessons. It has become apparent, however, all these years later, that the examples she set were the foundation for an exemplary life. For our successes, we must all give at least some credit to the woman that taught us that, no matter what, you must always hold your head up, face any adversity with determination and courage and always, always be true to yourself. You must get up, have a bowl of porridge, get dressed and get on with life. You must, however, never forget who you are and give thanks for the blessings you have been given. She also taught us to enjoy life. Take time to smell the flowers (or in Jean’s case, plant and nourish the flowers), watch the sunsets, listen to the music and love your family. Remember, it’s not the destination that’s important, it’s the journey. Whether that be a drive in the Neutral Hills in the fall when the wheat is golden and swaying in the wind with the sun setting in the west, or on a drive through the majestic Rocky Mountains to see family or friends. Learn to take it in and enjoy it.

If you want to understand the person she was and how she influenced her family and others, all you need do is look around this church today. We are her legacy and she would be proud. If there is anything we were absolutely sure of it was our mother’s unwavering support. For that we are all thankful. She would also be the first to tell us to not mourn for her but to celebrate her life. We are all truly grateful for her guidance and love. We will all miss her more than words can express but we all know in our hearts that she’s already off on her next adventure, wherever it may take her.

Rest in Peace, Mom. We love you.

Card of Thanks

The family of Jean Bryan wishes to express our sincere thanks to the following for their kindness: Consort Long Term Care and Staff; Dr. Susan; Heather Caseley and staff of Coronation Funeral Home; Consort Community Lunch Committee; Pat and Charlotte Gilmer for music at the service; United Church Choir; United Church Minister Rev. Kwon; Bob and Lorea McAllister for music at the hall; everyone who helped setup/take down tables and chairs at the hall; and all those who sent cards and food to our homes. Your thoughfulness is greatly appreciated.

Betty Healy and family

Marlene and Bob Arp

and family

Janice and Darwin Liknes

and family

Margaret Kelts and family

Les Bryan

Lena Babiuk (Jan. 1, 1923 – Mar. 6, 2018)

Lena Babiuk passed away on March 6, 2018 at the age of 95. She will lovingly be remembered by her daughters Evelyn Steinke and Elaine (Murray) Sankey; her grandchildren Cameron (Tracey) Babiuk, Bradley Babiuk, Amy (Karis) Zbaraschuk, Kimberly (Yan) Senechal, Scott Sankey, Jeffrey (Niesha) Steinke; great-grandchildren Zachary, Kaleb and Addison Zbaraschuk, Nicholas and Lucas Senechal, Sadie Steinke; and her sister Victoria (Tom) Hock.

Lena was predeceased by her husband Peter; son Eugene; sister Mary Prokopchuk; and her brothers William, John and Fred (Pauline) Predinchuk.

Suggestions for memorial donations are the Consort Community and Senior Centre or It Is Written Canada.

A Funeral Service was held on Friday, March 30 at 2:00 p.m. at the Consort Community and Seniors Centre.
Tribute

By Elaine Sankey

Mom was born to Dora and Peter Predinchuk on January 1, 1923, at the family home on the shores of Good Spirit Lake near Canora, Sask. Forever after she loved swimming and the sound of water trickling. Before she started school the family relocated to a farm further north near Swan Plain, Sask. Here she grew up in her family of 3 brothers and 2 sisters. Her father was known for making “home brew”. One day while alone in the house, young Lena decided to sample this forbidden liquid that the adults liked so well. After having a hearty drink she felt sleepy and lay down for a nap. During this nap, in her foggy state, she could hear her parents wondering why Lena was sleeping so long during the middle of the day!!! When she fully awakened she discovered it had been a rather lengthy sleep and the family had been quite concerned because they could not seem to wake her!

Lena loved school, especially the social aspect of it. She was good at art, baseball, and the fun of being with all the other children. Some winters she and her sister Mary had to go to school on alternate days because they walked – and only had one pair of shoes between them.

Vivacious Lena caught the eye of a dark haired handsome neighbour. At the age of 15 years & 10 months, on November 10, 1938, she and my father were married amid a snowstorm. My dad was 11 years her senior. Can you imagine the scandal that would have created these days?! Mom and Dad were a great team though. They both possessed a strong work ethic and from early in their marriage shared a love for family and Christian values. Their powerful bond remained until my Dad’s passing after 66 years of marriage.

Their first home was on the farm at the Babiuk Homestead, near their families along Big Horn Creek. This is where Eugene was born in July of 1940, and Evelyn in May 1943. When Evelyn was 5 or 6 they decided to venture East to a farm they purchased near Benito, Manitoba. Here I, (Elaine) was born in December of l952.

Mom capably did all the things hardy farm women did in those years. Cooking for the threshing crew, milking cows, raising chickens, and turkeys, caring for a large garden, preserving the produce, picking wild berries, sewing, knitting and crocheting. Not to mention raising us kids and helping dad!!! Mom started out sewing on a Singer treadle sewing machine, the same one I used as a child. Her mother, my grandmother, loved expensive material in rich, bold, colours. She would buy some material, pick out a dress style in the catalogue and tell my mother, “sew me one just like that!” Somehow my mother would, making her own pattern out of brown paper, always fretting not to spoil an expensive piece of fabric. She could also look at any piece of fancy crochet and go home and make it. She knit or crochet everything from heavy winter sweaters to afghans, fine baby dresses, and tablecloths. She asked for yarn to make things, long after her fingers and mind were able to complete anything recognizable.

When Eugene and Evelyn were 7 and 4, Mom and Dad took the train to Kelowna, BC where Dad had gotten a job at a sawmill. Mom, Eugene and Evelyn lived in the basement of Dad’s sister’s home. They were there for 6 months during the winter, and probably would have continued living in Kelowna but Mom disliked the dark valley winter and the mountains being so close. She said she felt like she was living in a basin!! After Evelyn and her family moved to Kelowna in l980, Mom and Dad visited many times in the summer, and Mom said she rather liked it there with the bright sunshine and was sure someone must have moved those mountains back somewhat!!!

In the 50’s a friend going to Rochester, NY by train, for a medical appointment, asked my Mom to accompany her. I think this sparked her love of travel. As a young family we took the train, or drove, our Studebaker, to Ontario to visit friends many times. Often as we drove Mom and Dad would sing gospel hymns and choruses. After retirement Mom would say, Pete let’s go someplace” and off they would go in their camper van, visiting relatives, fishing, berry, or mushroom picking. They once travelled from here to Manitoba to pick blueberries, returning with just one ice cream pail full – and that they had purchased!! Definitely for them the joy was in the journey. They travelled from Coast to Coast in Canada, and from Alaska to the US Gulf Coast. As much as she loved to GO Mom was always so happy to come home!

Mom was always known for her good Ukranian cooking – particularly perogies. When unexpected company dropped in, her fast food solution was to make perogies! Now I have learned to make fairly decent perogies but I never will achieve the speed with which she could turn them out. She still gifted and sold many “dozens” as she counted them, into her 80’s. When she wasn’t working, or travelling, Mom loved baseball, fishing, swimming, table games and puzzles.

In 1969 Mom and Dad sold the Manitoba farm and moved to Saskatoon. Mom utilized her cooking skills as an assistant cook at Sunnyside Nursing Home. When she retired in l983, Mom and Dad returned to their love of the rural life and moved to our farm at Little Gem. Here mom joined the Hemaruka W.I., made friends, enjoyed gardening, and spoiling her grand kids!! When Dad passed away in 2005 Mom was able to fulfill her desire to move to Lacombe. There she enjoyed the social activities of her church friends and those at the Royal Oak Manor where she lived. In 2011, due to failing memory issues, Mom moved to the Consort Lodge and enjoyed her time there. In Sept 2016 Mom transferred to the Consort Long Term Care Facility, where she was kindly cared for until her passing on March 6, 2018.

I was in awe of Mom’s courage and determination after Dad died. She had never lived alone, going from her father and mother’s home to being married for 66 years. Mom had to learn to write a check, and once she did, she generously wrote checks until I had to remind her she did need some money to live on!! I remember the first time she came home after going to Consort alone to gas up the car. She came home and recounted how she had driven up to the pump to discover she was on the wrong side, so she drove in from the other direction only to discover she had made the same mistake again!!! She said a young man finally came to her rescue. Instead of wringing her hands and crying, we both had a good laugh about it!! I don’t recall her ever complaining. But oh, she could worry. The rest of us didn’t have to because she did enough for all!!

Mom’s relationship with her God was not complicated. She knew He loved her and she loved Him. She did her best to share that love with others by showing unconditional acceptance to all. She generously shared her means, hospitality, helpfulness, kindness and positive attitude. She was the best example of a true Christian Mother. We were blessed to have her and will miss her but she has truly earned her rest.

Evelyn and I would like to thank those who were Mom’s friends and compassionate caregivers over the last several years. Two we would like to mention specifically. The first one is Brenda and the second is Dina, whom we unofficially adopted and renamed Esther, because to be our sister her name had to start with an “E”. You both always brought a smile to Mom’s face and showed such love and kindness at the end of her life’s journey. May you be richly blessed.
Good-Bye Baba

By Kim Senechal

Saying good bye to my maternal grandmother isn’t easy, even though she lived a very full life and rich life that came to it’s natural end after 95 years. As I look back, I realize I am very fortunate to have memories of Baba through every phase of my life.

Some of my earliest memories are of visiting Baba and Gido in Saskatoon for my very first sleep over away from home. Scott and I enjoyed riding the bus in the big city, watching cartoons on TV, and playing under their huge willow tree in the front yard. We experienced McDonald’s for the first time with Baba and Gido, and going for soft ice-cream with them was always a special treat.

Memories of time spent with Baba in my childhood always meant time spent with Gido as well, for they were inseparable. They moved to our farm in 1983 when I was 6. We went on many adventures, including trips to Sunnyside Beach in their camper van, fishing trips to lakes in northern Saskatchewan and Manitoba, and saskatoon berry picking trips.

Baba loved berries and it seems she was always picking chokecherries, raspberries, black currants and saskatoons and then making delicious jams and desserts with them.

She was a hard worker, often up in the early dawn to hoe the trees around the house or her garden. I have many bittersweet memories of painting fence with her. She never seemed to tire – working long hours in the hot sun to get the job done. She loved her garden and her flowers – the smell of peonies, sweat peas and rose soap will always remind me of her.

She loved the water, and would take us to the beach whenever she could. When it was her turn to watch Scott and I swim in the pool, she rarely watched from a chair – she was in the water with us, floating contentedly as we played.

Family meals were always a special treat at Baba and Gido’s house. She managed to fill her kitchen with people and her table with platter after platter of food with ease and joy. One cannot talk about Baba without talking about perogies. I wonder how may thousands of perogies she made and how many I consumed at her table. I also especially remember her fried fish and homemade chicken noodle soup. Within seemingly minutes of her hearing that Scott or I were sick, she would appear with a hot pot of soup complete with homemade noodles. That soup was the BEST!

For almost half my life until I left Alberta for school, Baba was a constant presence. She was our closest neighbour on the farm, our babysitter, and for a while after Scott’s accident, she became my second mom, stepping in to feed me, visit me at PAA, and let me cry on her shoulder when I felt lonely. She always seemed to know what I needed. She was just “Baba.”

Baba taught me many things. She tried, mostly unsuccessfully, to teach me Ukrainian but she did teach me a few words. She enjoyed all games, and taught us how to play Triominos and Rummy. She taught me how to make perogies and Skutzlee and donuts, and how to do cross stitch and crochet. She showed me how to work hard but also how to be still as we would sit outside rocking on her swing, keeping an eye on the activities of the farm. She taught me how to live without waste and how to live simply. Although she was a good teacher, she also had a desire to learn well into her later years. As I learned how to play the piano, she asked me to teach her too. I remember sitting with her at her organ, teaching her simple tunes and seeing her face light up with joy as her arthritic fingers moved over the keys.

I don’t remember hearing Baba ever complain. I’m sure she did, but it was almost comical how she would always respond when asked how she was with, “No aches, no pains.” Even after falling off her bicycle in her 70s and tearing her achilles tendon (no small injury), she just kept going, limping for a while, having surgery and then shrugging it off. Baba was accepting of everyone, and one of the most non-judgmental people I know. She was patient and generous to a fault, giving of her money, her time and her love from an endless cup.

One of my last memories of her before her health and her mind started to deteriorate, was of Baba visiting us in Comox for Nicholas’s first birthday. That will be 10 years ago in April. She was 85 years old, and she flew on an airplane alone to be present for her great grandson’s birthday.

Baba loved her family and she loved her Lord. She would often remind me that NOTHING was more important than my relationship with Jesus. She was a very special person and she was my Baba. I will miss her greatly but I will treasure the memories I have with her and look forward to seeing her on that resurrection day.

Card of Thanks

As Lena’s family we would like to thank Dr. Shenouda and the staff at the Consort Long Term Care Facility for the compassionate care Mom received in the last phase of her life’s journey. We would also like to thank those who attended the funeral service or sent flowers, cards or email messages. Thanks to all who showed kindness to our family by providing and serving at the lunch following the service. We would also like to mention and thank Pastor Ralph Ellison for his words of comfort, Ben & Shirley Klumpenhower for singing some of Mom’s favorite songs, Christie Buelow for providing the piano prelude, Angie Letniak for being our music technician and Laurel Teierle for streaming the service to Scott so he could be a part of the farewell to his grandmother from the other side of the world. We gratefully acknowledge the care and support of our extended family and community.

We appreciated the professional and caring guidance of the staff at Wombold Funeral Home of Ponoka, who in spite of treacherous road conditions ensured the day went smoothly.

Evelyn Steinke

Elaine & Murray Sankey

and families

Roy Lehner (Aug. 28, 1941-Mar. 31, 2018)

Roy Lehner, a former long time resident of Monitor, Alberta, passed away on March 31, 2018 in the Foothills Hospital in Calgary after a tragic vehicle accident.

Roy is survived by his widow, Deanna Lehner, daughter Bonnie Randall, son Cody Lehner, and six grandchildren who he adored. Guests packed the Church for Roy’s service held in Hill Spring, Alberta on April 7, 2018, where his daughter Bonnie delivered the following eulogy:

Eulogy

By Bonnie Randall

You do not see many birth certificates these days with legal land descriptions listed as the birthplace, but 1941 rural Saskatchewan was a different era, and my Dad, born at home with the assistance of a midwife, would carry many of these 1941 ideals and values throughout his lifetime.

Leo Roy Jenson Lehner, who preferred to be called Roy, but was often called Butch, was the 2nd oldest of 5 other siblings, all girls, and had two older, half-siblings. And while I have yet to meet anyone who was or is a more proud Albertan, Dad spent his formative years in rural Saskatchewan where he worked on his family’s place with sheep and horses and also attended school until Grade Eight when, at only 14, he headed west to Calgary to live and work with his older brother Johnny. It was at that tender age that my Dad’s life as an adult began.

Dad was so many things, but beyond all of it he was a hard worker. Though just a teenager, he nonetheless worked all over Alberta with Uncle Johnny, to the point where there was virtually no place in the province where he didn’t hang his hat for at least some length of time. In fact, when I first started dating my husband, James, I assumed that Dad wouldn’t know where I was visiting him—in a tiny place called Niton Junction. Wrong.

If you’re going up there, you’d better take a big Bowie knife to cut your way through the bush, Bonnie,” he said, and sure enough, this prairie gal, who had never lived anywhere that I couldn’t watch a dog run away for three days, was astonished to see so much forest. “You were right, Dad,” I said, and he replied “Well, yes, Bonnie,” a phrase I’d come to hear thousands of times.

As a young man, one of my Dad’s passions was rodeo, and as a young fellow he rode both bareback and bulls on the Saskatchewan and Alberta rodeo circuits. It was there where he met two other cowboys — Warren and Sterling Schacher, and it was through them that he also met their sister Deanna, who would first become his sweetheart, and then become his wife in 1963.

Dad and Mom spent a great deal of their married life in the old drylands of south-eastern Alberta; Consort, Brooks, Scandia, and Monitor were where they called home, and Dad’s life had no shortage of adventure. From working as a cowboy on a cattle ranch in Brooks, Dad then went on to take a position running equipment in the High Arctic, flying in and out on 20 day/ 10 day rotations. Mom used to tell us that Dad worked where Santa Claus lived, and Dad would fascinate us by telling us how a compass wouldn’t work that far north, it would just spin and spin, how the Eskimos loved to barter for orange pop, and how a cup of boiling water tossed up in the air would drift back down to the ground as ice crystals. The High Arctic was also special to Dad because at one point he got his nephew, my cousin Bryce, a position there too, and their time together in such a unique and forbidding place would become a bond they would share throughout my Dad’s lifetime, and it was always from a very special place in his heart with which my Dad spoke of Bryce.

Once his time in the Arctic ran its course, Dad was with Dome Petroleum where his official title was Heavy Duty Mechanic, but by which he referred to himself as a ‘Wrench Puller’. Dad was with Dome until 1987 when his heart began to give the first of what would be many bumpy rides as he needed not only a triple by-pass, but also needed to give up a three pack/day smoking habit.

And, while we’re on the topic of trifectas, it was also right around this time when Dad began training horses for the racetrack. His first charge was a quarter horse called Red Bronze Bart, and while he had many over the years, his all time favorite was his beloved Dancing Chimes who led him into the Winner’s Circle again and again. The happiest I ever saw Dad was during his years on the race track, be it with his horses, his tack shop, or leather-smithing custom bridles he was so proud to make and excellent at crafting.

1992 saw the end of an era as Mom & Dad left the home where I grew up in the harsh geography of the old Drylands and moved here to Hill Spring where they loved to work on the place they had purchased and won ‘Most Beautiful Yard’ award at least two years in a row. Yet despite Dad’s feet finally being planted on his much-coveted southern Alberta soil, a new career in the oilfield would pull him back to the old Drylands and even back into Saskatchewan again and again. As a contractor, he was a cat-skinner, on leases and a consultant across the span of about 20 years, during which he became the friend and mentor to many gentlemen who he always spoke of with great fondness. Chunky, Shane, and Doug—or, as Dad called you, ‘Dougly’—I have never met you, yet through my Dad I feel like I have known you all my life. Thank you for being such a good friend to Roy; please know how highly he thought of each of you.

As I’ve reflected on Dad’s many careers, I marvel at how many skills and abilities he had: a leather-smith and a land-man, a cat-skinner and a wrench-puller. A rodeo cowboy and a racehorse trainer. He was a guy who learned to do by doing and was fastidious and exacting with his work, be it a grade on a hill he was dozing, a renovation he was doing in the house, or a bridle he was crafting, trying to keep up with the many custom orders that were put his way.

Yet despite all of these abilities, what may surprise many of you is that, had Dad been able to finish school (and, for the record, he achieved his GED in 1988, a feat he was always so proud of) what he always wanted to be was a social studies teacher for elementary aged children. He had a passion for history, geography, and definitely politics, and as far as children go, Dad would have made an excellent teacher because he had extraordinary patience and an intuitive understanding of little kids. “Play is kids’ work,” he would say. “It is important to let them play.”

Call him Roy, Butch, or Dad, Dad was a model of patience, generosity, and humble kindness. He would never say no to anyone in need, even if that meant going without or putting himself in possible peril. He and I once crossed the border at Cutbank, and ended up behind a guy whose vehicle—and girlfriend—had been confiscated by the Border Guards. It was an August day in Southern Alberta, and the poor guy on the blacktop pavement ahead of us didn’t have a shirt and he didn’t have shoes. He was dancing along on that fire-hot highway and Dad looked at me then looked at him and said “We’d better give that poor b*stard a ride.”

Say what?! A hitchhiker? That’s every woman’s no-no. But Dad said “Look at him—all he’s got on are those little pants” (they were cutoffs). “How harmful can he be?” He pulled up alongside the guy and opened his door. Cut-offs and Bare-Toes was so happy we’d stopped that he said “I’ll even ride in your trunk!” to which Dad just laughed a little and said “Nah, I don’t think you have to do that.”

So there we were, chugging up to Cutbank with a total stranger who was very obviously some sort of criminal riding shotgun alongside us.

Because if you can offer help, you do it. If you have something, you share. If someone asks, you don’t turn your back. That was the way my Dad approached life, and in my career as a counselor, I have reflected many times on how my philosophy as a social worker comes far less from my time in university than it does from my Dad.

In the last few days, many condolence calls we’ve received have described Dad much as I have; a kind, generous, ‘good’ man. So isn’t it ironic that Dad himself always worried that he wasn’t good enough? “The Big Guy upstairs is always watching, Bonnie,” he’d say, and look a little hunted because God, as Dad understood Him, was someone punitive and to be feared. Yet what is even more ironic, is that even if this were true—the idea of a punitive God—I am confident that the last person He would choose to punish is my Dad, and I am so glad that in the short days that led to Dad’s death, him and I talked about God, and I think Dad heard me when I told him that God’s love for him is bottomless—more than he ever even loved his own kids, which was beyond our understanding and sometimes more than we deserved.

When Dad would call me, it was always hard to end the phone call; there was always so much he wanted to say: the weather would be making him crazy, the garden would have produced more beets and raspberries than he could even give away, and if nothing else, Trudeau would have done something to make him furious. But as one hour would inch toward two, I would get busy and need to hang up the phone.

Today I know why it was always so hard for him to hang up the phone.

But, Dad, I need to hang up now. Please always know what an honor and a privilege it was to be your kid. Now go rest high on that mountain. You did a really, really, good job. But your work on Earth is done.

Dale Alexander Chopek (Sept. 10, 1962-Apr. 4, 2018)

Dale Alexander Chopek was born on September 10, 1962 in Consort, Alberta to Alexander and Marie Chopek. He was the oldest of five boys.

Dale took all of his schooling in Altario where he grew up. Right after graduation, on June 26, 1980, he started his trucking career. For the first few years he drove for lease operators on with Gibsons. During this time he moved to Provost where he met Karolyn. On June 26, 1987 they bought their first truck and Road Runner Trucking was started. On August 5, 1989, Dale and Karolyn were married. Together they had three children, Garret, JoriAnn, and Dylan.

He was a hard worker and took pride in what he accomplished. He operated Road Runner Trucking right up to the time of his passing. In 2016 when Dale’s health had declined to the point that he was no longer able to drive his semi, he decided to start what was supposed to be a little hobby with his brother, Brent. This hobby required starting a supposedly small cattle operation from scratch, which meant the whole family had a new hobby whether they wanted one or not.

Nothing made Dale happier than when he was spending time with family and friends, whether it was quadding, camping, or a night of visiting. In the last few years his greatest joy of all was spending his days with his grandson, Alexander.

Dale passed away suddenly on April 4, 2018 at the age of 55 years.

He will be forever missed and lovingly remembered by his wife, Karolyn; and their children, Garret (Melena), JoriAnn and Dylan; grandson, Alexander; mother, Marie; brothers, Ron (Brenda), Brent (Pat), Kevin and Dwayne (Carla); mother in law, Sharon Arlitt; brothers in law, William (Natalie) and Kevin (Jennifer); sisters in law, Sherri (Rick), Dawn (Jim), Cindy (Robin), and Jenine (Peter); as well as numerous other relatives and many friends.

Dale was predeceased by his father, Alexander and father in law, William.

Keith Hamilton Fawcett (Nov. 16, 1934 – Mar. 31, 2018)

It is with heavy hearts that the family of Keith Fawcett announces his passing on Saturday, March 31, 2018 in Calgary, Alberta, at the age of 83 years. Keith is survived by his wife Inge (nee Reif); his children Richard, John, and Christina (Wayne); stepchildren Liana (Nevin) and Koralee (John); his grandchildren Zoe, Nate, Kaitlyn, Megan, Jessica, Becky, Selena, Anthony, and Matteo; his great grandchild, Liliwen; and his brothers Donald (Laura), Doug (Adah), and Alan (Janice). Keith was predeceased by his parents Florence “Allison” (nee Crossley) Fawcett and William Cornelius “Neal” Fawcett; daughter Debra, his granddaughter Julianne, and his brother Charles (Donna).

Keith was born in Consort, Alberta and was raised on the family farm. He had a lifelong passion for the arts. He himself was a talented sculptor in metal and clay; painter in oil and water colour, and in the written word as a poet. Keith also enjoyed outdoor pursuits. If he was not fly-fishing or skiing, he could be found flying a hand-built radio controlled glider. He was also a true handyman fixing things around the house and helping to construct two different additions onto his mother home in Consort, Alberta. Keith also had an ear for music, being a self-proclaimed audiophile, especially when it came to a good quality set of speakers and a turntable with a high quality diamond needle to play his vinyl on. He was a man that some would refer to as being the salt of the earth, he loved his family, and would do anything for them.

A funeral service will be held for Keith on May 5, 2018 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Willow Park Chapel (940 Acadia Drive SE, Calgary) at 11:00 a.m. Messages of condolences can be forwarded to the family at www.piersons.ca

Carol Evelyn Fischer (Mar. 22, 1950 – Apr. 15, 2018)

Carol Evelyn Fischer was born March 22, 1950 in Wainwright, Alberta to James and Gladys McKeever. She grew up in Chauvin, Alberta, the youngest of five siblings.

Carol will be forever missed and lovingly remembered by her husband of 48 years, Arnold; sons, Darren (Karen) and their daughter, Danielle; Jason (Christine) and their children, Farrah, Paige and Liam (Holly) and their daughter Layla; Curtis (Jen) and their children, Quinn and Lyndon; brothers and sisters, Orland (Jean), Adrian (Diane), Peggy (Walter) and Arlene (John); as well as numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.

Carol was predeceased by her parents, James and Gladys McKeever.

The funeral service was held on Friday, April 20th, 2018, 2:00 p.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, Provost, Alberta.

Gregory’s Funeral Home was entrusted with the care and arrangements.
Eulogy

Written by daughter in law, Jennifer (Curtis) Fischer

Carol Evelyn Fischer was born March 22, 1950 in Wainwright, Alberta to James and Gladys McKeever. She grew up in Chauvin, Alberta the youngest of five siblings- Orland, Adrian, Arlene and Peggy. She remembered being especially fond of her much older brother, Adrian, but added with a laugh that she wasn’t sure why, as he used to hang her up on the coat hooks by her overall straps every time he came home.

When Carol told stories about her childhood they usually included her cousin, Alice. By all accounts they were inseparable. Carol said they would walk home from school together and then immediately get on the phone to one another, which Gladys as the village telephone operator often had to limit.

Carol didn’t have fond remembrances of her school years and she left school behind as soon as she could to work in Provost. She found a job as a waitress and a place to board with several other girls. It was while she was at work in the restaurant that Carol met Arnold, who was a frequent customer. His steadiness won her over and they began dating. On November 8, 1969, they were married.

After Carol married Arnold they settled in Lloydminster. Their first son Darren arrived in 1970 and another son, Jason, followed in 1972. When Jason was still a baby they moved to the Consort, Alberta area and Arnold starting working at Cross Bar Ranch for Frank and Kelva Gattey. Carol found a cherished friend in Kelva and spoke of their time at Cross Bar very fondly. Not that it was a holiday, by any means. Arnold worked hard and so did Carol as she chased after Darren and Jason and ran the household. She remembered being so exhausted at harvest time when it was her turn to provide field meals for the whole crew of men. She said you would just get one meal done with and have to start in on the next, all the while looking after the kids. Carol laughed later and said she wished she had been smarter and just packed a lunch for Arnold like Elizabeth Reichart had done for Herman, instead of having to feed all the men.

Life became even busier when their youngest son, Curtis, was born in 1976. As the boys got older there were many ball games and hockey games to watch over the years. Arnold also played hockey for the rec team and later for the old timers. Curtis says that their suburban was always full of friends and teammates every weekend on the hockey trail. Carol felt that those were some of the best years and that she made many lifelong friends at the hockey rink.

In 1979, Carol and Arnold moved to the Dumaresq Ranch. Curtis was around three years old at the time and after a couple days in their new house had asked Carol when would they be going “back to their real home”. Over the years Carol made sure it did become home to them all while the boys were growing up. Her houses were always clean, tidy and carefully decorated.They frequently entertained friends and family, often around the backyard fire pit. Carol and Arnold grew a huge garden and had a perfectly tended yard. Carol’s flowers were her pride and joy and she especially loved purple-wave petunias.

Jason remembers how his mom’s love of flowers got the best of her one time. They had bought her a bouquet of flowers for her birthday and gave them to her at a restaurant. He noticed the fake flowers on the restaurant table looked remarkably similar to his mom’s real ones, so as a joke he snuck one of the wire-stemmed roses into her bouquet. Weeks later, long after all the flowers should have died, Jason was over at their house and noticed one rose blossom floating in a bowl of water. When he laughed and pointed out that it was fake she became extremely angry…and then confessed that she’d had a lot of trouble trimming the stem and had gone through two pair of scissors to get the job done. Carol did have an excellent sense of humour and eventually she would laugh when someone told this story.

If you wanted Carol’s undivided, focussed attention all you needed to do was show up late after being called to the dinner table! She was an excellent cook and hated to serve cold food. Carol was extremely efficient in the kitchen and seemed to be able to cook all day long without creating any mess. If Carol knew the boys were coming over at meal time she would often phone them to take their order. Some family favorites were her fresh buns, doughboys, her giant holiday meals, clam chowder and meatballs and gravy. Everything she made was excellent. All of the grandchildren loved Grandma Carol’s food, and Paige’s favorite was pancakes. No matter how many the grandkids ate, grandma never ran out. If she was packing lunch for an outing, no one needed to bring anything else. That was how Carol showed her love – she fed you. Jars of homemade salsa or hot mustard, fresh loaves of bread and muffins would frequently show up on her loved ones counters.

In 1985 Carol took a job at Consort IGA where she worked for over 20 years. She was a hard worker and could always be found at the store at least a half hour early, making the coffee and working on her crosswords. She worked in the produce department for a long time and took great pride in her displays.

In 2004 Carol and Arnold bought a home of their own, an acreage just down the road from the Dumaresq Ranch. It wasn’t long before Carol had the house decorated, a tidy yard, beautiful flowers and a garden. There wasn’t much Carol couldn’t do if she put her mind to it. Darren recounts that Arnold once convinced Carol to try duck hunting with him and she shot two ducks at once with her very first shot. She didn’t stick with hunting but did try various other pursuits over the years like sewing and knitting. At one time she took an amateur hairdressing course and having no girls, she made Arnold and the boys became her hair models. Even for the perms.

Outside of work and home Carol enjoyed golfing, playing bingo and camping. She liked camping and vacations, but preferred to stay somewhere close to home. Carol hated travelling, whether it was by vehicle or plane. Even though she was afraid to fly, she did brave the plane for a few trips. One of her favourites was a vacation to South Carolina with her sister, Peggy. The highlight of that trip was a visit to tv personality Paula Deen’s restaurant. Carol saved a menu and still kept it displayed. She loved good food and was always so pleased when she could get a good seafood meal.

Carol enjoyed her family and was very happy to become a grandma. After raising all her boys she said she enjoyed being able to shop in girl’s section once in awhile. Pictures of the granddaughters and grandsons quickly covered the kitchen and livingroom walls as the family expanded. Carol treasured hugs from her grandchildren. She always tried to take in as many of her grandkids’ events and activities as she could. Grandson Lyndon said that even though he could never talk Grandma Carol into playing sports with him that it was okay because “she was always there watching me.” I know Carol will always still be watching.

Sadly, Carol passed away on April 15, 2018 at the Provost Health Centre at the age of 68 years. She will be greatly missed. All of us wish her peace and happiness, a beautiful flower garden, music to sing along with and a big, purring cat to sit on her lap.
Thank You

The Fischer family wishes to express our sincere thanks to Provost Hospital staff for their exceptional care and support. We would also like to thank all those who showed friendship and kindness by tending to things at home, attending the funeral, sending cards, flowers, messages or food. We appreciate the guidance and professionalism of Jeremy Allen and his staff at Gregory’s Funeral Home in Provost.

With greatest gratitude,

Arnold Fischer

Darren, Jason, Curtis

& families

Douglas Walter Lindstrand (July 9, 1940 – April 11, 2018)

Douglas Walter Lindstrand of Camrose passed away on Wednesday, April 11, 2018 at the age of 77 years.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife Myrnel; children Blaine (Kimberly) of Camrose County, Shelley (Michael) Wiese of Consort, Darrell (Tami-lyn) of Sylvan Lake, and Robert (Meshel) of Halifax, Nova Scotia; fourteen grandchildren; five great-grandchildren; and brothers Dennis (Judy), Max (Alice), and Vada (Pat).

Douglas was predeceased by his parents Walter and Esther.

A private family service has been held.

If friends desire, memorial contributions are gratefully accepted to the Alzheimer Society of Alberta, the Heart and Stroke Foundation or to the Alberta Diabetes Foundation.

Alv Seim (Sept. 30, 1931-April 26, 2018)

Alv Seim of Williamsburg, Ontario, formerly of Compeer, Alberta, passed away at the Cornwall Community Hospital on Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the age of 86 years.

Beloved husband of the late Ethel Seim (nee Bingeman). Loving father of Glenda Kaddie of Cornwall, Lynn Robertson of Winchester, Wenda Gassner of Stony Plain, Alberta, Terry Seim (Donna Laporte) of Williamsburg and Oron Seim of Calgary. Alv will be fondly remembered by grandchildren Krystal (Joel), Tara, Emily, Chris, Kyle, Justin, Todd (Diane), Chelsea, Tyler and great-grandchildren Fin, Rylee and Autumn. Dear brother-in-law of Nelson Bingeman.

Predeceased by his son-in-law Ken Gassner, brother Otto (Nancy) Seim, sisters Nancy (Melvin) Berg, Maalfrid (Hazen) Vennard, Clara (Jack) Birdsall, nephews Bobby Vennard, Clifford Berg, Larry Seim and niece Carol Morgan.

Friends were invited to the Marsden and McLaughlin Funeral Home, Williamsburg, on Monday, April 30th from 7-9 p.m. Funeral service was held at the Funeral Home on Tuesday, May 1st at 11 a.m. Interment was at Maple Ridge Cemetery, Chesterville.

Donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation or the Canadian Cancer Society would be gratefully acknowledged by the family. Online condolences may be made at marsdenmclaughlin.com.

“Peggy” Margaret Anne Walker (Mar. 15, 1942-Apr. 25, 2018)

“Peggy” Margaret Anne Walker passed away in Coronation, Alberta on April 25, 2018 at the age of 76 years.

Margaret was born March 15, 1942 in Edmonton, Alberta to Ken and Joyce Gould. She grew up in Consort, the oldest of seven siblings. After attending school in Consort, Margaret attended the University of Alberta and obtained a teaching degree. Margaret loved to teach and was a mentor to many. Margaret will be forever missed by her husband of 55 years, Jim: daughters Joan and Teryl and son Jamie (Carrie). She’ll be missed and remembered by her grandchildren Christopher (Natane), Jordan, Hayley, Dale, Jade and Zach; siblings Jack (Ingrid), Bill (Judy), Stewart (Barb), Janice (Bob) and Donald; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Margaret was predeceased by her parents Ken and Joyce Gould and brother David Gould.

Funeral services were held May 3, 2018 at the Consort Sportex Hall.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations in Peggy’s honor be made to the Edmonton Cross Cancer Institute.

Coronation Funeral Home entrusted with arrangements.
Eulogy

Written by daughter

Joan Clemens

Peggy was born March 15, 1942 in Edmonton, Alberta to Ken and Joyce Gould. She grew up on the family farm in Consort, Alberta, the oldest of seven siblings: Jack, Bill, Stewart, David, Janice and Donald. As much as she loved all her siblings she was so glad to get one sister out of the bunch who would be not just her sister but her lifelong best friend. Although raised on the farm, I understand Peggy was not much of a farm girl and would have more than one run in with the animals, with the animal not getting the best of her. To the day she died she never had a vegetable garden….too many years of weeding and picking in the huge garden Grandma Gould and Aunt Edith kept.

Coming from a large family and having a huge extended family, Peggy was surrounded by many, many cousins and growing up spent many an hour with the Hutching girls . . . these relationships meant the world to her and the cousins were more like sisters.

Sometime around 1955 Peggy and Jim started “hanging out” and would marry October 20, 1962. With this relationship she again became the oldest of seven siblings as Dennis, Diane, Marie, Wayne, Carol and Norma all looked up to her as a sister. Grandpa Walker loved her, and Grandma Walker said she was the best thing that could have happened to Dad.

Some may have thought that the pairing was mismatched but Jim and Peggy celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary this past October. Cousins Sarah and Susan say they thought they were the coolest couple in town and reminded them of James Dean and Audrey Hepburn. Along the way they welcomed Joan, Teryl and Jamie and were blessed with six grandchildren. Christopher, Jordan, Hayley, Dale, Jade and Zach. Times were not always easy, but Peggy faced every challenge with grace and dignity and her kids and grandkids never wanted for a thing.

Saturday night gatherings at Peggy’s house with the kids and grandkids, were tradition and although the older grandkids were well into their teens they still went to Grandma’s Saturday nights. Saturday nights were about connection, laughs and most importantly nachos and dino sours!

Peggy loved her family dearly and always put them first before herself. She was a strong, selfless woman who always paid life forward. Her love was unconditional and although we kids may have thrown her some curve balls she never judged and always supported us. She was proud of everything we did and was a “bragging” grandmother. You can see her love of family all through the house as pictures hang in every room to proudly display them. As time passed and the grandkids got older and started dating she would ever so subtly ask about marriage and babies. Christopher and Natane still laugh at the Christmas a couple years ago where they walked in the door at Aunt Janice’s, didn’t even have their coats off and Peggy took Natane’s hand out of her pocket to check for a ring. Not so subtle anymore. They fooled her by eloping that summer so then the not so subtle conversations turned to when will we get great grand babies.

Peggy graduated from the University of Alberta with a teaching degree. Although I am told she didn’t particularly love school, she loved to teach and is fondly remembered by many students and colleagues as a woman who made a difference in their lives. During her time as a teacher she taught Jr. High and had the tough task of teaching her siblings and cousins. I don’t believe it was ever an issue because they looked up to her and respected her. Peggy excelled in math and sciences and I’m sure she couldn’t understand how us kids just didn’t get math! Even granddaughters Hayley and Jade would call Grandma for help with math.

Peggy and Jim left Consort in 1972 and moved to Edmonton where there were better opportunities. Jim starting trucking and Peggy started working for what was then the Alberta Vocational Center. During her career there, Peggy taught adults with literacy problems, Apprenticeship program and English as a second language for new Canadians. She loved her work and took such pride in her students. She was tough but fair and was respected for that.

Her colleagues remember her as fair, honest, brave and direct and not afraid to stand up for what she thought was right. She never had an unkind word to say about anyone and always had a ready smile and laugh. Her office was the morning gathering place before class and she always had the coffee on. She made many lifelong friends during her time at Norquest and they were a great support to her as she juggled a full-time job and raising 3 kids essentially as a single parent as Jim was on the road so much.

When Peggy retired from teaching and Jim retired from trucking they decided to head back to their roots and built a home in Consort. The timing couldn’t have been better as Grandma Walker was not well and they were able to be close and care for her. Being the selfless woman she was, she was glad to look after her second mother. Peggy took great pride in her home and her yard although she would be the first to tell you how much she hated looking after the yard and doing the weeding, etc. Still she did it and kept it beautiful. She also loved being back so close to her family and friends after all the years away. Peggy quickly immersed herself in the community and volunteered for numerous activities for the Auxiliary and the United Church. Everyone knew if you wanted something done go to Peggy it will get done and done well.

Although Peggy loved returning home to Consort she missed her kids and grandkids so there were frequent trips to Edmonton to visit and hit the Costco store. Costco profits are no doubt down since she became ill.

Peggy rekindled her love of quilting when she moved back to Consort and now had time to truly enjoy it. She joined the Guild and always looked forward to her quilting weekends. Although we sometimes teased her about her passion, we will forever be grateful to have so many to remember her by.

Peggy was never a big traveler, but she always took the time during school breaks to go with Jim in the truck and explore North America. Only woman I know that would sleep in a truck, eat in truck stops and love every minute of it. Eventually the travel bug got a hold of her and she loved going on road trips to Duluth to see Joan and to Mesa to get out of winter a bit.

Peggy also had a passion for music and could play piano or the organ and sing her heart out. Her love for Elvis was only out weighed by her love for Jim, but it was a close race. Jim and Peggy’s musical ability often had them as the entertainment at family gatherings and they sung beautifully together. She also loved being back in the choir at church.

It strikes me as funny on this very sad day that Mom would have hated being the center of attention as she always did. However, if anyone deserves some attention it is Mom. She went out on her own terms with strength, grace, beauty and elegance. You will be dearly missed by many Mom, but we know you are at peace and will always watch over us just as you have done for all our lives.

Thank You

The family of Peggy Walker would like to thank all family and friends for sharing in her celebration of life. She was a special lady and your kind words and support mean the world to us.

Special thanks to Dr. Akindipe and the amazing staff in both Consort and Coronation hospitals who did more than just care for Mom. Also thanks to the wonderful Homecare team.

We would also like to thank Rev. Susan Bowyer for the reading of the eulogy and special thanks to Laura Fawcett for her support and guidance.

Jim, Joan, Teryl and Jamie