After living a long life (101), Elma died peacefully on Sunday at Rocky Mountain Village (RMV) care home in Fernie, BC. She will continue to be loved by her family who mourn her death.
She is survived by children Myrna (Frank), Gary (Marilyn) and Glen (Christine) and a brother, Edward. The grandchildren who will miss her are David, Beverly, Clint, Brent, Marybeth, Lisa (Gregg) and Tonia (Jason) and her nine great grandchildren and two great great grandchildren. Elma was married to Charles Douglas Mitchell who predeceased her on August 20, 1997. She was also predeceased by granddaughter Sharee Townson.
Elma was born in Grenfell District, Saskatchewan, into a family of eleven children, seven girls and 4 boys. She grew up in Neudorf Saskatchewan and loved to go to school across the snow-laden fields in the cutter. Her mother died in 1937 and she spent part of her young life helping to raise her four younger brothers. Later she attended Normal School, earning her teaching certificate, then teaching in Saskatchewan before taking a post at the school in Yahk BC. She then moved to Jaffray School where she met Douglas and they were married August 29, 1948. They took up residence in Galloway BC where Elma was an active member of the community, involved in part-time teaching, the birthday club and the United Church in Jaffray. She was an active person, playing tennis and badminton and swimming; and in the winter, she loved to skate, curl and cross-country ski. She also taught piano lessons and Sunday School to many local children. She and Douglas built a cottage at Rosen Lake in the mid 1950s where there were many wonderful family gatherings over the years. In retirement, they moved into a new house in Cranbrook, BC and they joined the Cranbrook United Church, where she became very active in the United Church Women and they both sang in a Seniors Choir (Melodears). After twenty years they relocated to a nearby townhouse where Elma lived for many years. Eventually she moved to RMV Care Home in Fernie where she lived until her death. The family is grateful for the excellent care provided by the staff there and her attentive physician, Dr. Paul Michael.
Rev. Jack Lindquist officiated at Elma’s funeral service at the Jaffray Community Hall on Friday, October 25, 2013. Interment followed at the Sand Creek Cemetery. A reception was held at the Jaffray Community Hall. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that you make a donation to the Jaffray United Church, c/o Dorothy Durham, Box 286 Jaffray BC V0B 1T0. Messages of condolence may be sent to the family at www.cherishedmemoriesfs.com Arrangements entrusted to Cherished Memories Funeral Services Ltd.