With heavy hearts we mourn the loss of our beloved Mother Elsa Skirten (nee Hein).
Elsa was born in Rosthern, SK and was the middle child of seven born to Jacob & Selma Hein, who lovingly called her “the Golden Child”, largely due to her neatness.
Mom graduated from Nursing at St. Paul’s Hospital in 1950 where she was trained by the Grey Nuns. She entered nursing with the goal of being a flight attendant as that was a prerequisite for the job at that time, however she was too tall for the aircraft being used then.
She wed Raymond C. Skirten in 1950 and they moved to Edmonton where eldest daughter Carla and son Stuart were born. She nursed at the Royal Alexander hospital there.
Returning to Saskatoon she continued her nursing career at St. Paul’s where she remained in the Labour & Delivery ward until her retirement at 63. She found her niche in L&D and loved her career helping bring babies into this world.
Daughter’s Kathleen and Karen were born in Saskatoon where she and Ray built a home on Louise Ave as part of a co-operative of 10 families who built one another’s homes. They agreed that no one moved in until all the houses were complete. That community of neighbours became fast friends and many parties were held in our home as Mom & Dad had the first HI-FI stereo on the block. Lots of dancing and a lifelong love of music were always evident. That may have started as Dad courted Mom by sending her 78’s. Some of her favourite musicians were Glenn Miller, Perry Como, Johnny Cash and ABBA. She loved organ music and learned to play herself and always enjoyed listening to her daughter’s play too.
Being a mother with a full-time career was a rarity at that time but proved to be a role model for her daughters and nieces. On top of all that, Elsa loved to bake, cook, sew, embroider and spend time gardening, especially in her rose garden. Mom's special haven though was our cottage at Emma Lake.
While she may not have realized her dream of being a flight attendant, she did travel the globe as a passenger. Some of her favourite destinations were Hawaii, Germany, the Caribbean, the Maritime provinces and the city of London. This was especially fun for her as a royalist and devout life-long fan of Queen Elizabeth II.
Mom was predeceased by her husband Ray and then special friend Ross McDonald, her mother and father, sisters Margaret Estok, Helen Luteyn, Erna Hein and brother Gerhard along with their spouses. She is survived by her sister Elizabeth Kent and brother Victor, both in Regina. Her four children, her three grandchildren Gregory Skirten (Laura), Austin Davidson (Jess), and Erica Pelletier (Chris). Elsa’s greatest joy in recent years were her eight great grandchildren: Trystan, Oliver, Noah, Seth, Milo, Autumn, Scarlett and Alyssa. Numerous nieces and nephews are saddened at this loss of their Auntie Elsa.
A celebration of life and internment in the Rosthern cemetery will be held for family and friends this summer. Mom specifically has asked us to pour some good scotch on her grave. A life well spent helping others.
Carla, Stuart, Kathy and Karen especially want to thank the staff at the Bow Valley Lodge in Canmore and the staff at the Canmore Hospital for their loving care of Mom over the past eight years.