Obituary of Erna Thiel

THIEL- Mrs. Erna Thiel, late of Shellbrook, passed away in Parkland Terrace Nursing Home in Shellbrook at 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, January 25, 2011 with family around her singing hymns, praying, and talking to her as she joined the angels in heaven. Erna was born November 6, 1921 to Karl and Amelia Schmalz in the Brightholme district south of Shellbrook. Her three sisters were Martha Weiss, Dodi Matzner, and Lucy Sommerfeld. She went to Mount Teviot school for seven years because she skipped a grade. She loved school but her education had to end at grade eight and her work life began. In 1943 she married Clarence Thiel of Silvergrove and for 20 years they farmed together, raised three children and became "suitcase farmers", moving into town in the winter. Because her husband was not healthy, Erna did both "woman's work" and man's work". She had a huge garden, picked berries, sewed their clothes like a professional seamstress, crocheted, raised chickens and turkeys, butchered beef, milked cows, shoveled grain, chopped wood, drove the tractor and truck, and baked the best cinnamon buns, doughnuts, and angel food cakes ever. After Clarence died in 1964 Erna remained a widow for 30 years. She worked a number of jobs including as a Care Aide in Shellbrook Union Hospital. She babysat several children, which gave her extreme satisfaction and delight. In 1995 she remarried to Stu Laycock and had a few good years before she became his caregiver as his Alzheimer's progressed. She became a widow again in 2003. Erna loved living in her house in Shellbrook for over 50 years. It was across from Macleods and close to downtown so it allowed her to look after herself and be independent. She took pride in the beautiful lilies and other flowers she tended in her yard. Erna embodied the saying "Do what you can, With what you have, Where you are." In October 2005 her life took a different turn when she suffered a severe stroke, which left her in a wheelchair with her right side paralyzed. She learned to eat with her left hand and, to keep from feeling useless, she spent two hours a day sorting and folding rags for the Home until the task was too much. As a resident of Parkland Terrance, for the first time in her life she had to learn to let people look after her. This was not easy for a woman who had spent her life looking after other people. Erna leaves to cherish her memory, her 3 children: Donna (Glen) Moffat of Qualicum Beach BC and their 3 children Tiffany (Perry) Goertzen, Noah and Bennett of Abbotsford BC; Yale Moffat of Nanaimo BC; Shannon (Derrick) Nelson and baby Nelson (born the day of the funeral) in Cumberland BC; Garry Thiel of Shellbrook and his 4 children Darrin (Sandra) Thiel and twins Bella, and Peyton of Los Angeles CA; Craig Thiel of Fort MacMurray AB and Brittany of Edmonton AB and Gabriel of Spruce Grove AB; Krista (Scott) Moe, Carter,Taryn of Shellbrook; Grant (Jennifer) Thiel, Dalen, Elayna, and Breck of Shellbrook; Connie McGrath of Saskatoon and her 3 children Paije McGrath (Keith Muyres) Oliver, and twins Veronica and Augustus of Calgary; John McGrath of Saskatoon; Amber (Rob) Huck of Saskatoon and baby Huck; her sisters Dodi Matzner, Lucy (Reynold) Sommerfeld; a sister-in-law Doris Holland; many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husbands, Clarence Thiel, Stu Laycock; her parents Karl and Amelia Schmalz; her sister Martha (Willie) Weiss; her son-in-law Ron McGrath; her daughter-in-law Karen Thiel. The funeral service was held at St. John's Lutheran Church in Shellbrook on Saturday, January 29 at 10:30 AM with Rev. Chris Dean as officiant. The eulogy was read by Tiffany Goertzen, Krista Moe, Paije McGrath, and Amber Huck who shared many touching and humorous memories of their wonderful grandma. The pianist was Jo-Anne Perkins and the soloist was Kelsey Fitch. The hymns were I Was There to Hear Your Borning Cry, What A Friend We Have in Jesus, Just a Closer Walk with Thee and I Have Decided to Follow Jesus. The pallbearers were Craig Thiel, Scott Moe, Grant Thiel, Carter Moe, John McGrath, Rob Huck. Memorial donations may be made to the Shellbrook and Districts Health services Project. Interment was in the Silver Grove Cemetery.