April 11, 2014
By Obituaries on April 11, 2014.
.1931 ~ HARRITY ~ 2014
Sara “Sally” Harrity of Medicine Hat, beloved wife of the late Harold “Harry” Harrity, passed away on Sunday, April 6th, 2014 at the age of 82 years. Sally leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Donald “Ted” (Christy Gustavison) Harrity and Robert Harrity; three daughters, Colleen (Ronald) Bruce, Joanne (Bill) Bradbury, and Lynn (Curt) Lester; eight grandchildren, Craig, Andrew (Darby), Stephen, Sara (Russell), Emily (Peter), Megan (Roy), Alison (Nathan), and Catriona; three great-grandchildren, Hayden, Avery and James; one brother, Don (Nora) Stewart; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Besides her husband, Harry, Sally was predeceased by her parents, Wilfrid and Jessie Stewart; one grandson, Nicholas; one brother, Frank; and one sister, Ruth. Sally was born in Saskatoon near the end of summer holidays, just in time for the family to get back to Manitoba and Granddad to take up his post as Principal of Rivers School. As a girl she delivered newspapers all over town, and to the airbase, a hive of activity during the war years. Summers were spent camping at Clear Lake and Star Lake, and car trips all over Western Canada and the USA. She went off to the U of M and earned a BSc with honours, unusual for the time. After graduating, Sally worked in a textile lab in Drummondville, PQ, but returned to Rivers for her holidays. A young paratrooper named Harry Harrity arrived as one of the instructors at the Canadian Parachute Training Centre after the war. Romance bloomed and they married in 1952. Their lives were busy ever after, with children arriving and the frequent moves of a military life. Travel was a constant theme on weekends and holidays, whether in Canada or while stationed in Europe. We lost Dad many years ago, but Mom carried on, nurturing and inspiring children and grandchildren, visiting and travelling with them, sharing adventures, her curiosity, her love of life and her gentle spirit. Love you.
A Celebration of Sally’s Life will be held at a later date. Memorial gifts in Sally’s memory may be made to the Military Families Fund, http://www.militaryfamiliesfund.ca or to the Alberta Heart & Stroke Foundation, #124, 430 – 6th Avenue SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 2S8. Condolences may be sent through http://www.saamis.com or to condolences@saamis.com subject heading Sally Harrity. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to SAAMIS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM & RECEPTION CENTRE, “The Chapel in the Park”, locally owned and directed. Should you wish any additional information, please telephone (403)528-2599
.1939 ~ FORBES ~ 2014
Mrs. Ellen Forbes, beloved wife of Mr. Kenneth “Ken” Forbes of Medicine Hat, passed away on Wednesday, April 9th, 2014 at the age of 74 years. Ellen also leaves to cherish her memory two children, Jim (Victoria) Forbes and Donna (Perry) Dooley, both of Medicine Hat. The Funeral Service will be held in SAAMIS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL, #1 Dunmore Road SE, on Monday, April 14th, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Blaine Schaufele officiating. Interment will take place at Hillside Cemetery at 1:00 p.m.; those wishing to attend please meet inside the cemetery gates at 12:45 p.m. Memorial gifts in Ellen’s memory may be made to the H.A.L.O., 12 – 49 Viscount Avenue SW, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 5G4 or to the S.P.C.A., 55 Southwest Drive SW, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 8E8. Condolences may be sent through http://www.saamis.com or to condolences@saamis.com subject heading Ellen Forbes. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to SAAMIS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM & RECEPTION CENTRE, “The Chapel in the Park”, locally owned and directed. Should you wish any additional information, please telephone (403)528-2599
.1942 ~ LITOWSKY ~ 2014
Mrs. Bertha Annie Litowsky, beloved wife of Mr. Joseph “Joe” Litowsky of Medicine Hat, passed away on Wednesday, April 9th, 2014 at the age of 72 years. Bertha leaves to cherish her memory one son, Randy (Diana) Archer. Condolences may be sent to condolences@saamis.com subject heading Bertha Litowsky. Funeral arrangements will be announced when completed by SAAMIS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM & RECEPTION CENTRE, “The Chapel in the Park”, locally owned and directed. Should you wish any additional information, please telephone (403)528-2599
.BRANDT
Monte Harland Brandt passed away on Thursday, April 10, 2014, at the age of 54 years, beloved husband of Julie Brandt of Medicine Hat. Funeral arrangements will be announced when completed. As an expression of sympathy donations may be made to the Margery E. Yuill Cancer Centre (Medicine Hat Regional Hospital) c/o 666 5th Street SW, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 4H6. To e-mail an expression of sympathy, please direct it to: pattfh@telusplanet.net subject heading: Monte Brandt, or you may visit http://www.pattisonfuneralhome.com and leave a message of condolence. Funeral Arrangements are by the PATTISON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM 540 South Railway St. SE, Medicine Hat T1A 4C2
.STURGESS
Ida “Irene” Ruth Sturgess passed away on Monday, April 7, 2014, at the age of 83 years, beloved wife of Robert W. Sturgess. She also leaves to cherish her memory one brother, Earl (Barbara) Knodel of Medicine Hat; her brother-in-law Tom Sturgess and family of Medicine Hat; her nephew Brian (Cecily) Knodel of Seven Persons; her great nephew and niece, Kyle and Madeleine Knodel. She was predeceased by her parents, Martha and Valentine Knodel; sister-in-law Dorothy Carson and her brother-in-law Fred Sturgess. The funeral service will be held in the PATTISON CHAPEL on Friday, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. with Pastor Maury McNeil officiating. A private interment will follow in the Hillside Cemetery. We would like to thank the nurses and staff of Riverview Care Centre for the excellent care they gave to Irene. As an expression of sympathy donations may be made to the S.P.C.A. – 55 Southwest Drive SW, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 8E8 or to the Alzheimer Society 401D 3rd Street SE, Medicine Hat, Alberta, T1A 0G8. To e-mail an expression of sympathy, please direct it to: pattfh@telusplanet.net subject heading: Irene Sturgess, or you may visit http://www.pattisonfuneralhome.com and leave a message of condolence. Funeral Arrangements are by the PATTISON FUNERAL HOME AND CREMATORIUM 540 South Railway St. SE, Medicine Hat T1A 4C2
.SYDNEY ROSELEIGH ELLIS
Sydney Roseleigh Ellis was born on December 27th, 1995 in Calgary, Alberta. Sydney spent her childhood and young adulthood between Cochrane, Alberta, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan and at our beloved ranch in Medicine Hat, Alberta.
Sydney has been surrounded by love and guidance with cherished friends scattered around the globe. In 1997, Sydney first started to travel the world perched upon her mother’s back. Together, they wandered through Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Nepal and Sri Lanka. At the age of 4, Sydney spent two months with her parents traveling extensively throughout Thailand.
In Sydney’s young adult life, she had developed a traveling spirit and wandered through Mexico, Costa Rica, Panama, Italy and Spain. She had plans of more travel through Australia and New Zealand with her close friends.
Although she possessed this beautiful set of wings, Sydney was grounded by 120 years of roots, nurtured by six generations of her ranching family. Sydney loved the ranch and was best known by friends, families and cowboys as “the horse whisperer”. Her love of horses was born at the age of one when she sat upon her first horse. At the age of three, she would run like the wind into the field to stand amidst the herd. At the age of ten, she would be seen riding amidst a growing herd and would be often called upon to gather cattle with working cowboys. By the age of eighteen, Sydney had accumulated five horses. Her greatest gifts were within her gentle communication, her firm but loving hands and a knowledge of horses influenced by her spiritual instincts, the cowboys surrounding her and her beloved coaches. Sydney raised two beautiful Canadian Warmblood horses from babies to talented, equestrian jumpers, virtually singlehandedly. In the Saskatchewan Pony and Equestrian Club, Sydney became Junior Jumper of the Year and won a prestigious award called the True Grit award. She was cherished by her friends and adoptive families in the Equestrian world both in Saskatchewan and Alberta.
Her tragic death is difficult to reconcile by all who knew and loved her. She was an incredibly, beautiful woman but her true beauty resided deep within her heart and unbridled spirit. She deeply loved her family, friends and the beautiful ranch, which nurtured her soul.
Her passing has left her family and friends fractured with grief and disbelief. However, we know that we must rise in strength and embrace the incredible light and memories of her laughter and honor her bold, beautiful and unbridled spirit.
Sydney leaves to cherish her memory her mother, Tami Ellis; her father, Dave Jonker (Andrea Thornber); her brother, Eidan Ellis-Jonker;her grandfather, Doug Ellis; her grandparents, Bert and Anne Jonker; her uncles and aunts, Wade (Ann) Ellis and their children, Ethan Hudec and Madden Ellis, Sommer Ellis and her children, Tryton and Taytem Stelter,her aunt, Lindsay Ellis (Dallas Monk) and their daughter, Morleigh Monk, Her uncles,Mark (Joylaine) Jonker and their children, Zachery, Hanna and Katie, Randy (Nichole) Jonker and their children, Kiya and Hailey; her extended Ellis Family and Jonker Family; and her special friends, Tobi Hudec and Wally Reisinger.
Sydney was predeceased by her grandmother, Bonnie Leigh Ellis; her great uncle, Terry Ellis; her cousin, Jesse Ellis; and her great-grandparents, Rose and Graham Ellis.
The Funeral Service will be held atHOLY FAMILY PARISH, 1451 Strachan Road SE, onFriday, April 11th, 2014 at 11:30 a.m.with Gary W. Goran officiating.
In lieu of flowers, the family has decided to create a Scholarship Foundation to honor Sydney’s incredible gifts with horses at the University of Saskatchewan school of Veterinary Medicine and Equine Studies. Cheques can be made payable to “Saamis Memorial Funeral Chapel in Trust”.
Condolences may be sent through http://www.saamis.com or to condolences@saamis.com subject heading Sydney Ellis. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to SAAMIS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM & RECEPTION CENTRE, “The Chapel in the Park”, locally owned and directed. Should you wish any additional information, please telephone (403)528-2599
