Obituary of Lillian Valentine Marquardt

Our Lillian passed away at the Wainwright hospital after a short illness. Lillian was 86 years old, and had enjoyed 58 years of marriage with her husband George. A lifelong prairie resident, she liked the open skies, crisp air, and sunshine of Saskatchewan and Alberta. She was predeceased by her parents, Arne and Clara Nelson, of Neilburg, Saskatchewan, her brother Arnold, and her Sisters Dola and Dona. She will be missed by her husband George, daughters Donna, Susan, and Lorna, sons George and Denis, grandchildren Matthew, Amy, Shelah, Ben, Katy, Scott and Kyle, Many nieces, nephews and relatives. Her parents were among a wave of Norwegian immigrants that re-emigrated from Minnesota to homestead land in Canada, just before World War I. They settled near Neilburg, and Lillian entered this world on Valentines Day 1923, in Lashburn Saskatchewan. She was raised on a farmhouse North of Neilburg through the great Depression of the 1930’s. During WW II she found herself employed in one of the industrial war mills in Eastern Canada, surrounded by other women in industrial jobs since the men were all fighting. In 1950 she married George and they led a busy life farming, first near Artland Saskatchewan then near Edgerton, Alberta. As a farm wife she believed strongly in self-sufficiency, and was proud of her gardening and trees. After retirement from farming she traveled with her husband, Motorhoming through the central and western states down to southern California and Arizona, where they would spend the winter. We would like to extend our sincere thanks for the efforts of the doctors and staff at the Wainwright and U of A hospitals. Donations in Lillian’s memory may be made to the Kidney Foundation of Alberta, University Hospital Foundation Trauma Services.