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Jim Jones posted a condolence
Monday, May 31, 2021
Condolences on the passing of Lois. The old farmhouse on the entry to Coldwell Park was a happening place and I fondly remember the teen dances that were organized there.
She will be missed.
Jim & Lynne Jones
Swift Current, Sask
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Patty posted a condolence
Monday, May 24, 2021
Deepest sympathies & heartfelt condolences to the family at this time. I know her and Mom (Lovella) will be playing bingo or having a drink...
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Jim wood posted a condolence
Monday, May 24, 2021
Sorry to hear of your loss. We lived in Macrorie briefly in the fifties. Lois, Alf, Rudy and Lynn were really good neighbours. We have some really good memories. Such an energetic and nice lady. I am sure you all have wonderful memories of her.
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The family of Lois Louise Speir uploaded a photo
Monday, May 24, 2021
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Brenda Hargreaves uploaded photo(s)
Monday, May 24, 2021
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Brenda Hargreaves uploaded photo(s)
Monday, May 24, 2021
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Family Picture October 2015
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Gary Berquist posted a condolence
Monday, May 24, 2021
To the family of Lois, My sincere condolences to the passing of Lois. I moved into Scott Forget Towers just over 3 years ago and before long I was calling Bingo. Lois came to every game and didn't care really if she won or not it was just to be with her friends and have some laughs. If she wasn't there we got worried but she was either away or just a little late. I would often see Lois playing cards a few times a week as well and laughing and just having a great time. She will be missed here. After speaking with Lois a number of times I discovered she already knew me from growing up in Macrorie. A few times after the bingo games she would invite in for a visit. I found out she was very good friends with my Aunt and Uncle, Ellen and Bud Miller. Yes Lois loved to tell stories and I can't recall how many times I heard them but it was a lot. lol I will remember that great smile of Lois's for a long time.
May your memories keep you forever close to your mom, grandmother, step-mom and friend.
Gary
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Murray Wood posted a condolence
Sunday, May 23, 2021
Condolences on the loss of your mom. She was a spitfire. Hope all the great memories bring you comfort
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Linda Wood and Ward Layton and families lit a candle
Sunday, May 23, 2021
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Oh I am so sorry to say goodbye to such a wonderful woman! Much love to all her kids and family. She told me that we were shirttail cousins.( Not really cousins but a special kind.) Mom and Dad (Ralph and Gloria Wood) kept up a lifelong friendship with Kvales who were so welcoming when my folks had moved to Macrorie. I have some memories of her stories and the music at the farm! And of her work at the Kvale campground. Lois had so many stories. You kids keep telling them and they will live on. Hugs to each and every one of you. Her legacy is one of loyalty and love and fun and laughter. She was so very proud of all of you.
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Brenda Hargreaves uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, May 22, 2021
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Kvale Homestead After Fire Destroyed the House
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Brenda Hargreaves uploaded photo(s)
Saturday, May 22, 2021
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Mom at the Kvale Homestead - Sitting on the Hill
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Brenda Hargreaves posted a condolence
Saturday, May 22, 2021
Memories – more about our Mom . . .
Our Mom was a lively, strong, independent woman who would tell you straight what she was thinking and often one of her favorite stories. She lived through a lot – ninety-five and a half years - being born at the start of the depression; being pleased to have running water at the farm and an indoor bathroom and an automatic washing machine; the machinery and car advancements; the advent of the television; computers; a man on the moon! She also faced many struggles with Barb facing a life altering accident and so much loss… Dad, Bill, Jesse, Cliff, and my stepson Kerry too. When we were hurting, Mom hurt too. She was so strong, and although she didn’t truly understand this pandemic, she closed out this long past 15 months without being able to continually see her family surrounded by those at the Saskatoon Convalescent Home as her new family.
We learned about how it was when she was growing up in Zelma and those dirty thirties. Not just the facts about our grandparents or uncles or friends, but all the stories that made up their lives. All about the dray team and the boys and Grandma struggling to make a living. About Grandma getting the newspaper from the train and Grandma Holtorf and Grandma Minky (Mintkawitz) reading parts of the Star to each other (both named Bertha). Mom said they would sit and you could hear the click click click of the knitting needles. Mom loved the train and thanks to Elizabeth Holtorf and Emily Kaldestad she was able to take a trip on the Rocky Mountain Train Tours. Last year, we just stopped on an approach between Zelma and Young and watched the train go by – Mom was so pleased that the engineers gave us a wave! Mom became close, lifelong friends with John (Bertha’s son) and Elsie Mintkawitz outside of Zelma. Bill also had the opportunity for Mom and him to enjoy a few camping trips and travelling with Elsie and John. Such nice people!
Mom and Dad’s early life on the Hegberg farm was filled with many happy memories. Mom said Grandpa would often walk from the farm down at the river all the way to Hegberg’s to babysit. Mom won over Ivar (grandpa Kvale) who could be a bit stoic or crusty as she called it. He loved her and bought her a car – Dad and Ivar keeping Mom happy. Ivar would be very proud of her as she has ensured that her kids all knew about our Norwegian Heritage. Kvale’s Beach was established by Grandpa long before he donated the land to the government for a park to be named Coldwell Park after M.J. Coldwell. Mom enjoyed meeting people down in the park because of the close connection and would be quick to tell people that her father-in-law donated the land for the park and that there used to be a dance hall and that her husband and his siblings used to play for all the dances. She also told us stories of the nephews and cousins that grandpa sponsored to come over from Norway and how he helped them out as much as he could and found work for them too. She was so proud of Barb going to Norway to learn the language and Barb even tracked down our relatives. It is too bad that Mom could not have made a trip to Norway to see why Grandpa chose the homestead that he did. I had a new appreciation for the farm at the river after travelling to Norway and seeing where our grandpa was born and grew up. The Kvale homestead at the river is very reminiscent of where he was born in Norway. Mom passed away on May 17th – Norway’s Constitution Day. She always told us that our Grandpa would pull out his cleanest, dirty, white shirt and dress up in his suit and fly the Norwegian flag!
Alice and Conrad Forsberg became good friends and Mom said she learned a lot from Alice, especially how to make the highest angel food cake! Many a birthday party picture with an angel food birthday cake and a wide assortment of neighbors. Alice helped Mom a lot on those early days at the Hegberg farm fixing up the house and learning many things for life on the farm. Carl Samuelson made his way walking to the Hegberg farm or Alice’s as he was a regular at either supper table.
She talked about buying a new stove from John Cain in Birsay and they called to ask if Bud was still there setting it up. All done setting up the stove, but having a few drinks and playing on the floor with Rudy and Lynn. Of course, Bud and Ellen Miller became good friends with Mom and Dad and they attended dances and partied in Birsay. Mom bought their first stereo from there too. Dad and her only had the one-ton truck and they would take a load of people in the back of the truck to dances in Birsay. Oh my – what a time – I can’t even imagine! Mom and Dad loved to party – although she says that Dad was the one that loved to party more than her – not true! They enjoyed music – listening or playing it – dancing and playing cards. We witnessed many lively games of ‘smear’ with a variety of friends. So many good times!
Thankfully Bill came into Mom’s life as he too enjoyed the music, cards, and gallivanting. They had many adventures through their short sixteen years together and many good times . . . with many stories.
Mom was also the caretaker for many . . . getting Uncle Cliff to come to Macrorie to live in his later years so he was surrounded by family and not alone. They played elevator rummy regularly or were always up for a game of crib. Mom and Uncle Cliff were the same – you played by the rules, no summer fallowing; and if you got a ‘hicky’ so be it – you played a wild card by mistake, take your poison! Even when age affected her memory, she could count a hand of cribbage and would catch any point that you missed.
Valerie and Jesse were with Mom and Bill a lot when they lived in Outlook. Mom enjoyed every minute of that dragging them along wherever they went – an education of sorts for Valerie and Jesse. Valerie can tell most of the stories that the rest of us have heard over the years. A drive to Outlook from Saskatoon – or anywhere actually – Zelma, Allan, Young, Dinsmore, Birsay, Lucky Lake . . . includes all the details of the farms and the people she knew along the way and always a few, little known facts or stories about them.
In the last few years Mom has decided to call us kids her ‘river rats’. She would tell anyone that would listen about us – bragging about us all. We are just normal kids like everyone else’s kids – BUT WE WERE HER KIDS and she was so proud. She said, “If there was anything that I could get so you would learn something, I would get it!” And she did, if she couldn’t teach us, she would find someone that could! We laughed about that just in the last month, that I finally had to throw out the sewing machine that she bought in 1969 so we could take 4H sewing. The darn thing lasted for 50 years and I truly wore it out! She would tell anyone who would listen about the farm and how we ran on those river hills, about the music playing so loud the windows were rattling! She loved her country music – new and old – there was always music going in her house.
Us kids are all a part of Mom – we all have some of her traits so she will live on and the stories will live on through all of us, but we will miss her telling them to us. Miss you already Mom! Brenda