Elsie Mary Weiss

Elsie Anna Weiss was born to Rudolph and Mary Petracek on October 2, 1918 at home in the RM of Langenburg. She was a middle child with two brothers, Rudolph and Emil. As a child she   always loved nature, and had a pet cat. She went to school at Dovedale with her brothers. They went by pony to the school about four miles away. At home she had chores to do and learned the value of work well done. Along with her chores she also loved to sew and was creative in many ways. She made her own patterns and sewed her own clothes, which  certainly came in very handy a few years later.  When an immigrant family from Czechoslovakia moved into the neighborhood, she met and then in 1944 married Otto Weiss and for 35 years they lived on the farm just one mile from where she grew up. They started a family and had four children, Jerome, Elsie, Jeannette and Randy. They worked hard as their family and the farm grew.

When mom and dad got married, she brought with her five cows and some chickens. Mom loved her cows and I suspect it had a lot to do with the cream cheques that she got from them and together they continued milking cows all the while that they were on the farm. Mom also kept a big garden, especially copious amounts of strawberries.  Along with chickens and pigs, she always kept us fed, and as the children were growing up, she put her sewing skills to good use.

Mom and Dad were always active in the church and community. Dad was able to be involved with building our church, Knights of Columbus, municipal   affairs, and so many other projects in our communities. This was only possible because Mom took care of the children, the daily farm chores, and everything else at home. She was a loyal C.W.L. Member who was always willing to help with their work and she really enjoyed all the times visiting and working with all the ladies.

Upon retiring from the farm they moved to Gerald in 1979, where she continued to work for her family and community. One of the regular routines was Sunday morning, after Mass, when all of the children and grandchildren would come and visit and enjoy her baking, especially all those buns.

Mom had a strong faith in God and made choices that she knew were right. We never heard gossip, or criticism of others. And she was humble about those things that she had done to help others...many of which her children were only aware of in later years.

Mom was always a good listener. In her senior years, she finally shared more stories of her past with us. We got to know her better and better.

Mom leaves to remember and cherish her life with them, her husband of 75 years Otto, her children: Jerome and (Colleen) in Odessa, Sask.; Elsie and (Doug) Victoor in St. Albert,   Alberta; Jeannette and (Doug) Salkeld in Gerald; and Randy and (Leah) in Churchbridge; along with 15 grandchildren and 18 great-grandchildren, numerous nieces and nephews. Mom was predeceased by her parents, siblings and grandson Ian Salkeld.