Helen Bolen

Helen Bolen of Esterhazy SK. Passed away March 14th 2021 at the Centenial Care Home in Esterhazy at the age of 85 years.

    Helen was born in Gravelbourg SK into a French farming family.  Life was not easy in the 1930’s, with drought and the depression, everyone had to work hard to have basic food and clothing. She always would talk about milking cows with her sister Henriette, there was also pigs, chickens, geese and them dumb turkeys that couldn’t find their food or water if you moved it. Every Saturday, they would take milk, cream, eggs, butchered chickens to town to sell to customers.

        Soon after Helen finished school at the Convent, she met Alex Bolen and they married in 1956. They farmed on the Bolen homestead, Louise, Linda and Jocelyn were born during this time. Farming was very hard through these years, Alex heard word of work in the potash mines in Esterhazy. So off to Esterhazy in 1963, they never regretted that decision and made many friends along the way.  In 1966, Leslie was born and the family was complete.

         Helen was born with needle and thread in her hands like her Mother and Grandmother, and sewed with precision, which she gave a lot of credit to the Nuns at the Couvent de Gravelbourg.  While her children were young, she sewed for others, custom made dresses, window coverings, alterations and skating and other costumes for her children and others.

          After Leslie started school, she got a job at the local Drug Store, until she opened her own Fabric Store in 1974.  It was a large store with fabric, wool, notions, patterns and all kinds of crafting supplies. She also taught sewing classes and the store was very successful. After the Fabric store was sold, she continued with some custom sewing and making and selling her own crafts at local Craft Shows around the area.

        Helen was always very involved with the Catholic Church and was a member of the C.W.L. for many years.  She volunteered to make banners and alter cloths for the church, that are still being used to this day, and are very beautiful.  As she grew older, she still wanted to sew, but something not quite as involved.  Then started the little girls’ dresses for the overseas Mission Project. Fabric was donated to the church and used for these dresses.  Helen really enjoyed making these and the last count was over 900 dresses in 2019, when she retired from sewing.

        Helen’s faith was very strong, praying for everyone throughout her life, especially her children and grandchildren. She will be dearly missed by all.

She was predeased by her husband Alex and grandson Eric.

Surviving her are children: Louise (Daryl), Linda (Phillip), Jocelyn (Ken), Leslie (Yvette), and brothers and sisters: Henreitte, Lawrence, Eugene, Armande and Germaine.