Obituary of Helen Sanders

She was born Helen Middleton Hutchinson Nov 10, 1915, seventh child in a family of ten that was raised on a river lot on the south bank of the Battle River. "Spruce Coulee" was a wonderful place for an adventuresome girl to grow up, and she took part in all the regular farm activities, the work part and the play part. The family was active in the Duhamel community. Following Public School at Duhamel she went to Camrose Lutheran College for her high school grades, then attended Camrose Normal School for her teaching training. She found a teaching job at Franklin School, south of Cooking Lake. Jobs were scarce, so she was happy to get this one: 36 pupils, grades one to nine, (plus janitor work) salary: $840 per year. She lived in a tiny shack they called a teacherage and her nearest neighbor was 2 1/2 miles away. Ray, her future husband, was teaching at Looma Vista, a school not too far away, and there are stories of motorcycle rides that included skiis, and mysterious steps through snow. The motorcycle was traded for a 1929 Essex Coupe (complete with rumble seat — you might have to ask!!), and they were married July 15, 1938. For a short time, they made their home at Looma Vista. Ray enlisted in the Air Force in 1940, and Norman was born a year later. The war years saw many moves for them: to St. Thomas, Fingal and Ottawa in Ontario, and to Sea Island and Boundary Bay, BC, and when Ray was posted first to England then to the Aleutians, Helen moved with Norm, and later Jim (born in 1943) to family homes in Calgary and Duhamel. After the war, Ray persued an interest in photography and the family moved to Edmonton, where Douglas was born in 1946. Douglas died from a birth injury a short time later. After learning the tricks of the trade at Housez' Studio, Ray and Helen opened Sanders' Photos in the town of Camrose in 1948, the year that Joan was born. In 1951, the family moved to the Sanders farm where Helen and Ray built their first home. Gordon was born in 1953. Helen was kept busy with a growing family and with the work of a farm wife, but took time to be involved in the community and in the church, with Sunday school, choir, CGIT and various women's groups. She positively influenced many young people through her work with summer camps at Bar Harbour and Camp Kasota. She loved music and enjoyed singing and playing the piano, and her family fondly remembers many evenings singing around the piano. In 1961 Helen and Ray went back to teaching and, with Joan and Gordon in tow, moved to west to Winfield for two years, then took teaching positions closer to home ground at Edberg. They built their second home at "Spruce Bend", high on the east bank of the Silver Creek. Grandchildren started to arrive and this home soon became the focus of many family gatherings. The tradition continues today in what is now the Dave and Joan Krangnes home. In 1969 Helen left Edberg School to teach at "Burgess School for the Mentally Handicapped" in Camrose, a job she loved. She continued to serve on the board after her retirement in 1979. Helen and Ray built their third house (the little house on the edge of the hill) close by when Dave and Joan started Silver Creek Greenhouses (in 1977). Traveling was important to them, and they were able to visit Mexico, Hawaii, Cuba, United Kingdom, Africa, Australia and New Zealand, along with many places south of the border and from coast-to-coast in Canada. After Ray's death in 1993, Helen continued to live in the little house until 1995, when she moved to an apartment in Camrose. She moved to Deer Meadows in 2000, until her health required increased care. Since 2007, she has been at Rosehaven's Memory Lane where she lived out her days in the loving hands of their wonderful staff. She leaves to celebrate her life all who knew her, including her four children and their spouses: Norman (Carolee), Jim (Loretta), Joan Krangnes (Dave) and Gordon (Brenda), 10 grandchildren, 13 great grandchildren, her treasured siblings: Doris Hamilton, Edith Blades and Gerald (Mim) Hutchinson, sister's-in-law: Erval Butcher, Coral Wilson, Helen Pierce and a host of nieces and nephews. Helen is remembered by all for her lively spirit, compassion, acceptance, understanding and love. She is loved. She is missed. Funeral services were held on Tuesday, March 17, 2009 at 3:00 p.m. from the Camrose United Church with Mary Ann Pastuck officiating. Inurnment followed at a later date in the Camrose Cemetery.