A Celebration of Life is being held at the Agricultural Hall in Mankota, SK, on August 16th at 2:00 pm. There will be a private family internment at Val Marie Cemetery at a later date.
Bernadette Marie Larson nee Hataley age 73, formerly of Mankota, SK, passed away at the Yorkton Regional Hospital on June 23rd, 2025 after a brief battle with Myelodysplastic Syndrome.
Bernadette, or Bernie to her friends and family, is survived by her children Heather and Myros Larson, her bonus children, Lennie (Dwight) Gavelin and Jody (Shelly) Larson; Grandchildren Ashlyn (Bob) Mergel, Kylie (Dion) Gavelin, Skyla (Brayden) Ross, Dylan (Hannah) Larson, Halley (Karsten) Gavelin and Beau (Logan) Larson; her great-grandchildren, Emerson, Berlyn and Cruz Mergel and Benson Antisin; her siblings, Elery (Debbie) Hataley, Dion Hataley, Patrick Hataley, Janice Hataley, Maria Hataley, Dennis Hataley, Gerald Hataley and Gregory Hataley; her brothers-in-law Wally (Paula) Larson and Ken Larson; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Bernie is predeceased by her husband, Robert Larson, her parents Myroslow and Julia Hataley, and all her Hataley and Lukey aunts and uncles.
Born on April 16th 1952 in Benito Manitoba, as the second eldest of nine and the first daughter, Bernie's passion caring for children started with her siblings on the family farm south of Arran, SK. She attended Watson Creek School until grade eight and then high school in Arran, graduating in 1970. After taking a few years off to help out on the farm, Bernie left home to attend the University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, earning her degree in Elementary Education with a Minor in Ukrainian Literature and History. She returned to Saskatchewan and was awarded her first teaching contract with the Woodriver School Division in the Southwest corner of the province; it was while teaching at Our Lady of Fatima School in Mankota, Sask, that she would meet Bob Larson, a local rancher and father to two of her students. They married in September 1986, welcoming Heather in April 1987 and Myros in July 1988. In 1994, Bernie suffered a ruptured brain aneurysm which left her with an acquired brain injury and severe left side paralysis; it took several years and a lot of hard work before she could regain the majority of her abilities but she would never again work as a teacher. In 2002, her husband Bob passed away from brain cancer and after Myros graduated from high school in 2006, Bernie decided to move back to the Yorkton area.
Bernie is known for always having a crochet project on the go, her love of small children, especially babies, her kind and compassionate nature, and the tremendous love she had for her family. Bernie's determination to overcome life's struggles and still always have a smile and kind word for others, is the legacy that she leaves those who greatly miss her.
Her family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and staff at the Pasqua Hospital in Regina, the Allan Blair Cancer Centre in Regina, and the Yorkton Reginal Hospital for providing her care for the last five months of her life. In her most recent illness, Bernie received over a hundred blood and blood product transfusions; in lieu of flowers, the family would greatly appreciate a donation to the Canadian Blood Services or make a blood donation in her name if you are able.