Elizabeth Frances Harpauer
March 22, 1925 – December 1, 2022
Peacefully and surrounded by her family, Elizabeth Frances (née Thole) Harpauer passed away on December 1, 2022, at the age of 97 years.
She will be lovingly remembered by her surviving children: Dianne (Bruno, deceased), Irene (Lloyd, deceased), and Joanne (Garth); grandchildren: Lynda (Monty), Trevor and Corey, Crystal (Rusty), Shannon, and Lindsay, Kelly (Tammi), Fern (Vincent) and Sloane (James); and great-grandchildren: Chad and Shawn, Alesia and Ashley, Rebecca and Grace, James and Lucas, Makenna and Emryk, Jayden, Keira and Kyler, Lennon and Frida, and Aoife; as well as several great-great-grandchildren, and numerous relatives and friends.
She was predeceased by her loving husband of 51 years, John, daughter Rosemary, son Larry, and daughter Janet.
Elizabeth was born March 22, 1925, to Henry and Josephine (née Böckmann) Thole in Garrel, Germany. Elizabeth was the eldest child in the family and loved her siblings Henry (Evelyn), Clara (Henry), Martha (Lawrence), Mary (Charlie), Josephine (Paul), and Joey (Sandra) dearly.
When she was three years old, on March 23, 1928, she and her family immigrated to Canada by ship. The Cleveland landed in Halifax, Nova Scotia, at Pier 21. From there, Elizabeth and her family travelled by train to St. Gregor, Saskatchewan, where they settled.
Elizabeth enjoyed attending St. Gregor school until, as the eldest, she was required to stop her studies so she could help at home. From there, Elizabeth moved forward, providing support to families in the community. Always a hard worker, Elizabeth worked at the old St. Elizabeth’s Hospital during the war years, which she highlighted as a great experience in her life. On July 18, 1944, at St. Patrick’s Parish, Elizabeth married John Harpauer and moved to the family farm, where they built the first part of their lives together and raised their family.
During life on the farm, Elizabeth was a prodigious gardener and was always proud of the bountiful harvests she produced and processed. Throughout the long Saskatchewan winters, her children would joyfully bring up jars of Elizabeth’s delicious preserves to enjoy until the following spring. Never one to shy away from hard work, Elizabeth raised chickens for sale, sewed clothes for her family, made wonderful meals delivered in the back of a ½ ton to feed the harvesting crews, and rarely complained.
She was an amazing woman; quiet and humble. Elizabeth went about caring for her family and community with little fanfare, but great kindness. All her family sleeps under the warmth of her lovingly crafted, handmade quilts. She was a creative force throughout her life, producing countless quilts, afghans, scarves, toques, mittens, dolls, stuffed animals, and clothing for not only her family and community but also with a specific focus on those in need. She remained a committed volunteer till the last days of her life. Elizabeth was immensely proud to be an active member of the Catholic Woman’s League for 45 years and the Guardian Angels for many years.
In 1976, Elizabeth and John left the farm, settling briefly in LeRoy and then finally establishing themselves in Muenster, SK. After John’s death in 1995, she settled in a Humboldt condo amongst many friends and finally the last eight years she enjoyed her time at Columbian Manor in Saskatoon with friends of her generation.
Community was very important to Elizabeth, especially as an immigrant woman. Everyone pitched in and families helped each other to organize socials, do chores for those in need, raise barns etc. Elizabeth had many fond memories of visiting or hosting friends, playing shuffleboard at the senior’s centre, and playing kaiser and cards till the cows came home. Elizabeth was a kind, thoughtful, hardworking, generous, fair, quiet, and intelligent woman with a quirky sense of humour.
The family wishes to send a special Thank You to the staff at the Columbian Manor and Home Care for their care and compassion, as well as the wealth of friends Elizabeth made over the years.
The Funeral Mass was offered for Elizabeth on Thursday, December 8, 2022, at 1:00 p.m., at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Cathedral in Muenster, Saskatchewan, with interment following in St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Cemetery. Memorial donations may be made in Elizabeth’s name to St. Patrick’s Cemetery Fund (cheques payable to St. Patrick’s Cemetery Fund (c/o Bev Thoen, PO Box 237, LeRoy, SK, S0K 2P0) or St. Peter’s Cathedral and Cemetery Fund (PO Box 107, Muenster, SK, S0K 2Y0).
This Notice Is Courtesy Of
Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel - Humboldt, Saskatchewan
(306-682-4114)