Obituary of Elizabeth Gertrude Powell

Please click here to view the livestream of the service

Betty passed away at home surrounded by family the morning of Tuesday, June 14, 2022 at the age of 95.  Betty was born on the family farm in the Portreeve district on June 2, 1927.  She was one of 14 children born to Anthony and Barbara Schmaltz. Betty attended school in Lemsford and helped out at home with farm chores, and driving grain trucks at harvest until she went to work at the Lancer Hotel with her sisters.

In 1951, she married Walter Powell and moved to a farm near Portreeve. Together they raised a family of four children. Betty spent time gardening, sewing, and educating her children. The kids grew up skating on the ice rink next door, curling on the slough, fishing at the South Saskatchewan River, and spending time in the Sandhills on the weekends.

In 1963, Betty and Walter moved the family to Craik, having purchased the Craik hotel. Betty was the cleaner, cook, waitress, bookkeeper and referee for the hotel and bar. It enabled the family to enjoy the benefits of being a business owner, and taught the kids at an early age about growing up in a business. On Sundays, after cleaning up the bar, the entire family would pile into the car and drive to Moose Jaw for KFC and visit the wild animal park.

Betty and Walter retired in 1980 and moved to Regina. Betty spent many years gardening and growing peonies. She was an adoring grandma who loved spending time with her six grandchildren: Erica Falk (Al Batler), Lee Powell (Kiya Townsend), Landen Powell (Celia Harding-Russell), Dave Falk, Logan Powell, Lukas Powell (Karlie Nordstrom), and 4 great-grandchildren: Bianca, Xavier, Ella and Aria.

After Walter died, Betty eventually moved in with her daughter Joan and husband Terry. Betty enjoyed her 90’s with weekly barbecues, visits from old and new friends and relatives, and daily polka dances - Walter Ostanek of Polka Fame was a 24 hour favorite. Betty would tap her toes, clap her hands and sing along.  Joan and Terry found a new love of polka which they never knew they had.

Betty is lovingly remembered by her 4 sons and daughters, Joan Baron (Terry Tuharsky) of Regina, Ernie Powell (Diane) of Regina, Gloria Falk (Ken) of Saskatoon, and Kelly Powell (Daphne) of Saskatoon. 

She is also survived by her brother Eugene Schmaltz (Rosemarie), and sisters Phyllis Schafer (Paul) and Barbara McClinchy. Betty was predeceased by her parents Anthony and Barbara Schmaltz, her loving husband Walter, brothers Frank (Theresia), Joe (Frances), Chris (Jeannine), and sisters Annamary Martin (John), Rose Helman (Paul), Theresa Getz (Harry), Iberzena, brothers-in-law Paul Helman, John Martin, and Harry Getz; sisters-in-law Theresia Schmaltz, Frances Schmaltz, Jeannine Schmaltz and other siblings Peter, Mary, and Anthony, who died at birth.

A special thanks to family, friends and the Palliative Home Care Team who helped Betty to fulfill her final wish not to go to Hospital. Memorial Service will be held at Speers Funeral Chapel, 2136 College Avenue, Regina, SK on Sunday, June 26 at 12:00 p.m. The service will be livestreamed. Those wishing to remember Betty may do so with a gift to the Palliative Care Unit, care of the Regina Hospital Foundation. To view the livestream of the service, please click on the link at the top of this tribute page.