Obituary of Alice Margaret Siekawitch

1926 to 2018

The children and grandchildren of Alice Margaret Siekawitch share news of her death on Monday, December 24, 2018 at 92 years of age. Our Mom and Grandmother was the vibrant centre of our family. Her death was sudden and unexpected, and is a profound loss for her daughter Carol Spencer; her daughter Janice Siekawitch, son-in-law Ed Adolph, and grandsons Keith Adolph and Neal Adolph; and her son Tim Siekawitch. We cherished Mom. She loved us unconditionally. We miss her so very much.

In addition to her children and grandchildren, Mom is survived by her brother Gary Gullickson and sister-in-law Audrey, her brother Ivan Gullickson and sister-in-law Charlene; her sister-in-law Wendy Gullickson, and a large extended family of nieces, nephews, great-nieces, great-nephews, cousins both here and in Norway, and a community of life-long friends with whom she shared a full and rich life. They supported Mom through tough times and celebrated with her through good times. We are grateful to each of them. We know that they grieve with us.

Mom was predeceased by her parents Mathias and Alpha Gullickson; her brother Melvin Gullickson, her brother Andrew Gullickson and sister-in-law Dorothy, her brother George Gullickson and sister-in-law Lorna; her sister Palma Little and brother-in-law Gerald; her former husband Clarence Siekawitch; her sister-in-law and brother-in-law Marie and Gabe Frohlick, and her sister-in-law and brother-in-law Edna and Carl Smith.

Our Mom was born in Archerwill, Saskatchewan on October 27, 1926 and from six years of age was raised in Naicam, Saskatchewan. She was the happy middle child in a family of seven siblings. Her grandparents homesteaded in the Bulyea-Strasbourg area and many of her summers as a young girl were spent there. Tales from Mom’s childhood were our bedtime stories. Her childhood seemed an idyllic time filled with family, friends, chores, and adventures. When Mom spoke of home, she meant the Naicam area.  Mom felt the strong pull of the prairies and of family, and made frequent trips to Naicam and Bulyea. Last spring she made her last annual trek home to see family and old friends. Plans for this spring’s trip were already underway.

Mom moved to Regina after high-school, but remained a small-town prairie girl at heart. She loved being outdoors, made friends easily, and built communities of like-minded people for everything from sports, to work, to church, and to volunteer service. In Regina, Mom met and married our father. When it became necessary in the late 1960s, she struck out on her own with three children and few resources to build a new life as a single parent. The times were not kind to mothers on their own. She might have become embittered by the challenges of single parenthood, but she did not. Instead, she pressed on and in the doing of it, showed perseverance, tenacity, grace and dignity. She was a warrior as a parent, and fought and sacrificed to give Carol, Janice and Tim the best possible home and upbringing. We are eternally grateful to our Mother. Her courage and determination saved our futures, and earned the respect and admiration of her family and friends.

Being a grandmother was Mom’s greatest joy. She adored Keith and Neal, and they adored her. Mom was a constant, loving and guiding presence in their lives from the moment they were born. She was a fun grandmother,      too. Sleep overs, camping, swimming, hiking canyons, daycare and school concerts, building forts in the living room, school projects, soccer games, gifts of books, gifts of travel, touring art galleries and museums, hugs, laughter, words of encouragement, a shoulder to cry on; their grandmother was involved in every aspect of their lives. She took pride in their achievements, and they in turn were proud of her. Mom was thankful for her time with Keith and Neal, and was at peace knowing that her influence helped them to become caring, thoughtful and decent men.

Mom’s experiences as a single parent formed her political views generally, but especially on feminism, on supporting families in crisis, and on the importance of education and opportunity for everyone. Political discussions at her kitchen table could, and did, go on for hours. More importantly, she supported women and children when the opportunity presented itself. She believed, too, in an inclusive society and included all faiths, races, orientations, genders, and creeds in her circle. It was in her nature to make everyone feel welcome and valued, and she did so throughout her life.

Mom made fast friends and maintained her friendships through frequent phone calls and visits. Each friendship enriched her life, broadened her experience, and rewarded her with true caring and affection. It is telling that many of our friends felt they also were friends with our Mom. She would want us to thank this loving community for their many acts of kindness, especially in her last few years.

Mom believed in giving back to her community. During her nearly 25-year career at the University of Regina, she volunteered with her union local and was particularly supportive of co-workers experiencing addiction and health challenges. She was an early member of the Scandinavian Club, where she celebrated her Norwegian heritage. Following her retirement, she was a member of the Regina General Hospital Auxiliary where she held executive positions, including President, and where she contributed 5569 hours of volunteer service. The Saskatchewan Healthcare Auxiliaries Association honoured her contributions in 2009 with a life-time membership. Mom was an active member of Zion United Church, serving on parish committees and organizing parish events. In recent years, she worshipped at Sunset United Church. For several years, Mom belonged to Grandmothers4Grandmothers, a non-profit organization that raises funds for the Stephen Lewis Foundation to support African grandmothers who are raising generations of children orphaned by AIDS.

Mom would want to thank the emergency responders who worked so valiantly to keep her with us. Their professionalism and compassion, and the respect they showed to her and to us, mattered. She also would want to thank everyone at Speers Funeral Services for their assistance and guidance, and Darrell Reine, Minister at Westminster United Church, for his spiritual support. Each of you made these first hours and days without our Mom and Grandmother easier to bear.

Our Mom and Grandmother was a strong, resilient, loving and compassionate woman who lived each day with a fierceness that amazed us. We are grateful that her moments of distress were few, and that family was with her when she died.

Mom had a deep faith in God and affection for her faith community, but did not want a funeral. We are following her wishes. Her remains will be interred at a future date.

We hope that your memories of our Mom and Grandmother bring you comfort. In lieu of flowers, please consider an act of kindness or generosity that mirrors the values that Mom lived each day. The family would be honoured if those so wishing made a donation in Mom’s name to the Canadian Mental Health Association, Saskatchewan Division, 2702 12^th Avenue, Regina Saskatchewan S4T 1J2. Please designate the funds to the work being done by CMHA for first responders experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder.

Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones,

And when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task,

Go to sleep in peace.

(Victor Hugo)