Obituary of Mary Wihlidal

WIHLIDAL - Mary Wihlidal of St. Paul Lutheran Home in Melville entered her eternal rest peacefully on Friday, May 11, 2012 at the age of 95 years. Mary (nee Rieger) Wihlidal, beloved wife of the late Michael (Mike), was born in Bodo, Alberta on December 11, 1916. She was the third of a family of five children born to Joseph & Josephine (nee Klein) Rieger. Sometime later the family moved back to the Grayson area. In 1919, Mary's dad passed away from the flu epidemic and her mom found it difficult to raise 5 children on her own. Consequently, the children were split up and raised in different homes. th Mary and Mike were united in marriage on October 12 1936. They started their married life together on a farm south of Grayson. During their time on the farm, three children were born to them, Wilfred, Irene and Elaine. Due to Mike's ill health they left the farm in 1949 and moved to Melville, Sask. Because of Mike's ill health Mary worked very hard to keep the household afloat. She took boarders into their home, house cleaned many people's homes, raised a large garden and preserved everything that she could. She also did most of the sewing for her girls from new and used material. After some time she started working at St. Peter's Hospital and worked there for 23 years. After her retirement (in 1981) Mary lived in her own home many years after Mike passed away in 1973. She kept busy with her vegetable & flower gardens. She spent countless hours making her many patchwork quilts and afghans for her children, grandchildren and for whoever wanted one. She had many hobbies like cooking, crocheting and knitting from new and used wool. In March of 2005 Mary left her home and moved to Queen Street Manor until December of 2006 when she went to a Personal Care Home in Foam Lake. In March of 2008 Mary became a resident at St. Paul Lutheran Home in Melville. Mary leaves to cherish her memory her two daughters and their husbands, six grandchildren, eleven great grandchildren and one great great grandson. Daughters, Irene (Rudy) Lautner and their children, Jim (Karen) Lautner their children; Carter and Tyler; Karen (Dean) Vey and their children; Marcus, Garrett and Lana Vey and her husband (Dale Nagrampa) and their son Hudson; Lisa (Tom) Slusar and their children Sarah and Nolan; daughter, Elaine (Gerald) Rubisch and their children Dean (Jenny) Rubisch and their children Graeme and Braydon; Cordell (Kari-Dale) Rubisch; Nancy (Dale) Roth and their children Abigail and Cheyanne; Mary's only sister Julia Schneider; 10 sisters-in-law and 6 brothers-in-law; as well as numerous nieces, nephews and cousins. Predeceased by her husband Michael in 1973; her son Wilfred in 1992; daughter-in-law Dorothy in 2011; her parents Joseph and Josephine Rieger; father and mother-in-law Joseph and Anna Wihlidal; brothers Adam, Matt and Joe; 10 sisters-in-law and 11 brothers-in-law. Funeral Mass was celebrated on Tuesday, May 15, 2012 at 10:00 a.m. from St. Henry's Roman Catholic Church in Melville, Saskatchewan with Rev. Fr. Antoni Degutis O.M.I. as the Celebrant. Lisa Slusar & Lana Vey did the readings and Garrett Vey Intercessions. Gift Bearers - Nancy, Abigail and Cheyanne Roth Eucharistic Minister - LaVerne Chapiel Music - Len Varga Hymns "Be Not Afraid", "Make Me A Channel Of Your Peace", "Immaculate Mary" and "I Will Never Forget You". Honorary Bearers were everyone who knew and loved Mary. The interment followed in the St. Henry's Parish Cemetery with Jim Lautner, Dean Rubisch, Cordell Rubisch, Dean Vey, Tom Slusar and Dale Roth. Arrangements were by Bailey's Funeral Home, Melville. Interment Details St. Henry's Roman Catholic Parish Cemetery