Ellen Jessie Cyr
March 27, 1943 – December 12, 2024
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Ellen Jessie Cyr on December 12, 2024, at the age of 81 at the Grande Prairie Care Center. She slipped from this world peacefully with her family by her side.
Ellen Jessie Hellmer was born in Bassano Alberta (near Brooks) on March 27, 1943, to Alex and Irene Hellmer. Ellen was second youngest to 7 siblings. She grew up on the farm near Tilley AB. Ellen did not like farm life and was determined to get off as soon as possible.
When she turned 16, she earned her hairdressing license in Calgary, moved to Bow Island and worked in a salon doing what she loved. The love bug bit her at a local New Years eve dance in 1959/60 after being introduced to Armand Cyr. In April of 1963 they were married and as Dad wanted to get into farming, they moved up north to answer that call. In 1964 with two little ones in tow, Crystal and Miles, they moved to Rycroft for a bit, then to Fourth Creek, back to Rycroft where Lex was born, and finally back to Fourth Creek as Dad worked out and acquired more land.
Mom still did not like farming, but Dad must have been very convincing. She made the best of it. She excelled in producing large productive gardens, continuing her hair dressing at home. Her gardens produced and Mom canned, pickled, froze and made jams, buying only basic staples from the grocery stores to complete our menus. Dad provided the meat with hunting and supplemented with local beef and pork. Mom helped with most aspects of farm life, making suppers and taking them out to the field, running to town for parts, picking roots and rocks, but she really enjoyed running the combine at harvest. I think it was because she knew the active farming season was coming to an end for the year and she could see the payoff for all the hard work. Ellen tried her hand at selling Trichem liquid embroidery, Shakley vitamins, and Regal products for many years. They lived a total of 40 years on the farm before Dad said it was time to pack it in and move to town. She was glad to get off the farm, she had been biding her time for so many years. They bought a house in Grande Prairie with a big picture window facing the street. It was Mom’s dream, finally she could sit and watch the traffic go by, this was civilization!! She was down to making buns mostly now and we all greatly appreciated those delicious goods. Everyone loved those buns.
Mom enjoyed her 2 grandkids so much as they lived not far away for most of their growing up years. She got to babysit a few times, and she always was so happy to have them come around. Later she was able to enjoy time with 2 of her 4 great grandkids as they lived in Grande Prairie as well. They had a special bond.
COVID broke out and their lives were never the same. Both Mom and Dad showed signs of Alzheimer’s. It was a difficult few years coming to terms with that. Mom went to live at the Pioneer Lodge after Dad was admitted to the Care Center. After a year and a half, she moved her to a different wing of the Care Center, and she was able to have supper with Dad twice a week as he was in the locked wing. She was so happy to be near him again. They hated being apart as they were always so close and never parted unless Dad had to work out. Mom loved Dad so much. He was her world. It was hard that they could not be together till their ends. Now at last, they are together again and Lex too. She will have never missed a Christmas without Dad. We are grateful for that and all that she was to us all.
Ellen will be greatly missed by her children Crystal (Stan Trider) Cyr-Martin of Hines Creek, AB, and Miles (Debbie Levey) Cyr of Williams Lake, BC, her sisters Rita Lapointe of Calgary, AB, and Joyce (Martin) Timko of Tilley, AB, her grandchildren Veronica (Jeremy) Dougherty of Grande Prairie, AB, and Kimberly (Adam) St. Amant of Lethbridge, AB. The time she spent with them will also be cherished by her great-grandchildren Ethan Dougherty, Austin Dougherty, Bailey St. Amant, Elliot St. Amant, Torunn Mortensen, and Scarlett Mortensen. She will be remembered by her in-laws Eva Wikenheiser of Calgary, AB, and Roland Anderson of Lethbridge, AB, as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family.
Ellen joins in Heaven her husband Armand Cyr, her son Lex Cyr, her parents Alex and Irene Hellmer, and her siblings Angeline Zahenaiko, Bernice Neilson, Verna Wigemyr, Marvin Hellmer, and Sylvia Brost.
A Celebration of Life for Ellen was held on Friday, December 20th, at 2:00 pm at the St. Joseph Roman Catholic Church, Grande Prairie, AB.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Stars Foundation or the Alzheimer’s Association in Ellen’s honour.
Care entrusted to Bear Creek Funeral Home 780-830-7742 info@bcfh.ca