The family of Olga Sutherland, 96, of Calgary, Alberta, formerly of Brooks, Alberta and Assiniboia, Saskatchewan, wish to inform all who knew her that she died peacefully in her own home on February 8, 2017. Born July 17, 1920 in her parent’s home near Maxstone, Saskatchewan, she is predeceased by her parents, Tessie (Lolacher) and Joe J. Kuffner and her late husband of 48 years, Lloyd J Sutherland.
Olga was a devoted wife and mother, a grandmother, great grandmother and great great grandmother, a teacher and mentor willing to share her experience and wisdom, and a great friend to those fortunate to pass through her life. Family was her world.
Olga resigned her job as a department manager in the Wise Department store to marry Lloyd, the love of her life, on November 12, 1940 in Assiniboia, SK.
Together they raised ten children, all of whom survive her: Allan James (Doris) of Sun City West, AZ, Gretta Lynn (Eldon) Ell of Regina, SK, Beverley Anne (Garry) Candy of Hines Creek, AB, Valerie Kae (Clive) Ken of Calgary, AB, Shelby Rose (Wayne) Giesbrecht of Castlegar, BC, Robert Lloyd (Patricia) of Okotoks, AB, William Herbert (Leslie) of Yangon, Myanmar, Kevin (Vanecea) of Calgary, AB, Kimberley Donald of Regina, SK and Sherry Wanda of Calgary, AB as well as 23 Grandchildren, 28 Great Grandchildren and 2 Great Great Grandchildren. She also leaves behind her youngest sister, Emily Ceaser, of Maple Ridge, BC, now the only remaining Kuffner sibling.
While Olga was talented in a number of endeavours: sewing, quilting, ceramics, pastels, shell art, home decorating, gardening, substitute teaching at Brooks Junior High and Brooks Composite High, cooking, baking, and making world famous dill pickles, raspberry jam and butter tarts, to name a few, her primary focus and passion was her family. She loved visits with her children, her children’s children and their children. Relatives and friends enjoyed superb meals at her table with her buns being a much requested item and she delighted in informal chats over tea and sweets with friends and family alike. The special days throughout each year were made more special by her attention to the details of celebrating each: Christmas was a large tree covered with “memory ornaments” and midnight Mass followed by a traditional meal in the wee hours of the morning, Easter was days of church services topped off by heaping plates of goodies left by the Easter Bunny on Sunday morning, Halloween called for costumes and candy while every child’s birthday was remembered and celebrated.
A devout Catholic, she was active in the Catholic Women’s League and sang for a number of years in church choirs, helped out in the church kitchen and was always there to lend a hand with church rummage sales.
A funeral mass for Olga will be held at the Holy Spirit Catholic Church, 10827 24 St SW, Calgary, AB at 11:00 AM, February 21, 2017 with a reception to follow in the parish hall. There will be a summertime memorial service (date to be determined) at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Brooks, AB, after which she will join Lloyd in the Brooks Cemetery.
Olga’s family wish to acknowledge and thank the medical team of Dr. Lisa Stevenson and her nurse, Sandra for their exceptional care and attention during the last months of her life as well as Carla Holt from Palliative Care for her sensitive and caring advice and counsel. Olga’s entire family especially wants to express their heartfelt appreciation to Olga’s in-home care givers, the women who tended to her daily needs and watched over her during the long nights: Mae, Maria, Sarene, Desi, Yvette and Jane. It was their personal dedication that enabled her fulfill her final wish: to live and die in her own home surrounded by family members and the small treasured items that held special meaning for her.
To view and share photos, condolences and stories of Olga, please visit www.choicememorial.com. Arrangements entrusted to the care of Choice Memorial Cremation & Funeral Services.
