Obituary of Margaret Seiler

Margaret (nee Makady) Seiler passed away peacefully, surrounded by her family at the Foothills Medical Centre on Sunday, December 21, 2008. She was born and educated in McCreary, Manitoba, a farming village just north of Brandon, where she was raised by her cousins, Bill, Tom, and Harry Fuller, who operated a lumber mill. Margaret completed High School. Her favourite subject was English Language and Literature; she took part in a number of dramatic productions, primarily adaptations of the plays of Shakespeare, one of her favourite authors. An independently-minded person, she moved to Calgary in February of 1940, planning to take advantage of the opportunities that were opening up, staying with a cousin, Betty Owen. She enjoyed life in the foothills, and worked on various ranches as a member of the kitchen and the dining room staff, including the Kananaskis Dude Ranch, Brewster’s Dude Ranch, and Colpitts’ Fox Ranch, just west of Calgary, where she met her future husband, Berthold (Bert) Hermann Seiler. They were married in June of 1942, and over the next sixty years lived in Bowness, Mayland Heights, and Rosscarrock, where they operated a small business and raised a family of four (including twins). Margaret was a "home-maker" most of her life. After her children grew up, she spent a lot of time doing volunteer work. first with the Catholic Women’s League, in the parish of St. Michael’s, and later at Cedar’s Villa. Her fondest memories included visiting with relatives, including Bill and Clara Fuller and Janice and Tom McRae of British Columbia; Bert’s cousin Gene (they emigrated to Canada together) and his wife, Ida, and their family; the many friendships she formed during her first years in Calgary, including Bill and Kay Hanlie and Hank and Elaine Durksen, and Ann Scanlon, who lived across the way in Rosscarrock; family outings, such as going to drive-in movies, and picnicking at Twin Bridges, not to mention travelling to Germany with her family to visit Bert’s relatives. These excursions included visiting Heidelberg and travelling on the Rhine and visiting her son (Robert) who was studying at the University of Liverpool at the time. Her love of life and her resolve to do her best, whatever the challenge, was an encouragement to all who knew her. She loved reading and playing Scrabble, a game at which she excelled. Margaret is survived by two children, Robert Seiler (Tamara) and Maria Seiler-Huizing (Frank) of Calgary; six grandchildren, Christopher Hanlie, Mark Palmer (Melanie) of Ottawa and Tanya Palmer (Jim Maciukenas) of Chicago, and Erik Huizing (Danielle Robertson), Anne-Marie Huizing, and Jennifer Korney (Vincent) of Calgary; two great-grand children, Harper Maciukenas of Chicago and Jada Korney of Calgary; and relatives and friends. Margaret was predeceased by her husband, Bert, her son Karl, and her daughter Carol (Hanlie) and son-in-law, Dale Hanlie. Funeral Services will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY’S Park Memorial Chapel (5008 Elbow Drive S.W.) on Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 2:30 p.m. Graveside Service to follow at Eden Brook Memorial Gardens. Forward condolences through www.mcinnisandholloway.com. The family extends special thanks to the staff at Colonel Belcher CareWest, who had been looking after her for the past four years.