Obituary of Helen FJELLSTAD (nee Krahn)

June 23, 1931 – Saskatchewan

February 14, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Helen Fjellstad passed away peacefully and went to be with her Lord and Saviour on Friday, February 14, 2020 at the age of 88 years.

She was born near Tugaske, SK on June 23, 1931 and had five brothers and three sisters. Though she was the fourth child in the family, Helen was the first one born in Canada. Later the family lived in the Rush Lake area for several years. They moved to Alberta in the early forties farming in Gem, Rosemary and Duchess areas. She worked in Brooks and then later moved to Calgary. Her youngest sister, Sue, lived with her in a few places in Calgary before Helen married. The two sisters were very close.

Helen had many skills. She was well organized, a good cook and baker, knitted hats for premature babies and a wonderful seamstress sewing clothes for herself and for others. She was trained as a Nursing Aid, a job she loved. For several years she worked at the General Hospital in Calgary. It was there that she met her husband and they married on July 14, 1971. They hosted family gatherings which provided many happy memories. Otto added some life to the Krahn family! They eventually purchased a house in Glamorgan where they lived together until Otto passed away in January of 1982. Later Helen worked at a fabric store for several years until she retired. For the last twenty plus years she lived in her condo in Signal Hill.

In the early nineties, Sue moved in again with Helen taking up residence in the basement. Little did Helen know that her nursing training would come into play in 1995 when Sue was sick with cancer. She was able to care for her during her last months of life and Sue passed away February 11, 1996. 

At age sixteen Helen accepted Jesus Christ and was baptized the same year in Rosemary Mennonite Church, AB. After their marriage, Otto and Helen renewed their faith and were active in the Alliance church. They were involved in the building of the Strathcona Alliance Church where Helen remained a member after Otto passed away. In recent years she attended Rock Pointe Alliance church and had many friends there. She also was active in Christian Women’s Ministry for many, many years.

Helen will be remembered for the meals and gatherings she hosted, her friendship and her faith. She cared deeply about people in her life and prayed for them. She was always interested in what was happening in the lives of family and kept in touch with each of her sibling’s families. Helen was dearly loved by all. Her family and friends will miss her.

Helen is survived by one brother Henry (Miriam) Krahn of Victoria, a sister-in-law Aliene Krahn, two brothers-in-law Alan Pfeifer and Helmut Schmidt; and eighteen nieces and nephews, George, Bob, Ernie, Linda, Julie, Terry, Rose, Rhonda, Jim, Sharon, Sheila, Dave, Brian, Evelyn, Darrell, Debbie, Myles, Jeff plus many great-nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Otto Fjellstad, parents; brothers, John (Agnes) Krahn, Jake Krahn, Pete (Helen) Krahn, George Krahn; and sisters, Annie Schmidt, Marie Pfeifer and Susan Krahn.

A Celebration of Helen’s Life will be held at McINNIS & HOLLOWAY (Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB) on Saturday, June 20, 2020 at 10:30 a.m. No reception to follow. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Helen’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com. In lieu of flowers, Helen requested memorial gifts be donated to RSVP Ministries (Christian Women’s) https://rsvpministries.com/.

In living memory of Helen Fjellstad, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis and Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive S.W., Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.