Obituary of Elisabeth TIEDE (nee Roos)

May 22, 1927 – Gadács, Hungary
March 14, 2020 – Calgary, Alberta

Elisabeth Tiede, beloved wife of Helmut Tiede for 67 years passed away on Saturday, March 14, 2020 at the age of 92 Years.

She was born into a simple and wonderful world of farming, faith, and family in the small town of Gadacs in the North Somedei District of Hungary on May 22, 1927. Her and her family were forcefully removed from their home on April 6, 1948, being loaded into a livestock car, and transported to a camp in Birnau East Germany to find work in nearby villages. Elisabeth always wanted to move to Canada, and in 1948, she and her cousin Anne Derschner stole across the border into the American Zone, where they were caught, arrested and sent back to the East Zone. Two months later, she tried again with her Uncle Peter and his family, where they evaded a Russian patrol and snuck under barbed wire into the British zone. They went to a nearby train station at Neinburg and traveled to Sonnenborstal where Uncle Peter had a son. Elisabeth found work on a farm until her emigration papers came and left for Canada from France in April 1950.

Elisabeth travelled across Canada to her Aunt Margert Knoch and family at Kipp, Alberta and found employment in nearby town of Lethbridge doing housework. A shipmate friend, Regina Tantom, convinced her to go east, and she moved to London Ontario to work as a maid.  In 1951 she moved to Harrow, Ontario to pick tomatoes and work in a tobacco field. In 1952 she moved to Windsor, Ontario to work as a waitress and met Helmut Tiede in the fall of 1952. On December 12, 1953 they were married in the First Lutheran Church in Windsor, Ontario.

Elisabeth stayed in Windsor for 41 years, being a wonderful mother for her two boys, Harold and Richard, and later enjoyed helping raise Harold and Cindys lovely granddaughters, Sasha and Heidi. In 1993 she and Helmut moved to Calgary to be with her sister Eva Waiand, and her son’s family, Richard and Valerie Tiede and their two boys, Paul and Scott.

Elisabeth died peacefully with loved ones at her side on March 14, 2020 from complications after surgery for a fractured hip.

Besides her loving husband of 67 years, Elisabeth is survived by her son, and two daughters-in-law, Rick and Val Tiede of Calgary AB, and Cindy Tiede of Windsor, ON. She had four grandchildren, Sasha Tiede and husband Todd Gillis, Heidi Tiede and fiancé Randy Pary, Paul Tiede and Scott Tiede.  Elisabeth is also survived by her sister Eva Waiand, her niece’s and nephews, Rosemarie Waiand (Robert Patin), Marvin Waiand (Catherine Waiand) and John Waiand (Sandy Waiand) as well as many great nieces and nephews and friends. Elisabeth was predeceased by her parents, Johan and Eva Roos, and her son, Harold Tiede.

She will be sorely missed by all for her kind heart, generous nature, her baking, cooking, quilting crafting, and her wonderous stories about life in Gadacs Hungary.  She always had an incredible garden that would be the centerpiece of the yard, and would want to feed all that were around, friends, family, neighbors and anyone who stopped by.  She was very social and loved being around others, enjoying her time at the Ogden Seniors club, and having great adventures with friends, family and her Opa (Helmut).  Her grandchildren adored her with a love rare to see.  Elisabeth and Helmut loved to spend time with her sister, Eva Waiand, and drove her to church on many Sundays.  She really enjoyed being with her neighbors on Riverglen Road, and we send out a special thanks to Brian and Melinda Hardy for all their support.

Due to the pandemic, funeral services have not yet been finalized. We cannot predict an unpredictable virus. We fervently hope that we will be able to conduct a ceremony within a month and aim to hold a celebration of life this summer when people are able to congregate again. We will endeavor to keep people informed to these upcoming events. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Elisabeth’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

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