Obituary of Wynonna Raaflaub

February 17, 1945 – February 28, 2022

Wynonna Lynne Raaflaub (née Macland) of Airdrie, Alberta, beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, passed away on Monday, February 28, 2022, at the age of 77 years, following a brief illness while visiting Barcelona, Spain.

Wynonna was born to Lawrence and Lyla Macland (née Torkelson) on February 17, 1945, in Edmonton, Alberta, and was raised in Bondiss, Buck Lake and Edmonton, where she graduated from Queen Elizabeth High School in 1963. She married Sam Raaflaub on May 27, 1967, in Edmonton. They lived in Vermilion, Medicine Hat, Strathmore, and the town of Airdrie before settling on a farm east of Airdrie in 1978, where they raised their three children and Sam operated a feedlot.

Following Sam’s sudden death in 1991, Wynonna moved back to the city of Airdrie in 1994, where she resided for the remainder of her life. She spent her summers at Carefree Resort, west of Innisfail, where Sam and Wynonna had purchased a lot and RV in 1987. She spent other parts of the year in Alabama and at her timeshare in Hawaii. She enjoyed travelling and in recent years had further travelled within Canada, the United States and Mexico, as well as overseas to Australia, New Zealand, Denmark, Italy, Greece and finally, Spain. A very meaningful trip was in 2016 to Minnesota and North Dakota, where she visited the places that her grandparents had come from. Another trip that Wynonna treasured was one at Christmas 1986, when she and Sam took their family to Disneyland.

Wynonna is survived by her children Kurt (Nancy) Raaflaub of Madison, Alabama, Wade Raaflaub of Barcelona, Spain, and Megan Raaflaub of Airdrie, AB; as well as her grandchildren Jaime (Nicholas) Lelliott, Samuel Raaflaub, Hunter Shoemaker, Kagan Raaflaub, Nolan O’Reilly and Nathan O’Reilly; and her great-grandson Alexander Lelliott. She is also survived by her brothers Wayne (Karen) Macland of Grand Forks, BC, and Bruce (Marlene) Macland of Christina Lake, BC; and by Sam’s sister Margarete (Maurice) Perrault of Sherwood Park, AB.

Wynonna was predeceased by her husband Sam in 1991, her father Lawrence in 2005, her mother Lyla in 2013, her brother Garfield in 2004, and her nephews Brett Macland in 1992 and Todd Macland in 2016. She was also predeceased by Sam’s mother Lily Raaflaub in 2001, father Godfrey Raaflaub in 1988, uncle Stan Raaflaub in 2003, aunt Peggy Raaflaub in 1991, brother David Easton in 2005, and cousin Hazel Lund, with whom Sam was raised, in 2020.

A memorial service will be held at Airdrie United Church (212 – 1st Avenue N.E., Airdrie, AB) on Saturday, April 9, 2022, at 1:00 p.m. Following the service, Wynonna will be interred beside the love of her life Sam at the Airdrie Cemetery. Family and friends will also be welcomed to join for the afternoon for a reception after the graveside service. Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Mrs. Raaflaub’s service streamed live (see below) on the day of the service. For those who are unable to view live, a recording of the service will be posted. Condolences, memories and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Wynonna Raaflaub, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Airdrie, 300 Towerlane Drive, Airdrie, AB T4B 3L8, Telephone: 403-948-1100.

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