Helen Mutchler

Obituary of Helen Beatrice Mutchler

January 20, 1917 - Detroit, Michigan

January 20, 2023 - Calgary, Alberta

 

Helen Mutchler (nee Levang) of Calgary, AB, passed away on Friday, January 20, 2023, at the age of 106 years.

 

Helen was born in Detroit, Michigan on January 20, 1917, to Inga (nee Ramm) and Henry Levang of Alberta, Canada. The family returned to farm near New Norway, Alberta in 1918.

 

As the eldest child of seven, in a close-knit Norwegian family, Helen had many responsibilities at home especially during the lean years of the Great Depression. But she still found time to ski and play baseball, become an accomplished dancer, learn to play the banjo, help the neighbours (delivering a baby at aged 15), spend time with family speaking Norwegian and English, and in the evening sing, dance and accompany her father’s fiddle with her banjo. She sang in the choir and attended school through grade nine, often on her favourite horse, Sally. After graduation, Helen wanted to become a nurse, but she was asked to stay home to help her family.

 

She was admired by many but had no interest in marrying until approached by Walter Mutchler, whom she had admired from afar since she was a girl. Walter, a widower with two young sons, approached her at a community picnic and offered to drive her home. The couple were married in New Norway, AB, on November 12, 1941.

 

After a brief honeymoon in Calgary and two weeks of building a routine on the farm, Helen and Walter were reunited with Dale (aged 2) and Jerry (12 months). The family welcomed a daughter, Sandra, in 1946 and another son, Byron, in 1948.

 

Helen’s family remained on the farm east of New Norway until Walter developed a grain allergy in the early 1950s. He returned to school to become a mechanic and the family moved to Edberg where Walter had found work in his new trade. Helen worked in the general store and, after the owner became ill, took on the bookwork and ordering. She was the lone Post Office employee in Edberg, worked for the CIBC in Camrose, and at the T. Eaton’s order store in Ponoka where she was eventually asked to take over the store management. Later in life, she and Walter also managed apartment buildings in Calgary.

 

Of her professional accomplishments however, Helen was most proud of being a choir director and singing for many weddings, working as a seamstress, and the honour of being selected as the inaugural Senior Regent of the Ladies of the Moose Lodge in Camrose.

 

Helen’s life was not without its challenges. Among the greatest were Walter’s passing in 2003, losing her mother unexpectedly in 1946, being badly burned in a home gas explosion in Edberg in the 1950s, escaping from an apartment fire in Hinton in the 1970s, and losing her leg in 2006. But as she said at the age of 98, “I believe in looking forward, never back. I believe there is no point in complaining to people as it gets you nowhere and they would rather not hear it anyway. Never give up, keep trying. I never gave up on anything life handed me unless I had to. Then it’s necessary to accept and keep going. Life has handed me lots of lemons to make lemonade.”

 

Helen always chose optimism and laughter in spite of all the things that made this hard to do. She kept “an eye on the doughnut and not on the hole,” finding joy in day-to-day interactions with people, asking for what she needed, and pursuing her goals with determination and single-minded positivity.

 

Helen was known for her relentless drive to enjoy life. She made people feel like they were alright just as they were, that there was nothing in life to fear or cling to, and that a person only had to smile and work hard and everything would be alright. She will be sorely missed by family and many friends who thought of her as a second mother, a mentor, a strong, resilient, capable person, and someone who always made them feel they were special and seen.

 

Calgary, Charlotte (Kristian) Udell and Steven (Michelle) Mutchler, both of Medicine Hat; sixteen great-grandchildren, Erin (Dave) Ramme, Jill (Clayton) Mertins, Brad Mutchler, Gerrit Mutchler, Paige Mutchler, all of Edmonton, Sarah Flasha, Christopher (Anastasiya) Smith, both of Camrose, Justin (Justina) Smith of Wetaskiwin, Tyson Coble of Sherwood Park, Reid Mitchell, Zoe Mitchell, Jesse Yaniluk, and Payton Mutchler, all of Medicine Hat, Abigail Krause, William Krause, both of Calgary, and Alex Mutchler of Bavaria, Germany; and eight great-great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her three brothers, Brian (Maxine) Levang, Ron (Coral) Levang, both of Edmonton, and Gordon (Donna) Levang of Calgary; She was survived by her sister Norma Martin of Red Deer, who passed in April 2023; and numerous extended family and friends.

 

Helen was predeceased by her husband Walter Mutchler, son Dale Mutchler, grandson Austin Coble, parents, Inga Levang and Henry Levang; brother Gerald Levang, and sister Loreen Nilson.

 

A Celebration of Life will be held this spring. Details to follow. Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed here.

 

Thank you to the staff of Newport Harbour Care Centre, and to the friends she made there, and to Carroll Place, a home she missed and loved.

 

In living memory of Helen Mutchler, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.

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