Obituary of Gladys Doreen Nelson

July 22, 1942 – Carrot River, Saskatchewan

May 8, 2024 – Calgary, Alberta

Gladys Doreen Nelson (Boschman), of Airdrie, AB, passed peacefully from this life into the loving arms of Jesus on Wednesday, May 8, 2024, at the age of 81 years, after a courageous twelve-year battle with cancer.

Glad was born in Carrot River, SK, on July 22, 1942, to Cornelius and Agatha (nee Dyck) Boschman. She grew up on the family farm in nearby Petaigan, the third youngest of ten children. She attended Woodchuck (one-room) School and Carrot River High School, graduating from the latter in 1960. She was fluent in both Low German (Plautdietsch), which was spoken at home, and High German, which she learned through her formal schooling.

After high school, Glad worked locally in a variety of jobs, and in 1964, joined the Royal Bank of Canada in Carrot River as a bank teller. In 1965, she transferred to the Royal Bank’s College and Bottomley branch, formerly located across from the University of Saskatchewan.

After moving to La Ronge with her husband in 1966, Glad held a variety of jobs, including in the accounting department at the local Hudson’s Bay store. From 1974 to 2006, she worked for the Government of Saskatchewan in La Ronge in a variety of clerical, accounting, and administrative roles of increasing responsibility, including switchboard operator, clerk-typist, accounting clerk and mining recorder. During her time at the reception desk in the mid-to-late 1970s, Glad was often the first person you would meet when you walked into the La Ronge provincial government building.

Subsequent to her retirement from Saskatchewan civil service, Glad continued to take on accounting and administrative positions for a number of public and private organizations, including SaskPower, Cameco (McArthur River Mine), Esso Petroleum, the northern village of Air Ronge, and the La Ronge Day Care. It was at the La Ronge Day Care where Glad was able to combine her exceptional accounting and administrative skills with her joy of children and where she had her final retirement in 2017, at the age of 75.

Glad was a voracious reader and loved learning. She continued to upgrade her skills throughout her working life. In the late 1970s, while raising a young family and working full time, she successfully completed her first year of university, taking night classes. Gladys always emphasized to her children the value of hard work, education, and the importance of life-long learning.

Throughout her life, Glad cherished the many family reunions with her parents, brothers and sisters, numerous uncles and aunts, and cousins. After moving to Airdrie, the regular visits by sister Darlene and her husband Bob and her brother Bob and his wife Kathleen were especially treasured by Glad.

 
She will be most remembered for her abiding love of God, love and dedication to her family, wise counsel to her children, and her rugged determination, even in the face of terminal illness.

Glad and family are forever grateful to the staff at the Tom Baker Cancer Centre for the compassionate and world-class care she received. The family is especially grateful to Dr. Gwyn Bebb, and Dr. Vishal Navani who both spared no weapon in the fight against her cancer, and who represent the epitome of the compassionate and competent physician.

 
Glad is survived by her daughter Chantelle Stevenson of Airdrie, AB, and her son Jason (Sharon) Nelson of Prince Albert, SK, and her grandchildren, Emily Nelson of Prince Albert, SK, and Aaralyn Stevenson of Airdrie, AB.

 
Glad is also survived by her brothers, Will Boschman, and Bob Boschman; sister Darlene Climenhaga, brother-in-law Bob Climenhaga; sisters-in-law Ida Boschman, and Joy Boschman; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Glad was predeceased by her spouse Sydney Nelson, parents Cornelius and Agatha (nee Dyck) Boschman; brothers, Milton Boschman, Paul Boschman, Menno Boschman, and Herb Boschman; sisters, Martha Vandenberg, and Linda Froese; brothers-in-law, Han Vandenberg and Abe Froese; sisters-in-law, LaVerne Boschman, Evelyn Boschman, MaryAnne Boschman, and Kathleen Boschman.

Funeral Services will be held at Lutheran Church of the Master (216 Main Street SE, Airdrie, AB T4B 3K3) on Friday, May 31, 2024, at 6:30 p.m. A private graveside service to take place in Warman, SK, at a later date.

Family and friends who are unable to attend in person are invited to join Gladys’ service streamed live on the day of the service by Zoom at https://www.lcmairdrie.com.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Canadian Cancer Society, 200 – 325 Manning Rd. N.E., Calgary, AB T2E 2P5 Telephone: (403) 205-3966, email donorservices@cancer.ab.ca. 

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with Gladys’s family here.

In living memory of Gladys Doreen Nelson, 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.