Obituary of Sarah 'Mabel' Scramstad

March 30, 1919 - Orpington, Saskatchewan

September 19, 2024 - Cochrane, Alberta

Sarah (Mabel) Scramstad passed away peacefully at the Bethany Care Centre in Cochrane, AB at the age of 105 years.

Mabel was born in 1919 to Howard and Mary Garrison on a farm near the hamlet of Hendon in Northeastern Saskatchewan. Neighbouring land was farmed by the Scramstad family. Mabel and Sig Scramstad started courting and they were married in 1937 when Mabel was eighteen years old. They built a home there and continued to farm, welcoming their first two children.

When war broke out in Europe, Sig discovered that health reasons prevented him from serving in the armed forces. They packed up their two children and moved to Montreal where he assisted the war effort by working in the Boeing airplane engine plant for three years. After the war, they returned to the farm and welcomed two more children.  They farmed there until 1976 when Sig passed away.

After moving to nearby Wadena, Mabel met and married Ed Nasserden (a former MP in the Diefenbaker government) in 1983. Following Ed’s passing, in 1994, she moved to Lacombe, AB to live with and assist her ailing daughter, Leslie. After Leslie died in 2014, Mabel moved to Big Hill Lodge in Cochrane in 2016 to be closer to her daughter, Debbie. She moved to the Bethany Care Centre in Cochrane, in December 2022.

In addition to her two husbands, and her daughter Leslie, Mabel was predeceased by her daughter Carol of Moose Jaw, SK, in 2008, and her son Wayne of Salmon Arm, BC, in 2020.

She is survived by her sister Sybil Weinmaster of Saskatoon, SK, her daughter Debbie (Brian) Malone of Cochrane, four grandchildren, Doug Scramstad of Maple Ridge, BC, Cheryl Scramstad of Victoria, BC, Jessie Malone of Calgary, AB, and Kate Malone of Victoria, BC; four great-grandchildren, five great-great-grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and their families.

Upon Mabel’s request, no funeral services will be held. Mabel’s family would like to express their sincere thanks to the staff at the Bethany Care Centre for the exceptional attention she received there. They also extend their gratitude to the staff at Big Hill Springs Lodge, which was Mabel’s home for six years.

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

In living memory of Mabel Scramstad, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Cochrane, 369 Railway Street, Cochrane, AB T4C 2E2, Telephone: 403-932-4740.