Obituary of Helen Chiniquay

December 15, 1935 – Bragg Creek, Alberta

November 13, 2024 – Canmore, Alberta

 Siyo Tîda Wiya (Grouse Meadow Woman)

Our Ena was called home by her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on November 13, 2024, at the age of 88 years old.

Helen was born the eighth child of sixteen to Alexander and Lilly Baptiste (nee Abinizer) on December 15, 1935, at the Baptiste Stoney Camp, in Bragg Creek, AB. Her paternal grandparents were Enoch and Louise Baptiste (nee Maskwacis) and maternal grandparents were Joe Abinizer Sr. and Jean Provost-Abinizer (nee Piikani/Brocket).

In her early years, Helen was raised in accordance with the traditional Stoney customs and values which she had great respect for. As a young mother alongside her beloved husband, she devoted her life to, and raised their family in, the Christian faith. Together, Helen and her family loved to attend camp meetings and church, and preaching the gospel in the Mînîthnî community.

According to our Stoney customs, she had a traditional arranged marriage that lasted many loving years. She prayed devotedly for everyone she knew and for anyone she saw who needed a prayer. She was a passionate bookworm and maintained a significant library.

Ena was gifted with a quick and strong mind; she had a wealth of knowledge of her Iethka Nakoda history, and the kinship networks of her extended family.

In 1942, she started her education at the Morley Residential School, where she hoped to attain skills that would allow her to pursue journalism. Instead, she was trained in domestic labor, but her tenacious spirit led her to make the most of her education and she worked at the Morley Hospital, later becoming a caretaker and nanny. She also enjoyed working at Nakoda Lodge.

Growing up, she delighted in spending time travelling with family all over North America. Ena loved crossword puzzles, arts and crafts, like bead working, quilting blankets, and harvesting, just to name a few of her many hobbies. Many of these interests she passed on to the women in her family, who are grateful for her inspiration and guidance. She was recognized as a matriarch of the Chiniki, Baptiste, Holloway, and Mark clans.

Special thanks and deep gratitude go to her grandchild Nicholas Chiniquay for devoting such loving care to our beloved Ena. Nicholas took on the role of a companion and caregiver and was there for Ena right to the very end. Ena loved Nicholas unconditionally and the family hopes that love carries Nicholas through the pain of this loss. The love and compassion Nicholas gave Ena was a God-given gift, for which the family is deeply grateful.

In God’s embrace, Ena Helen has joined the love of her life of 60 years, Walter Chiniquay. They leave behind their sons, Oral and Brandon; daughters, Bernice (Johnny), Sharon (Duane), Brenda (Watson), and Betty (Evan); her grandchildren who she raised, Trissa (Nathan), Tony (Carlene), Krissy (Neltroy), Miranda, and Solomon; and great-grandson Keiven; her adopted daughters, Teresa Lynn Holloway (Chris), Ethel Twoyoungmen, and Brenda Anne Wesley; 23 grandchildren, Chris (Grace), Jarrett (Amanda), Lyndsay, Jonathan, Cheech, Javen, Chloe (Jordan), Joshua, Elias, Leo, Conner, Steven, Jessie, Zachary, and Samuel; 35 great-grandchildren, and three great-great-grandchildren, Uzziah, Mazikai, and Helena; and her siblings, Eva, Norman Baptiste and Corrina (Lenny) Wesley; and brothers-in-law, Paul and Frank (Marjorie) Chiniquay.

She was predeceased by her parents, Alexander and Lilly Baptiste (Ebenezer); daughter Teresa Lynn, daughter-in-law Joy Chiniquay, granddaughter Eleasha Wesley, grandsons, Azarias Twoyoungmen, and Daniel Twoyoungmen; great-granddaughter Saliyha (Meenta) Twoyoungmen, her sisters, Ellsie Holloway, Eva, Frieda, Tina, and Mary (Minnie) Baptiste; and her brothers, Sam, Alex, Jimmy, Raymond,  Enoch, Genrich, Ronald Baptiste and Kenny Abinizer.

The family would also like to send a big Îsniyes to the Stoney Health Home Care staff and Canmore Hospital, Dr. Kirk and his team for her care. We apologize to anyone we may have missed in our grief.

Wake Services will be held at the residence of the late Helen Baptiste-Chiniquay (Mînî Thnî, AB) on Sunday, November 17, 2024.

Funeral Services will be held at Bearspaw Youth Centre (Mînî Thnî, AB) on Tuesday, November 19, 2024, at 11:00 a.m.  Graveside Service to follow at Chiniki Cemetery (Mînî Thnî, AB).

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

In living memory of Helen Chiniquay, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Crowfoot, 82 Crowfoot Circle NW, Calgary, AB T3G 2T3, Telephone: 403-241-0044.

Click to View the Memorial Card for Helen Chiniquay