Obituary of Helen Garinger

Isabela Helen Garinger was born at Melfort, SK. to James and Isabella Anderson.  She grew up in Melfort and received her education there.  Her parents owned a dairy and she and her sister delivered milk throughout the town by team and milk wagon.  After finishing high school, she attended Regina Normal School in 1941-42.  This was war time and there was a shortage of teachers, so she was sent out from Normal School for 6 weeks in the spring of 1942 to take charge of Poelcappelle school at Swan Plain until they could find a qualified teacher.  This was her first experience in a rural school, so learning was two-sided.  In the fall of 1942, she started teaching at Brooksby.  It was while teaching here she met her future husband, Alfred Garinger, and they were married in 1943.  They lived on a farm N.E. of Brooksby until 1973, when Alf was unable to farm due to ill health.  Here they raised a family of seven – four sons and three daughters.  From 1960-1965 Helen worked part time at the office of the R.M. of Willow Creek #458.  In June 1970 she started working in the office of the R.M. of Torch River #488 as a clerk.  While working here she took the Rural Administration Course and became Rural Administrator May 1, 1975 and remained as such until December 31, 1986 when she retired.

Helen loved to travel and spent many holidays in the Yukon, which was her favorite spot.  She also loved to play Duplicate Bridge and obtained the status of Life Master in the American Contract Bridge League in September 1997.

Other great interests were family gathering (and was disappointed when some couldn’t come), cooking, knitting, crocheting, sewing, curling, and gardening.  In June 1998 she lost much eyesight due to macular degeneration which limited a lot of activities, but she still kept trying.

Helen was predeceased by an infant brother; her father James Anderson; mother Isabella; husband Alfred; son Ray; son Jim; sister Margaret; son-in-law Nick Auriti; daughter-in-law Sandra; daughter Margaret Auriti; son-in-law Eldon Love; Father and mother in-law Norman and Luella Garinger, 9 brothers-in-law; 8 sisters-in-law.

She leaves to mourn her loss, sons Gordon (Rita) of Brooksby, Terry (Gaylene) of White Fox; daughters Myrna Love of White Fox, Mary Lou (Jerry) Almen of White Fox and 18 grandchildren, 38 great grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

We will remember you. REST IN PEACE