Elsie Wilma Thiessen

On October 9, we said goodbye to our wife, mother, Nana, and Great Nana, as well as our sister and friend. She may be gone, but she has left us with so much!

First and foremost, Elsie gave us the gift of family. She and Clancy married in 1954, and that was the start of a family that has grown to over 50 children, grandchildren, spouses/partners, and great-grandchildren. Until last Christmas, Elsie would host a Christmas dinner sometime in December for the entire clan. Birthdays, Thanksgiving, Easter, and anytime one of us from away came home to Sundre were reasons to celebrate. We all remember long Thanksgiving hikes, climbing Moose Mountain, or birthday cakes decorated with edible forest flowers to celebrate a family birthday. For grandchildren, there is the memory of games and puzzles played by the hour with Nana, and for some of them, one of Elsie’s games or puzzles was their request as a memory of wonderful times spent with her. Mom loved family reunions, and we imagine her now meeting with her son, Bryn; son-in-law, Brian; her sisters Elizabeth and Wynn; her parents, and so many other family members and friends who have gone before her.

Elsie was a true child of the depression era. She seldom threw anything out that had a use left. Soups and stews were made with leftover meats, and vegetables from her garden. Elsie could make a delicious meal out of simple ingredients. She could bake almost anything, from bread and buns to muffins and desserts. Her grandchildren remember making cookies and buns with her. Elsie could sew, knit, and crochet. She made clothes for her children and grandchildren and even some doll clothes that her great-grandchildren still play with. Quilting was another one of her passions. Each child and grandchild received a quilt as a wedding gift. Babies were welcomed with quilts, blankets, and crocheted sweaters. Everyone in the family has many pairs of multi-coloured socks. When the feet wore out, they were returned to Elsie. She removed the old feet and put new ones on, using whatever scraps of yarn she had.

Elsie had a profound love of nature. She was an amateur botanist who could bring to life any seed she planted and had an understanding of what was needed to heal a failing plant. Elsie loved to garden and harvested a bounty of fresh vegetables each year. Her house was full of plants, and she has passed this love along to her daughters, granddaughters, grandsons, great-granddaughters, and great-grandsons. All of her family remembers long walks through the forests around the ranch, learning the names of plants and trees, learning which were edible, which were just beautiful. When it came to a choice between working in the house and doing work outside, the choice was always clear - outside was the place to be. For her family, this love of God’s outdoors became a shared passion.

Most of you knew Elsie best for her hospitality. For many years, she and Clancy were involved in Intervarsity Christian Fellowship through Pioneer Ranch Camp and Pioneer Lodge. Elsie performed many roles, from cooking to doing camp laundry to caring for staff children, and made many, many lifelong friends. Although she was an introvert by nature, she has welcomed thousands of guests to her home over many years. Whether it was cinnamon buns and coffee, or a meal put together in short order, you were always made welcome at Elsie’s table. She knew your families’ names, the ages of your children, something about your life; she let you know she cared about you and was interested in what was happening in your world. No one ever left her home feeling hungry or neglected. This was a gift that many of her children and grandchildren have continued.

Elsie’s undergirding faith in a God she loved carried her through her entire life. Her faith was seldom shared with words, but was always shared through her kindness, her love of people, her patience, and her peace and quiet assurance. Even in her final days in the hospital, Elsie’s assurance of God’s love and her peace in facing a new future never wavered. For this, we are all thankful.

From her whole family, we want to thank you for sharing Elsie's life. I know she valued each of you, and we thank you for being part of her life.

Elsie will be lovingly remembered by:

Her Husband Clancy;

Daughters Gay (Brett), Cindy (Tony), Bonnie, and Cori, daughter-in-law Bonny

Grandchildren: Elya (Caleb), Jerrim (Justin), Callum (Dom), Jennifer (Steve), Travis (Sammy), Erin (Tyler), Kyle, Hillary (Josh), Alexander, Taylor (Kat), Casey (Cody), Orin (Arleta), Lane (Julia); 

22 great-grandchildren

She was predeceased by:

Family Members lost: Bryn (Bonny), and Brian (Cori)

Death takes the body. God takes the soul. Our mind holds the memories. Our heart keeps the love. Our faith lets us know we will meet again. (Rising Back Again)

Memorial Service:

Date: November 1, 2025

Time: 2:00 p.m.

Location: Bergen Missionary Church (5440 Township Rd 320, Mountain View County)

Livestreaming of the Service will be available using the following link:  www.bergenchurch.ca 

If you wish to remember Elsie – memorial donations can be made to:

Bergen Church - Camp Scholarship Fund (RR#2, Sundre, AB)

Sundre Hospital Futures – www.Sundrehospitalfutures.com

A charity of your choice