Helen Westberg

It is with great sadness that the family of Helen Westberg announce her passing on April 23, 2020 at the age of 88 years at the Lakeside Manor Care Home.

Helen Westberg (Hintz) was born on the family homestead near Oakshela, SK on March 6, 1932 to Henry and Anna Hintz. When Helen was still young the family moved to a farm in the Wapella area. Helen attended school at the Elliott Country school. After graduation she worked as an aide at the Moosiman Hospital.

Helen married Alvin Westberg on July 10, 1953. They settled on the Westberg family farm at Whitewood, Sk. Within a year Alvin became employed in the potash industry. This opportunity saw them move around Saskatchewan to various communities. From 1966 to 1967 the family spent a year living in the USA. In 1967 upon their return to Canada Alvin and Helen settled in to Saltcoats, SK. There they raised their four children Carol, Bev, Dean and Leslie.

Helen was very community minded and volunteered much of her time for the community and any and all organizations that her children were involved in. She spent many years on committee boards serving in many capacities including the Saltcoats Figure Skating Club, Saltcoats Curling Club, Saltcoats United Church, Saltcoats Minor ball, Saltcoats Minor Hockey, Saltcoats Agricultural Society. She spent many hours in the kitchen at the hall helping to prepare meals for the Curling Club catering committee.

Helen also served on the on the Yorkton Board for several years. One of her greatest accomplishments that she felt the proudest about was being one of the driving forces of the Lakeside Carehome becoming a reality. In 2012 Helen was awarded the “Queen Elizabeth 11 Diamond Jubilee Medal” for her volunteer efforts and many contributions to the community over the years.

Helen was an avid sports fan; especially baseball, hockey and curling. You would always see Helen in the stands cheering on her kids and her favorite teams. She loved to watch the Toronto Blue jays on TV and was excited to get the chance to see them live in Minneapolis Minnesota. In fact she really loved to watch all sports on TV. She especially loved to watch the Olympics.

She baked the best bread ever and supplied the neighborhood with fresh baked bread for a couple of years.

Anyone who knew Helen knew of her green thumb! In the spring, summer and fall you would find Helen in her numerous flower gardens (this is where her heart was most at peace). Helen served as president of the Yorkton Horticultural Society for many years. Her love of gardening brought her many awards at fairs and horticultural shows across the province. She also travelled around the country judging at provincial Horticultural shows as a flower judge. For many years Helen made sure there were fresh flower arrangements from her garden in the United Church on Sundays.

She was loving, she was kind, she was generous, she was a wonderful wife, an amazing mom and she was the “chill” grandma to her grandkids (she never got upset when the kids wanted to play dress-up with her jewelry or her clothes) and she was the “blue” grandma to her great grandkids (she quite often was wearing blue).

Helen is survived by her husband Alvin, daughter Bev (Randy Torrie), son Dean (Shelley); daughter Leslie (Gerry). Grandchildren Craig, Lee, Shona, Carly, Avery, Hannah and Justin. Her great grandchildren Wyatt, Zaiden, Reid, Jager, Oakley, Cruz, Seija, Bronte and Kai. As well as her sisters Freda Ede and Lydia Dorma (Stuart) and her brother Art Hintz (Velma) and many nieces and nephews.

Helen was predeceased by her mother and father; three brothers Gerhart, Gus and Ernie and her eldest daughter Carol.

We would like to thank all of the staff at the Lakeside Manor Carehome for their love, kindness and care for Helen and her family.

Donations may be made in Helen’s memory to the Lakeside Manor Carehome.

A Celebration of Helen’s life will be held in Saltcoats, SK at a later date. To view and share condelences and memories of Helen please visit www.christiesfuneralhome.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Helen Westberg, please visit our floral store.