Elvira Dueck

Mrs. Elvira Dueck of Coaldale, beloved wife of the late Mr. John J. Dueck, passed away tragically at her home on Friday, January 4, 2019, at the age of 92 years.

Elvira was born in Grand Prairie, Alberta on August 19, 1926. While she was still young, the family moved to the Coaldale area and she attended school in Readymade.  She advanced her education in Calgary where she received a teacher’s certificate, and then taught primary grades at Coaldale School until she married John on July 25, 1948.  Together they raised their family and were a farming partnership until 1989. Upon retirement, John and Elvira moved to the town of Coaldale where she has resided ever since.  

Elvira is remembered for her unwavering faith in God, lived out in loving commitment to her husband, her children, her church and community. Over the years, she served in many capacities; in children’s programs and musical groups, on committees, volunteering for long-term residents at the Coaldale Health Centre or at the MCC store and offering gracious hospitality to friends and family whenever she could. 

She loved words and often read to others, wrote articles, translated documents from German or helped with others' memoirs.  Throughout the years, her family received hundreds of pithy letters; she loved to describe interesting encounters or highlights of the week and wanted to keep her large family connected to each other.  After John died, the daily emails to her large clan included family anecdotes, important dates and bits of wisdom, always ending with an expression of love for her family. 

A fearless traveler, photos show her on the back of a camel in Egypt as well as on the back of a Norton motorbike on the farm.  She noticed beauty, and her love of nature and adventure prompted excursions even up to 2018, around the countryside, to the mountains, to all the provinces, and even to other continents. 

She was an avid supporter of any sports team or performing arts event in which her family participated. Although she wasn’t shy about expressing her opinions, her consistent, deep love for each child, grandchild, and great-grandchild was unquestioned.

Elvira is survived by her children:  Edgar (Ruth) Dueck, Art (Sharon) Dueck, Natalie (Harold) Warkentin, Alvin (Janet) Dueck, Marvin (Shannon Little) Dueck, Mona Dueck, Rod (Lisa Blue) Dueck, Renita (Bill) Hamm, Carl (Jennifer) Dueck and Emery (Sharon) Dueck, and 28 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren. 

Besides her husband of 62 years, Elvira was predeceased by a sister, a brother, and a beloved granddaughter Alexis Dueck.

Family and Friends are invited to pay their respects at 7:00pm on Thursday, January 10, 2019 at the MARTIN BROTHERS RIVERIVEW CHAPEL, 610 – 4 Street South, Lethbridge, Alberta.

 A Celebration of Elvira’s Life will be held at 2:00pm on Friday, January 11, 2019 at the COALDALE MENNONITE BRETHREN CHURCH, 2114 – 18 Street Coaldale, Alberta, T1M 1G2.

For those who wish, memorial donations in Elvira’s name may be made to the Canadian Foodgrains Bank, 400 – 393 Portage Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3B 3H6.

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