Elsie Groves

 Mrs. Elsie Groves of Lethbridge, beloved wife of the late Mr. Maurice Hilton Groves, passed away peacefully at St. Therese Villa on Saturday, April 23, 2022 at the age of 94 years.

Elsie was born to George and Maria Friesen on November 26, 1927 in Hepburn, Saskatchewan. Her parents emigrated from Russia and Elsie was the first child born in Canada. She is one of 11 children born to George and Maria; Maria “Mary”, George, Benjamin, John “Sandy”, Margaret, Henry “Hank”, Tina, Jake, Anne and Peter. Mom attended school in rural Vauxhall and finished grade 8 after which time she moved to Calgary and worked as a professional maid to a home in Mount Royal. Upon returning to Lethbridge, she met Maurice in church and they were married shortly thereafter. Mom loved to sew all of her children’s clothes, including Easter, Christmas, graduation gowns and wedding dresses. She had incredible talent. Mom also was the Sunday School Superintendent for the Church of the Nazarene and loved all children.

Besides her husband Maurice, Elsie was pre-deceased by her parents George and Maria; brothers Ben, George, Sandy, Henry, Jake; sisters Mary, Margaret and Tina.

Elsie is survived by her daughters Diane, Carol, Linda, Sherry; sons Barry, Keith; grandchildren Shawn, Sheri-Lynne, Jordan, Jennifer, Janine, Tammy, Tracy, Tyler, Kimberly, Ken, Myrandha; sister Anne; brother Peter and 14 great-grandchildren.

 A Funeral service will be held at 1:00pm on Friday, April 29, 2022 at MARTIN BROTHERS RIVERVIEW CHAPEL, 610 – 4 Street South, Lethbridge, Alberta with Pastor Mark Noonan. Interment will follow in the Mountain View Cemetery.

For those who wish, memorial donations in Elsie’s name may be made to a charity of one’s choosing.