Saturday, February 3, 2024

By Lethbridge Herald Obituaries on February 3, 2024.

BRIZINELLO, Carlo Carlo Brizinello 1924 – 2024 The family of Carlo Brizinello, beloved husband of the late Anne Brizinello, sadly announce his passing in Lethbridge on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at the age of 99 years.
He is survived by his children Mary (Dave) Balfour of Pincher Creek, Virgina (Brian) MacGillivray of Barrhead and Peter (Jodi) Brizinello of Lethbridge; six wonderful grandchildren Ian, Kate, Lindsay, Justin, Megan and Samantha and five beautiful great grandchildren, David, Alex, Colin, Ryan and Emma. Carlo was the rock upon which this family was built. His family adored him and will cherish his memory.
Besides his loving wife, Anne Brizinello, Carlo was predeceased by his parents, his brothers and sisters, all in Yugoslavia. Anne’s mother, Nona, always a favourite of Carlo’s, also predeceased him, in Taber.
Although born on February 12, 1924, in Mali Banovac, Yugoslavia, Carlo was an Italian citizen, the son of Pietro Brisinello and Luigia Furlan. He grew up on a farm in Croatia, fueling a deep passion for rural life.
Carlo had a hard life, including years as a prisoner of war in a Nazi labour camp near Berlin. After the war, he found his way back home on foot and by bicycle through the surrounding devastation. Despite his hardships he was a kind, humble, fun loving and compassionate man loved by all who knew him.
In 1946, he married the love of his life, Anne Brida. Together, they set sail for a new life in Canada, arriving on a converted troop ship at Quebec in 1949. From there they travelled west where an aunt sponsored them on a farm near Taber. After two years of service, Carlo went to work at the Taber Sugar Factory and never looked back. He bought his farm two miles south of Taber and proudly paid it off in seven years. He worked two jobs his entire working life. He loved work, through which he made many, many friends.
Carlo and Anne flourished together, sharing seventy one years of love, laughter and companionship, building a farm and family he was extremely proud of. He was a man of many interests. Carlo enjoyed hunting, bowling, accordion music, socializing and travelling to Creston, British Columbia each summer as well as to Europe periodically. His wisdom and kindness will never be forgotten, not only by his family but by his entire community. Carlo was the “go to guy” for advice on a Sunday afternoon.
A private celebration of Carlo’s life will be held. Burial to follow at the Taber Memorial Garden. Condolences may be forwarded by visiting our website at http://www.southlandfuneral.com.
Flowers are gratefully declined. If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Carlo’s name may be made directly to the charity of one’s personal choice.
Arrangements in care of Southland Funeral Chapel, Taber. Telephone: (403) 223-8778.

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MORRISON, Joyce JOYCE MORRISON 1937 – 2024 Mrs. Joyce Morrison of Lethbridge, beloved wife of the late Mr. Glenn Morrison, passed away peacefully in her sleep on Monday, January 29, 2024, at Ste. Therese’s Villa in Lethbridge.
Born in Vancouver in August 1937, Joyce attended Lord Byng High School and then entered the University of British Columbia where she met Glenn Morrison of Medicine Hat and began a lifelong, loving partnership. Glenn and Joyce married in Vancouver in August 1958 and moved to Lethbridge in 1960, where they raised four children and became active members of the community. Joyce loved creating things with her hands and for many years was an accomplished knitter and weaver. She and Glenn built a cabin in Beaver Mines in the mid-1970s and spent some of their happiest times there and in the surrounding area, hiking, cross-country skiing and simply puttering about. Joyce had several circles of dear friends in Lethbridge, Beaver Mines and throughout Southern Alberta. She was a devoted volunteer with a number of organizations, and especially for many decades within the church community at St Augustine’s in Lethbridge.
She was predeceased in 2022 by her husband Glenn and is survived by her children Robert (Carole) Morrison of Kingston, Ontario, David Morrison of Ottawa, Ontario, Janet (Norm) Welch of Chestermere, Alberta, and Helen (Dave) Maze of Lethbridge, Alberta; grandchildren Zachary Morrison, Alastair Morrison, Emily (Brandon) Morrison, Katie (Brandon) Fooks, Christopher (Haley) Welch, Juliet Morrison and Nico Morrison.
The family would like to thank the staff of St. Therese Villa in Lethbridge for the loving care extended to Joyce since 2018.
Flowers are gratefully declined. In lieu of flowers, donations in Joyce’s memory may be made to The Alzheimer’s Society of Lethbridge, #40, 1202, 2nd Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J OE3. or St. Augustine’s Anglican Church, 411 – 11 St. S, Lethbridge, Alberta, T1J 2N9.
A Funeral Service will be held in the summer of 2024.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

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COOMBS, Catherine CATHERINE ANNA COOMBS June 1, 1944 – January 31, 2024 Catherine Anna Coombs peacefully passed away at St. Michael’s Health Centre in Lethbridge, Alberta, on Wednesday, January 31, 2024, at the age of 79 years.
Catherine Anna Coombs was born on June 1, 1944, in Lethbridge, Alberta. She will be sadly missed by her sister Mary Pizzey of Red Deer, Alberta; her brother Pat Liptak, Christa Fisher; her nephew Craig Liptak, his wife Pam, and their children Lauren and Braden. As well as her friend Jan Pawluk.
Anna’s family would like to thank the doctors, nurses, staff, and caregivers over the years for their kindness to our family.
Anna’s cremation has been entrusted to Evergreen Cremation Services and a small family gathering will be held.
Please send condolences to http://www.evergreenfh.ca

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BATEMAN, John Thomas “Tom” JOHN THOMAS “TOM” BATEMAN 1938 – 2024 John Thomas “Tom” Bateman of Lethbridge, beloved husband of Bonnie, of Lethbridge, Alberta, passed away at the Foothills Medical Centre in Calgary on January 29, 2024, at the age of 85 and now rests in the arms of his Saviour, Jesus Christ.
A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:30 pm, on Saturday, February 3, 2024, at LETHBRIDGE EVANGELICAL FREE CHURCH, 4717 24 Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta, with Reverend Steve Bateman & Pastor Dave Acree, officiating.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

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UNRAU, John UNRAU JOHN HENRY UNRAU, passed away peacefully at St. Michaels Palliative Care, on Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at the age of 76 years.
A Funeral Service will be held at the COALDALE MENNONITE CHURCH, 2316 – 17 Street, Coaldale, AB, on Friday, February 9, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. with Pastor Ryan Dueck officiating. The Funeral Service will be live-streamed and may be viewed through John’s obituary on the Cornerstone website.

To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

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RUDHART, Verne VERNE RUDHART 1968 – 2024 It is with heavy hearts that the family of VERNE GREGORY RUDHART, of Coutts, AB, announce the passing of our son and brother, on Saturday, January 27, 2024.
A Celebration of Verne’s Life will be held at Gold Springs Park at a later date.

To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

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HOLMSTROM, Elaine ELAINE MARGARET HOLMSTROM 1931 – 2024 It is with sadness that we announce Mrs. Elaine Margaret Holmstrom (Nelson) passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 21, 2024, around 5:30am with her eldest daughter by her side.
Elaine was born on August 22, 1931, out on the family farm where she would grow into a young woman. Delivered by her grandmother, she was born to Mabel Ovida (Aasen) Nelson and Andrew Gustav Nelson. Her Grandmother had also delivered a baby boy at the Holmstrom homestead a month prior, and it was mused that possibly the two would have a connection.
Wilbert Arthur Holmstrom (affectionately known as Bill) was born July 18, 1931, to Arthur Sigfred Holmstrom and Syster Nanny Holmstrom.
Elaine worked hard on the family farm while she was growing up. She had a very close family, and everyone had jobs. Her father was a jack of all trades, and her mother did a lot of good cooking and baking. Her hard work made her a strong person, which consequently led her to first place in a ladies Nail Driving Competition at the North Star School’s sports days. Learning from her mother, she also was able to pass down her own amazing baking skills as well. She kept everyone fed and made the best pies!
In their spare time she and her siblings would play music. Her father made sure they always had instruments, and there was always music in the home. This carried on with Elaine throughout her whole life, she always loved music. The best was live music and especially wonderful when she was playing and singing herself. She would often jam with her brothers, and they played for many dances with their sisters singing along. Elaine was the 6th born of 9 children. She is survived by her sisters June Bailey and Sylvia Kellington.
Eventually, Bill asked Elaine on a date, and they went to the movies. One date led to many dates, and one snowy day they got stuck in the field and she was given a ring and a proposal. Bill and Elaine were married on April 26, 1951, and would go on to have 5 children.
They farmed on the old Holmstrom place, and they both drove school bus, until 1972 when they moved to Mackenzie, BC with their growing children, and they made many new connections. Bill worked at the Sawmill and Elaine was like a second mother to a lot of her children’s friends. She was the mom who would drive the boy’s hockey team and all their gear to games. Her home was a safe place filled with music, laughter, background TV noise, smelled of fresh buns and comfortable conversation. Everyone was welcome at Bill and Elaine’s. Their grandson David, and their granddaughter, Ashley, also lived with Bill and Elaine as young adults when they needed a safe landing pad.
She also delivered papers, was a part of the Legion, enjoyed curling and was a big fan of the Toronto Blue Jays. She knew all their stats and planned her time around their games. She was also a big fan of the Olympics and would set her alarm to get up in the wee hours of the morning to watch certain events. She was a sports enthusiast who played baseball well into her fifties, she curled and cross-country skied into her 70’s and was bowling until she turned 90.
When the children had all moved out, Bill retired, and they did some travelling in Arizona as well as spending time with their grandchildren. They would stay with their kids for visits, take their grandkids with them on trips, and they often had the best campsites. They began square dancing together which would take them to many different places for dances. They drove around in their motorhome for a few years before settling in the Crowsnest Pass. They lived there for years and then eventually Bill became too ill to be cared for by one person and they moved into a Basement Suite at Wendy and Gerald’s.
They were married for 61 years before Bill passed away on November 21, 2012.
After her loving husband passed away, Elaine continued her life journey for more years. She made new friends, kept up with her activities like bowling and golf. She went on a cruise to Alaska and the Maritimes, she travelled to Alberta, Saskatchewan, Ontario, and many road trips with her children and grandchildren. She even got to go to a live Blue Jays game in Toronto and Seatle which were some of the highlights of her later years. She lived with her daughter Wendy and family for many years before moving into Blackrock Terrace in Lethbridge in 2022. There she made many more new friends and enjoyed participating in many of the activities and events they provided, especially Bingo and Happy Hour.
Elaine was pre-deceased by her parents, five brothers and one sister, husband Bill, son Warren, and Grandson Landis. Elaine is survived by her children and their spouses Wendy (Gerald), Tammy (Chuck), Leon and Neil (Janice), 13 grandchildren, and 26 great grandchildren with a couple more on the way.
Elaine was a special woman, and she will be missed dearly by family and friends. She did not want a funeral, so a Celebration of Life will be held with a date and location to be announced after preparations have been made.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

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BLACK, Mona-Rae BLACK MONA-RAE BLACK, of Lethbridge, AB, passed away at the Chinook Regional Hospital surrounded by her family, on Sunday, January 28, 2024 at the age of 65 years.
Mona is survived by her children: James (Tia) Black and Donna (Tyler) Maier; sisters: Vicky-Lynn and Laurie-Ann (Terry); and grandchildren: Liam Maier, Ally Maier, Brooke Maier, Robbie Black, Tara Black, & Henri Black.
Mona is predeceased by her parents: Isabella & Henry Stoller.
Mona had a fun and adventurous spirit and was loved by her co-workers, family, and friends.
A Celebration of Mona’s Life will be held at a later date.
In memory of Mona, donations can be made to the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Canada (heartandstroke.ca)

To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

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UNWIN, Brian UNWIN We say goodbye to Brian John Unwin, beloved husband, father, and papa. Brian passed peacefully at home on Sunday, Jan 28, 2024, at age 68. Born in Kimberley, B.C., Brian’s journey led him to new adventures, including following his heart to Lethbridge when his wife Sharon pursued her college education.
Brian was not only a devoted family man but also an avid fisherman. Whether he was tending to his garden or cheering on his favourite sports teams, Brian’s zest for life was contagious. He leaves behind a legacy of love, laughter, and resilience.
In addition to his loving wife Sharon, Brian is survived by his sons Shaun (Ashley) and Jason (Carly), and four adorable grandchildren. Brian’s legacy extends beyond his immediate family, reaching friends and acquaintances alike.
A memorial service to celebrate Brian’s life will be held on February 10th at Salmon and Sons Funeral Home, 433 Stubb Ross Rd S., Lethbridge, at 2:00 pm. Friends are welcome to meet the family half an hour prior to the service.
We invite friends and family to join us in honouring a remarkable man whose spirit will forever live on in our hearts.
In place of flowers, the family kindly requests donations to Streets Alive Mission.
To send a condolence, please visit http://www.salmonandsons.ca

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KARAKI, Gordon GORDON KARAKI Gordon was born in Raymond Alberta on February 24, 1939.
He passed away in Lethbridge on January 18th, 2024.
Gordon was the second son of Mitsuo & Sachie Karaki.
His siblings are George, Gene, Victor, Melvin, Joy & Linda.
He grew up on a farm in Raymond till the spring of 1951 when the family moved to the Brooks/Cassils farm.
Gordon went to school in Raymond, Cassils Country School, and Rosemary.
He also studied Farm Machinery at Mt. Royal College in Calgary.
He served in Japan as a missionary of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1960-1962. He married Mihoko in the fall of 1962 at the Cardston Alberta Temple.
They built a home and started a family on one section of land they bought from his father in Cassils. From farming, he went on to study shiatsu massage at the Tokyo Seitai Kyousei Gakuin in Japan, and shiatsu massage & Japanese acupuncture at the Japan Shiatsu Clinic in Calgary. After which he opened his own practice that he named “Cassils Shiatsu Clinic”.
After 40 years in Cassils, they moved to the town of Brooks, but because of his passion for horses and team roping, he kept 2 horses and continued to rope into his late seventies. In 2017, he was thrown from a horse and broke many bones. He was hospitalized weeks, and it took many months to heal and was unable to ride his horse anymore. This did not slow him down as he just used the extra time to golf more.
In the summer of 2023, they moved to Lethbridge and he quickly adjusted to the condo life. He golfed almost every day last summer.
Throughout his life he loved to laugh, and his sense of humor was enjoyed by the people around him.
In the end, Gordon’s heart and lung condition could not beat his ulcer. The family would like to thank the doctors and the ICU staff at Chinook Regional Hospital. Their compassion towards Gordon and the family was greatly appreciated.
In lieu of flowers and Koden, if friends so desire, memorial tributes in Gordon’s name may be made directly to Chinook Regional Hospital (ICU Unit), 960-19 Street South, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 1W5
A celebration of Life will be held in the spring of 2024.
Mihoko, Bruce, Shawn & Sara Karaki To send a condolence, please visit http://www.salmonandsons.ca

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BRECKA, Lydia Lydia Brecka
1936 – 2024 Lydia Brecka, beloved wife of the late Henry Brecka, passed away in Taber on Thursday, February 1, 2024 at the age of 87 years.
Relatives and friends are invited to Prayers at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 – 48 Avenue, Taber on Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 7:00 P.M.
The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Augustine’s Catholic Church, 5009 – 48 Avenue, Taber on Thursday, February 8, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. Burial to follow at the Taber Memorial Garden. Condolences may be forwarded by visiting our website at http://www.southlandfuneral.com.
Arrangements in care of Southland Funeral Chapel, Taber. Telephone: (403) 223-8778.

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DAVIES, Judith “Judy” JUDITH MAE DAVIES June 24, 1956 – January 25, 2024 JUDY MAE DAVIES was the much-loved daughter of George and Dorothy Davies of Milk River, where she lived her early years. Growing up, she attended Dorothy Gooder School in Lethbridge and, as an adult, the Lethbridge Ability Resource Centre (the ARC).
Judy had a unique and full personality, and she was deeply loved by her family and others who came to know her. Despite being born with health issues, Judy defied the odds to live a long and fulfilling life. She was a lively conversationalist with a distinctive sense of humour. She loved arts and crafts and was prolific in her artisanal rug hooking. Above all, she was an avid sports fan and was particularly passionate about the Lethbridge Hurricanes; certain every year that they would win the Memorial Cup.
Judy was predeceased by her parents and by her brother-in-law, Leo Matteotti. She is survived by her siblings: Jack (Linda) Davies of Lethbridge, Bill (Bonnie) Davies of Calgary, Kathleen Matteotti of Lethbridge, and Corinne (Stephen) Morton of Sacramento Ca.
She is also survived by her nieces and nephews: Kathryn, Jonathan and Patrick Davies; Jordan and Taylor Davies; Christina and Garret Matteotti; Brad and Erin Morton; and six grand nieces and nephews. Judy will be missed by all who knew her and she will be fondly remembered.
The family would like to express their gratitude to the staff of the Chinook Regional Hospital for their compassionate care in Judy’s last days, as well as the staff of the Ability Resource Centre for their support over the years.
A private family service will be held at a later date.

To send a condolence, please visit http://www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com

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CHRISTIANSEN, Anne ANNE CHRISTIANSEN 1947 – 2024 With heavy hearts, but endless loving memories, the family of “Annie C” announce her sudden, but peaceful passing on Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at the age of 76 years.
Born in Lethbridge at the Galt Hospital on March 6, 1947, Anne was the youngest of three children born to Judith and Steve Ragan of Iron Springs. She spent her formative years on the family farm, and also in the town of Picture Butte, where she went to school and graduated from PBHS in the mid 1960’s.
Anne married, and gave birth to her son Kevin, and daughter Kathy. As well as being an involved and loving mother, Mom pursued a career of helping others – going to college and graduating as a Denturist. She opened her own Denture Clinic in Coaldale in the early 1980’s and became a staple of the small-town business core for over 35 years. Anne strived to make her customers happy and keep them smiling. She retired in 2020, and looked forward to a peaceful, content retirement.
Besides being generous and loving to all she met, Mom had a huge heart and love for all animals – especially dogs and cats, of which she had many!
Anne is predeceased by her mother Judith, father Steve, her brother John Ragan, and sister Betty Juris.
She is survived by her son Kevin (wife Deane), plus many countless cousins, nieces and nephews, special friends and family members who loved her for her generous, spunky, (and spicy!) attitude and lust for life. She will be greatly missed by many.
It is not the beginning, or the end that is important. It’s the days in between that will always count the most.
You can rest now, Mom.
As per Anne’s wishes, a small family gathering will take place on Monday, February 5, 2024, with a Celebration of Life to be planned in the very near future, which family and friends can attend.
In lieu of flowers and/or gifts, Anne has requested to please make a small donation to the Alberta Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA) at https://secure.aspca.org/ or the Lethbridge and District Humane Society https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/38943 or any animal support group of your choice.
Visit http://www.mbfunerals.com to send a condolence.

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