MARIE RECKSIEDLER

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MARIE RECKSIEDLER Peacefully, on Saturday, October 30, 2010 at the Betel Home in Selkirk, Marie Recksiedler, aged 95 years passed away. Marie was born at home in Hazelridge, Manitoba to Pearl and Joseph Ignot. She was born on September 28, 1915. She was the youngest of four children from her father's second marriage - three boys and a girl. Marie had a stepsister from her father's first marriage. Marie attended Sapton School finishing Grade eight, then attended Hazelridge School and completed Grade 12. Her mother died when she was 16 years of age leaving her with all the household chores such as cooking, cleaning and laundry. She continued to further her education by attending Normal School to become a teacher. While attending Normal School she continued to work as a house cleaner to help pay for her education. Her first school was in Loon Straits, approximately 200 miles north on Lake Winnipeg where she taught First Nations children from Grades one to eight. Later she moved to Jackfish Lake to teach school. It was there that she met Henry Recksiedler whom she married. They were married for 56 years. Henry passed away in 1997. In the late 1940s Marie and Henry moved to Grand Marais to run a grocery and hardware store along with Henry's brother, Fred. Marie continued to teach at the school in Grand Marais for several years. While teaching, she also involved herself with the business, particularly with the bookkeeping. Eventually she stopped teaching to become fully involved with the business. She was instrumental in making the business a success. She supervised the inside workers and kept everything on track. By the mid 1970s they retired from the business, first living in Grand Marais and eventually moving to Selkirk. Marie enjoyed reading, listening to the news, playing the violin, going to dances, visiting, playing cards, listening to country music and watching her favourite TV shows. In her later years she enjoyed crocheting afghan blankets and giving them as gifts to family and friends. Although she was raised in the Ukrainian Orthodox faith, she attended different churches in the communities where she taught. She finally accepted the Anglican Church as her own. Marie was a determined, no nonsense lady and was always the teacher. She is survived by her son Gerald and his wife Maureen, her sisters-in-law Mary Rach, Rose Recksiedler, Betty Recksiedler, Ann Recksiedler and Pearl Peters; brothers-in-law William Recksiedler (Jean) and John Porayko; nieces and nephews in Manitoba, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia. She was predeceased by her brothers Joe Ignot and Bill and John (Jack) Ingot. Funeral Services will be held on Thursday, November 4 at 10:30 a.m. in the Gilbart Funeral Chapel in Selkirk with Rev. Brad Elliott officiating. We would like to thank Doreen and Don Payne who always opened their home to Marie and made her feel welcome. The family appreciates the thoughtfulness of Lorraine Thomas who was a faithful friend to Mom in her latter years. We would like to express our gratitude to the staff of Betel Home in Selkirk who treated Mom with kindness and respect and for their excellent care and support over the last six years. Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk in care of arrangements. www.gilbartfuneralhome.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 02, 2010