ELSE MARIE MADSEN

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ELSE MARIE MADSEN I died at Capital Care Norwood in the Palliative Care Unit in Edmonton, AB, from old age, at 95 years, after suffering a heart attack. I was born in Tvis, Denmark on August 19, 1923. A long time ago! I married Svend Johannes Madsen and he died in 1999. Crazy - we had seven children (four boys and three girls) and from that we ended up with 19 grandchildren and 22 great-grandchildren! Wow! And they do not appear to be finished! Leaving behind our families in Denmark, Svend and I set sail for Canada in July of 1957 on the MS Stockholm with three of our children; Michael (Bernie), Mogens (Maryanne) and Bodil (Ingemann); to arrive in the little community of Dugald, MB just outside of Winnipeg, with 37 dollars in our wallets. What were we thinking! Turns out we became farmers and what a blast that was, until I acquired hay fever and we had to relocate to the big city of Winnipeg! (Almost like Copenhagen). Svend and I managed two jobs each while he was going to school to become an electrician (which he did) and having three more kids; Joanne (Pete), Vita (John) and baby John (Linda). Working very hard was something we tried to instill in all of our children and I believe we were successful. We learned as a family to rely and trust one another, which has kept us a very close family for all of these years. During my early years in Denmark I studied home economics and worked for large country estates managing their households and kitchens. It trained me well for my own ever-growing brood here in Canada. I am very proud I passed these skill sets on to my sons and daughters, as family meals became the core of our values. Those child-rearing years were both challenging and rewarding (make that worn out). I am so proud of my kids! Look at them now! When Svend and I came up for air we purchased a motorhome and lived the gypsy lifestyle, travelling North America and finally settling as snowbirds in Texas. We loved it there. Svend died and I found Jack, and together we continued to travel and explore in Hawaii, Florida, Alaska and Mexico! I was a pretty lucky lady. No regrets here! I took a crazy turn later in life by breaking my hip in Edmonton, AB and my family had no choice, I had to stay. Having been a fiercely independent woman after my child-rearing years, it was hard to give it up! I was noncompliant at first but understood not to bite off the hand that fed me. It was a challenge to transition from independence to codependence to total dependence. As a matter of fact one might say I had attitude. I tried to be graceful but not me! It is a journey that all may eventually have to take. Think about that! Good times and bad times, I eventually took it all in stride and so did my family! During these years my family facilitated more travel for me. I had a blast on family assisted trips to Vancouver Island, Penticton, Winnipeg and to Denmark for my eldest son's, Henning (Grethe), 15th wedding anniversary. Can you imagine that at 93! I made that trip possible by going to my exercise classes every morning! Yay me! My last few months at Norwood were filled with the best times ever. I got love every day through FaceTime, phone calls, texts, visits and my favourite, white wine smuggled in for weekly happy hour. I heard them whisper dementia. Not me, I let them think that! I laughed at all the appropriate times! I had the best life ever! Thank you to all who made it so. A Celebration of Life is to be held in Winnipeg at Chapel Lawn Funeral Home, 4000 Portage Avenue at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, January 12, 2019. For online condolences please visit www.arbormemorial.ca/en/glenwood Glenwood Funeral Home & Cemetery By Arbor Memorial

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 10, 2019