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RACHEL D. CHELSWICK
Born: Aug 18, 1906
Date of Passing: Jun 15, 2003
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryRACHEL D. CHELSWICK Peacefully on June 15, 2003, at the Health Sciences Centre, Rachel Chelswick passed away at age 96 with her family present. Rakel Dagmar Bedsvog was born on August 18, 1906, near Namsos, Norway. She originally immigrated to Canada with her mother Petra; and brothers, Peter Johnson, Joe Astrup and Gabe Hartman, in 1924. Led by the matriarch Petra, the Bedsvog family had always been entrepreneurs. Arriving in Winnipeg, they started with a restaurant, the first of many business ventures in their new country. Rakel, now changed to Rachel, then travelled to and from Norway several times, before finally settling permanently in Winnipeg. Eventually, Petra with her family opened a Shop Easy market on Henderson Highway and built the Crosstown Grocery at 74 Isabel St., both businesses operated by Rachel and her brother Joe. At Clear Lake she met Reidar Chelswick and they were married on October 31, 1940 at Our Saviours Lutheran Church where they continued as lifelong members. Reidar and Rachel together assumed control of the Crosstown Grocery, which they operated until their retirement in 1971. They were always active in the social life of Winnipegs Norwegian community. For decades, their refuge from their busy lives was their cottage, which they built at Grand Marais, and where they entertained countless friends and family. Left to mourn her passing are her daughter Ruth Baxter and her husband Alan, granddaughter Claire Baxter, grandson Mark Baxter and his wife Beth, all of Winnipeg, and her son Ralph Chelswick and his wife Karen, grandson Trevor Chelswick and his wife Brenda and great-granddaughter Kailey, all of Squamich, BC, and grandson Kirk Chelswick of Hamilton. Also nephew David Hartman and his wife Peggy and their children, Johan and Margretta of Glastonbury, CT. Rachel was predeceased by all of her brothers and in 1981, her husband Reidar. Rachel was first and foremost devoted to her family and especially in later life her grandchildren. Always adventurous, in retirement she loved to travel and cherished the many hours of sailing she enjoyed with her son Ralph. We will treasure the memory of her, full of life at age 93, dancing at her grandson Trevors wedding. A memorial service will be held on Wednesday, June 18, at 1:30 p.m., at Neil Bardal Inc., 984 Portage Ave. (entrance on Aubrey Street). NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 17, 2003