Elma Annie Walde (nee Boschmann) was born Nov 30, 1940 in Blue Ridge, Alberta to Dietrich & Anna Boschmann, recent immigrants to Canada from Russia.  Before Elma was two years old, Dietrich moved his family to Rosemary, and they settled on the farm where she would spend her growing up years.  Life wasn't easy, and Elma and her siblings learned early the rigors of hard work in the market garden and potato fields. On July 26, 1959, Elma married her sweetheart, John Walde, and for the next 32 years, they farmed and raised a family in Gem.  Elma was involved in everything on the farm.  She drove the tractor, worked the cattle, cared for newborn calves that arrived in early spring snowstorms, milked cows and fed pigs, hatched out chickens and kept them fed and cozy in their coop.  She grew a garden that seemed to grow larger each year, designed and grew beautiful flowerbeds and kept a comfortable home that always had wonderful scents of good home cooking and was inviting to anyone who showed up on the yard.  Elma spent many hours at her sewing machine creating, not only everyday clothes for her four children, but for many years special matching dresses for her three girls to wear each Christmas.  In 1991, Elma & John retired from the farm and moved to a new home in Brooks, which she immediately set about transforming with fruit trees, flowers, grapevines and of course, a vegetable garden.  In "retirement", Elma enjoyed a parttime job at Family Fabrics until Parkinson's Disease made that work too difficult. This job supported her addiction for buying fabric for her sewing projects which were still endless - pj's for the grandkids, jean jackets, dresses, quilts and more.  Elma was a generous volunteer with her time and skills. Always very organized and unflappable in the kitchen, she spent countless hours in the community hall and church kitchens, helping to organize and cook for community and church events.  In retirement, she took on her biggest voluntary role and ran the Mennonite Central Committee Self Help Store from her home in Brooks.

Throughout her life and even into her final difficult week, Elma's inner strength and sense of humour never waned.  We will remember with smiles some of the "one-liners" and quick-witted quips that would catch us totally off guard!  She was a beautiful wife, a loving mom, and a proud grandma.  Though our hearts are broken that we won't see her again on this earth, we are so happy that she is now free from the brokenness of her body and mind.  Her wish has been fulfilled….to fly away to a land where joy shall never end.

Elma was predeceased by her parents Dietrich & Anna Boschmann, brothers Benjamin, Ed & Dick and sister Elsie Grosfield  She is survived by her husband of 63 years, John Walde of Brooks, and their four children: Brenda (Alvis) Gerstner, Diana Walde (Glen), Jennifer (Brad) Daniels and Cliff (Melanie) Walde; grandchildren: Curtis (Andrea) Gerstner, Nicole (Matt) Potter, Derek (Melissa) Drescher, Brandon Drescher, Jamie Walde, Shaylyn Daniels, Cody Daniels, Shelby Daniels, Amanda (Luke) Retzlaff, Dylan (Hannah) Walde; and great-grandchildren: Owen, Garrett, Alyssa, Abigail, Connor, Ezra & Eliana. As well as sisters and brother: Marg (Paul) Hunchak, David (Alvira) Boschmann, Linda Epp, Hilda (David) Friesen, Elvera (Fred) Walde, Sara Boschmann; and sisters and brothers-in-law:  Elma Harms, Linda Nikkel, Ernest & Anne Walde, Louise & Bill Enns, Ray & Elsie Neufeld, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 10 at 3:00 PM from the Brooks Evangelical Free Church.

Donations in Elma's memory may be made directly to the Mennonite Central Committee, https://donate.mcccanada.ca or mailed to 134 Plaza Drive, Winnipeg, Manitoba   R3T 5K9.