On August 10th 2023, our Mom finished another chapter in her life story, passing away peacefully with her four children at her side; her story will never have an end as many chapters are to still to be written with the lives of her amazing family, her mark on her community and with everyone she met.

Louise Editha Ward was born in Sonningdale Sask. on Apr 19th 1927, the third child of Robert & Gertrude Ward. Her childhood was filled with adventures, challenges and cherished memories. At the age of 18 her mother (43) passed away, and she had to put her life plans on hold to stay home and raise her 3 younger siblings in a small log house with limited resources. Mom would share many funny and heartbreaking stories that came from these times – the hard work they did to survive and the decisions they had to make as children – their struggles to find enough wood to burn, food to eat and keep the animals alive. She had fond childhood memories of christmas concerts, her love of school and her close friends. Mom prided herself with her thirst for knowledge – she did crossword puzzles, was a veracious reader, was always learning new words for her vocabulary plus learning about the different countries in the world.

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In 1950, she married Clayton Clark and moved to Fielding, Sask to farm on the Clark homestead. Not being a stranger to hard work, together they built a life and a farm to be proud of and raising their four children.  Mom loved the life of being a wife and mother; plus raising animals, gardening and her love of chickens. Life was full of challenges that they met head on and conquered and full of community events.

They later bought new land and moved north of Fielding, so they had more water and could raise more cattle. They would later retire to Radisson.

Memories of going to the river hills to count the new baby calves and pick the first crocuses in the spring are vivid in our minds. Mom especially loved wild birds, she taught us all the names and their habits; she embraced nature to the fullest.

The common thread through Mom’s story is family – she would always stress that family is the most important thing in life, and she was so blessed with the family we have. She was recognized as the matriarch – the glue that kept us all together. She was predeceased by her brothers: Perry & Raymond (Bud); sisters: Helen & Dorothy; and survived by her oldest brother, Wilbert (Web).

Here to proudly carry on her legacy are:

Her daughter, Ruth (Allan) Sayers – Comox BC. Grandson, Jeffery (Melissa) Richards – great-grandchildren: Kate (Muyoma), Lukas and Jonas & great-great granddaughter, Marea; granddaughter, Wendy (Chris) Stevens – great grandchildren Kaedon and Cedar; Jody (Jes) Richards – great-grandchild, Drew.

Her daughter, Karen (Lee) Schmidt – Cochin Sask. granddaughter Mandy Schmidt – great grandchildren Rylee (Dallas) Prince (great great grandson Theodore), Chase Prescesky & Reese Lantz. Grandson, Wade (Jennifer) Schmidt, great grandsons, William & Max; granddaughter, Loni (Lou) Legault, great granddaughters, Olivia & Addison

Her son Murray (Debbie) Clark, Prince Albert Sask. Granddaughter Kimberly (Rahim) Visram, great granddaughters Alianna & Alexia, grandson, Clayton (Alyssa) Clark – great granddaughters,  Chloe & Emma

Daughter Bev (Cal) Shumlich, Denholm Sask. Grandson Blair (Heather), grandson Lane – great grandchildren Xander & Aurielle

To list mom’s accomplishments, interests and talents will take up many chapters in her life’s book. As a young woman she was an accomplished ball player, proud of her track and field medals and markswoman with a gun, flipping jack knives and juggling clubs.

She learned to tat and do handy work from her Grandma Ida and she took on the challenge to continue to learn new ways to use her hands – quilting, sewing, knitting, crocheting, brazilian embroidery, hardanger.

When discussing Mom you cant leave out her baking – she was known in our family and the community for all the buns, pies, spudnut doughnuts, cinnamon twists, cookies and fruit cakes. She could put on a full meal in an instant, even if it meant going out and cutting the head off a chicken plucking it and sticking it into the oven to feed a crowd.

Mom always had a huge vegetable garden and loved her flowers. She would always have freezers full of frozen produce, and jars of canning (and baking!) Her flowers were always brought joy to her, continuing on to the last home she lived in, Riverside Health Complex in Turtleford.

She took on many rolls in the community, proudly taking on responsibilities, leadership roles, and often politically involved! She was never afraid to off her opinion or advice. Mom and Dad belonged to a tight knit group of friends in Fielding and they all remained close until one by one they moved on, Mom was the last surviving member of that group. In retirement, Mom and Dad were an integral part of the Radisson Senior Center: Mom was on the library board, and both were involved where ever they could help.

Mom and Dad were the pillars of the community, respected and dependable – they were often the first to help and the last to finish things up. Their strength and integrity have been passed onto us and our generations – we are who we are because – of them – and proud of it.

We ask everyone not to mourn, not to grieve, but to celebrate that Mom touched your life in some way – we ask that you please be kind to others, appreciate and love your family, and be grateful for what you have – may you be even a portion as fortunate as we are – we are truly blessed to be able to proudly carry on her story.

Mom requested that donations in her honour be made to either: The Fielding Community Club – for the Fielding Cemetery, c/o Greg Ferris, Box 43, Maymont, Sask. S0M 1T0 or to

The Radisson Senior Center c/o The Town of Radisson, Box 69, Radisson Sask. S0K3L0

With only family in attendance Mom & Dad’s ashes will now be joined and laid to rest in the Fielding Cemetery. May your hearts be with us.

Bev, Murray, Karen, Ruth & families.

• Date : 2023-08-14
• Location : Cochin, SK