Edith I. Braithwaite

Edith Braithwaite – December 30, 1929 to May 18, 2021

Edith Ingeborg Rodvang was born on a farm near Throne, Alberta on December 30th, 1929. Her early life included the Great Depression, the Second World War, and many long walks to the Throne store with her siblings. The Rodvang family spoke Norwegian at home, so Edith learned English at the local one-room schoolhouse.

After completing grade nine, Edith moved to Central Alberta where she studied home economics at Olds College and worked at the Condensery in Red Deer. While at Olds College, she met her future husband Jim Braithwaite. She and Jim married November 22, 1951.

The 1950’s saw many severe hailstorms, but Edith and Jim persevered to establish a successful mixed farming operation in the Shady Nook District, which they carried on together until Jim’s sudden death in 1983. During these 32 years of marriage, Edith and Jim raised six (pretty ordinary) children.

In addition to working on the farm, Edith took responsibility for feeding the family: raising chickens, managing a large garden, picking berries, cooking, baking, canning, freezing and pickling. Edith was always on the go. Once the needs of her family were met, she turned her energy to helping the community, volunteering for the Shady Nook Hall and the Red Deer Hospital.

After Jim’s death, Edith took a job at The Bay cafeteria where she worked until 1992, retiring to help care for her young grandkids and enjoy some well earned international travel. Edith continued to live on the farm until December 2016 when she moved into a supportive living facility in Red Deer. In her later years (after finally getting a minute to herself) Edith spent her time playing cards, cross-country skiing, gardening, quilting, reading and solving puzzles.

Edith is lovingly remembered as a kind and gentle soul. She had a deep love of nature and animals, and endless tolerance for unruly children. She was distressed by waste and carelessness, and enjoyed nothing more than a visit with family over coffee. Edith’s warmth caused more than one neighbourhood dog to abandon its owner and move in with her. The affection was mutual: one of Edith’s favourite evening activities was to sit on the couch sharing a bowl of popcorn with the family dog. But Edith wasn’t perfect. She had a poor sense of direction. Once after getting lost driving Laurie to a friend’s house, Edith declared “You can’t get there from here” and drove home. At least half of her children share this trait.

Edith’s dream while growing up on the prairies during the Great Depression was to be rich enough to afford to eat an orange every day. Her dream came true.

Edith is lovingly remembered by her sister, Bertha; sister-in-law, Anna; brother-in-law, Ken; children, Dan, Linda (Bob Dick), Laurie (Wayne Cressey), Patricia (Merle Ellsworth), Cliff and Tannis (Scott Nelson); grandchildren, Brett (Charlotte) and Scott (Jodie) Dick, Erin (Mitch) and Joel (Hailey) Cressey; and great grandchildren, Liam Cressey and Everett Dick. She was predeceased by her husband, Jim; her, brother Tommy; her sisters, Anne and Astrid; and her grandson, Nicholas Cressey.

Thank you to Points West Living in Red Deer for providing mom with extraordinary care during the final years of her life.