Eleanor Ann Daverne (Harder)

Ellie passed away peacefully at the Regina Wascana Grace Hospice, Regina, SK on Friday, April 17, 2020 at the age of 89 years. She was strong and resilient throughout her life and through her 15-year battle with cancer. It was only in the last few months that she began to lose that fight and her illness got in the way of the life she wanted to live.

She is survived by her youngest daughter Heather, and her sons Arthur and Oliver; her son Doug, his wife Megan, and their children Lauren, Andrew, Stephen and Michael; and her eldest son Bevan, his wife Lisa, and their daughters Cassandra and Alexandra. Cassandra and her husband Cody have a daughter themselves, Ellie’s great-granddaughter Blake. Ellie is also survived by her sister Evelyn, brother Ray (Chris), sister Lorette (Dave), and brother Oliver (Betty); as well as many nieces and nephews. Ellie was predeceased by her parents Henry and Dinah Harder, and brothers Alvin, Arley and Lornce.

Ellie was born on June 13, 1930 at the family farm near Waldheim, Saskatchewan. The fourth oldest of eight children, Ellie grew up on the family farm alongside her seven siblings (Alvin, Arley, Evelyn, Ray, Lorette, Lornce and Oliver) and spent many hours participating in countless adventures she would later share as entertaining stories for the enjoyment of her own children and grandchildren. As a young woman she attended the Saskatoon Teacher’s College and started her very first job in the career she would excel at and ultimately retire from almost 40 years later. In 1963 she married Richard Daverne (predeceased) and went on to raise their three children. Though life was tumultuous at times, Ellie was a hard worker and her tenacity, creativity and resourcefulness kept the family together as her children grew. She was a talented and prolific seamstress and in addition to many outfits for herself and family, she made the gorgeous gowns worn by her daughter and both daughters-in-law on their wedding days. Every member of the family has at least one item she knit for them and many have spent an evening on the couch snuggled under one of her afghans. Her family was always the focus of Ellie’s life and her relationships with her children and grandchildren along with her own brothers and sisters was most important to her. Ellie never turned down the opportunity to get together for fun and a visit. She loved walking outdoors and made a point to walk at least five kilometers every day. She continued this practice every day even up to her 89th birthday! She enjoyed talking with people even if she was unfamiliar with them and would look forward to seeing and chatting with the many personalities she would meet in life and on those daily walks. She was outgoing and will ever be remembered as a woman of strong faith who loved God and her family.