Obituary of Berniece Christenson

Berniece Christenson died, February 3, 2024, surrounded by loved ones at the age of 96. She was born Berniece Margaret Doll, May 17, 1927, on a farm near Hodgeville, SK.

She is survived by her children Maggie Mumm of Shellbrook, SK, Carolyn (Randy) Qualle of Calgary, AB, Andrew (Connie) Christenson of Edmonton, AB, Glen (Karen) Christenson of Fort Saskatchewan, AB and Leroy (Alice) Christenson of Qualicum Beach, BC. She is survived by her brother Gary as well as many nieces and nephews. She leaves nine grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren who brought joy to her life, as well as her friends and neighbours at Southfort Bend Gardens where she lived independently until recently. She was predeceased by her beloved husband Bernie, her parents Isidore and Elizabeth Doll, her sisters Florence, Betty Ann and Margaret and brothers Norbert, Larry, and Jerry, as well as her son-in-law Jim Mumm.

During their 69 years of marriage, Bernie and Berniece created friendships and community in the places they lived. These included Regina, SK, Lethbridge, AB, Swift Current, SK, Hallonquist, SK, Rush Lake, SK, Spruce Creek Ranch Leoville, SK, Leoville, SK and Vanguard, SK. Their last move was to Fort Saskatchewan, AB. Berniece’s careers were diverse. Her first job at age 18, was a bank teller in Hodgeville, SK. She was a farmwife, a dairy farmer, and lastly a hospital administrator.

A guiding passion was making art in many forms. Berniece produced hundreds of paintings. She inspired us as she continued painting almost to the end despite being legally blind. 

Her creative pursuits were many. Berniece was a very accomplished sewer and seamstress. She produced beautiful work from hand-tailored custom suits to cowboy shirts little and big and even a wedding dress. She was always pursuing some form of making from large-scale commercial sign painting to book illustration. She loved card games. She had a creative tendency to withhold cribbage game rules until of course they were needed for her cause. She was a talented gardener, growing huge farm gardens, then harvesting and preserving for a family of seven. Later she enjoyed her indoor flowering plants and her patio container garden well into her mid-nineties.

Berniece and Bernie were smitten with each other from their first meeting, best friends

for over 75 years. They were good for each other and to each other. Her children acknowledge that it was happy growing up in a home like that.

In retirement, they had so many adventures travelling widely over the prairies to pre-Christmas markets to promote the four self-published best-seller books written by Bernie and illustrated by Berniece. They took long road trips, visiting friends and relatives as far away as Texas. Sometimes their children would call each other asking “Do you know where Mom and Dad are?”

She loved family gatherings, large and small, baking and cooking wonderful meals for her children and grandchildren.

She will be remembered for her endless capacity for hard work. She faced life head-on with creativity and courage, focused on what was important. From childhood to death her Catholic faith sustained her.

A Funeral Mass will be held in Vanguard, SK, Saturday, May 11, 2024, at 1:00 pm at St Joseph’s Catholic Church. Interment will take place at the Vanguard Cemetery.