Mom is survived by our dad, her loving husband of 59 years – Paul, her daughter Marci Stickel (Dale) and their children: Joey Stickel, Michael Stickel, and Jenna Lehr (Al); her oldest son Jim Zalesak (Deb) and their children: Cheyanne Zalesak (and her family Luc, Shane & Alex), Toni Francon (and her family -Terry, Hunter, Brooklynne & Gavin), and Roberta Steele (and her family John & Raine); and her youngest son Rick Zalesak (Shar) and their children: Jordan Zalesak (and her family – Tyler, Jack, Luna & Leo); and Justin Zalesak. She is also survived by her cherished in-laws: Ed & Peggy Zalesak, Shirley & Gerrit Kamphuis, Rudy & Gloria Zalesak, and Linda Shimek. Mom leaves behind an incredible network of extended family and friends, all whom have been very supportive through these last few weeks.

Mom was born in 1943 in Eastend, Saskatchewan, and moved to Nelson, BC in early childhood, along with her parents Garda & Albert Sandvik, and her sister Audrey. Mom was predeceased by both her parents and her sister. Growing up in Nelson, Mom made many friends, many of whom she kept in contact with to this day. Mom had a couple of beloved aunts and uncles that had settled in Lethbridge, and after visiting as a teenager, she decided that Lethbridge was where she wanted to settle after graduation. She LOVED the prairies! This is where she met Dad, and they were married in 1965, raising all of us on the family farm near Picture Butte. In 2016, they moved to their forever home in Lethbridge.

Over the last 30 years, Mom and Dad enjoyed life to the absolute fullest! Having their children young allowed them to be free to travel around the world while they were still in their prime! They enjoyed many trips and cruises on their own, and with friends to too many places to mention! But their favorites were definitely Maui, New Zealand, Australia and Arizona. More recently, Mom and Dad enjoyed trips to Europe to visit their family history, the Maritimes, and back to Arizona.

When Mom’s role of raising her kids was almost complete, she took up the sport of golfing, and this became her passion! She loved her home course of the Picture Butte Golf Club, and she loved golfing around the world as well! Although she was sad when she had to give this up a couple of years ago, due to various injuries, she still loved to watch golf on TV. Another great joy in mom’s life was her 20 plus year career working for the RCMP detachment in Picture Butte. She treated those Mounties like they were her family, and they all loved her like a mom.

Although we will mourn her greatly, we will also celebrate her incredibly beautiful life, and we feel so very fortunate to have shared this life with her. To know Mom was to love her; her presence lit up every room she walked in to.

We invite mom’s friends and family to join us in a celebration of her life at the NORLAND HISTORIC ESTATE, 5801 1st Ave South, Lethbridge, AB, on Saturday March 1st, 2025 from 2:00 P.M. to 5:00 P.M. Mom would love to see everyone in bright cheerful attire!