December 13, 1930 – September 1, 2025
With love and sadness we announce the passing of Olga Mary Affleck (nee Brewer) age 94 in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.
Olga was born the third child of Nellie and Sidney Brewer in a log house on the family farm near Shell Lake, Saskatchewan. Her father was a WWI veteran and had homesteaded Sec.16, Tp.9, Rg8, W.3. Her mother had emigrated from Norway to tend their widowed brother’s family. Olga grew up on the farm doing chores with her two brothers and younger sister. She was close with her local cousins. Olga went to school across the road at Heart of Wheat School for nine years (she skipped ahead to grade 2 soon after she started). She went to school in town for Grade Eleven and boarded with a family. Her family moved to Willow Street in Saskatoon in 1946 and she and her sister attended Nutana Collegiate. The summer after graduation she went to Normal School (Teacher’s College), then began teaching in rural schools. Olga taught in one room schools in Wolf, Cando, Springwater and Oban. She wasn’t much older than some of her students and met many good people in the rural communities. While boarding at the Affleck farm near Orban she met a handsome, shy polite boy who would become her husband.
Jim and Olga were married in 1953. Their partnership would last 71 years. Olga’s teaching career ended when she became a homemaker. Jim got a job with Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and they moved to Herschel in 1954. Caroline, Martin, Ross and Stuart were born there. Seven years later the family moved up Highway 31 to Stranraer where Elaine and Janice were born. Olga said these were the best years of her life. Herschel and Stranraer were thriving villages back then. She made many lifelong friends and was active in the community while she raised her family. In 1969 the family moved to Davidson where Graham was born. Again, Olga made everything work as she and Jim adopted a new community. After four years the family moved to Humboldt for three years, then Weyburn for eighteen months. Through each of Jim’s promotions and the subsequent moves Olga managed the home front efficiently and economically. In 1977 Regina became their home for the next forty-seven years.
Olga started working part time once the last kid started school. She worked full time at Woolco in Regina in the fabric department. A self-taught but expert sewer, she enjoyed the perks of the job. Olga was a great cook. She had to be, and a child of the 30’s never wasted anything. Jim and Olga loved to camp. They started camping with the whole family in a tent and finished in a motorhome with Good Sams. Church was always part of Olga’s life. She actively supported the United Church in every community. Jim and Olga loved to dance. Mom longed for one last dance with Dad. She bowled, curled, traveled, camped, sewed and canned. She supported the family in every way possible.
The last year was hard for her, as she missed Jim terribly.
Olga was predeceased by her husband Jim in January, by son Martin in infancy, daughter Janice, son-in-law Gordon, daughter-in-law Dawn, brothers Chuck and Lloyd, sister Dorothy, Jim’s brothers Donald and Robert and Jim’s sister Ellen.
She is survived by daughters Caroline and Elaine (Roland), sons Ross (Carol), Stuart and Graham (Michelle), son-in-law Don, and 15 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
A service will be held in Davidson United Church on October 4 at 11:00 a.m.
A graveside service for family will be held on October 5 at Rosemount Cemetery.
Memorial donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada or the Palliative unit of St. Paul’s Hospital.
Hanson’s Funeral Service of Davidson in care of arrangements.
