Barbara Ursula Dietzen, 92, passed away peacefully on Tuesday, June 1, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. She will now rejoin her husband Edward of 69 years and her numerous siblings, where they can now continue where they left off.

She left behind a hell of a lot of stuff to her daughter and sons who have no idea what to do with it. So, if you’re looking for an old TV, a large 3’ ceramic pizza chef figurine, a mini bar fridge, and drawers and closets filled with old cards, pictures and mentos from the past 60 plus years of her families lives, you should wait the appropriate amount of time and get in touch. Tomorrow would be fine…….This is not ad for a pawn shop, but an ordinary obituary for an extraordinary Woman, Mother, Grandmother and Great-Grandmother born on January 30, 1931, in Saskatchewan, the daughter of the late Alphonse and Julia Illerbrun.

She leaves behind a very dysfunctional family that she was very, very proud of. Barbara was world-renowned for her lack of patience, not holding back her opinion and a knack for telling like “she” seen it.

She always told you “her “truth even if it wasn’t what you wanted to hear. At times it was the school of hard knocks and yes, we were told many times if you didn’t like, tough, suck it up. With that said she was genuine to a fault, a pussy cat at heart and yet she did not sugar coat anything.

Her extensive vocabulary was more than highly proficient, knowing more curse words than most people learned in a lifetime. Many of those curse words helped her get through many long hard hours working as a farmer’s wife beside her husband Ed and children through the years. Once the farm was more established, she was able to spend more time spoiling her amazing grandchildren/great-great grandchildren.

Barb’s personality was always bigger than life, her bark bigger than her bite, her stories left you wondering, her foot was heavy on the pedal, but at the end of the day family and friends were her everything.

Her words of encouragement, wisdom and sometimes comfort, kept us in line, and gave us many valuable life lessons to which we can pass on to our own children. Everyone always knew where you stood with her. She liked you or she didn’t, it was mostly black or white. As her children we are still trying to figure out what it was for us- black or white (we know she loved us all so either were fine).

She was a master cook in the kitchen and will always be fondly remembered for her skinny pancakes. She also had an amazing ability to fix and sew just about anything and is fondly remembered for her creative Halloween costumes.

She will be sadly missed and is survived by her sons: Barry (Cindy), Gary (Joyce), Leslie (Skye), Darcy (Rhonda); daughter Karen (Frank); her grandchildren: Candace (Chad), Celeste (Marcus) Remington, Kristen (James), Thomas (Melissa), Blair (Amanda), Alissa (Chad) Rylie, and Regan (Kyle); lastly her precious Great-Grandchildren- Easton, Hayes, Logan, Carter, Madilyn and Phaedra.

She was preceded in her death by her loving husband Edward Dietzen, her siblings Bill, Stella, Allan, Annabelle, and Roger.

All who loved her dearly will never forget her tenacity, wit, charm, grace (when necessary) and undying love for those close to her.

To the staff and residents of the Red Willow Lodge, thank you for the friendship and care provided to the Barbara during her stay. As well, thanks to the Doctors and hospital staff of both the Valleyview and Grande Prairie.

A private family “Celebration of Life” will be held later in lieu of a service.