Margaret Schultz passed away suddenly on Tuesday, December 17, 2019, at Amisk Court in Beaverlodge, AB, at the age of 89 years.

Mom was born February 11, 1930 at the hospital in Lamont, AB. She was the third child born to Herman and Antonia Hennig and was raised on a family farm near Wostok, AB, in the Zawale Community.

She left home to go to high school at Concordia Lutheran College in Edmonton. After graduating from high school at 16, because she excelled in school, mom travelled by train to Riverforest, Illinois Teachers’ College to become a teacher, since it was difficult for a woman to study medicine to become a doctor in the 1950’s.

Mom began her studies in 1948 and after 3 years at Riverforest, her first teaching position was in St. Louis, Missouri. The following year, she received a call from Wembley to teach grades 1 through 8 at St. John’s Lutheran School. For her, this was an opportunity to return to Alberta to be closer to her childhood family.

In 1954, during Mom’s first year in Wembley, she met dad at the church’s youth group and were soon married on July 5, 1956 in Bruderheim, AB which had become her parents’ home at the time. Together they started a family farm south of Huallen, where they resided till 2015. This became our home and the place where Mom and Dad’s six children were raised.

In 1970, Mom returned to teach at the junior high at Helen E. Taylor School in Wembley. Mom was a life-long learner, and returned to Grande Prairie Regional College on a sabbatical to complete her Bachelors in Education degree. She continued her career till her retirement at 63 years old. Here her teaching passion continued, teaching junior high science. Mom’s favorite was earth science. In her retirement days she often told us how she missed teaching and the kids.

Mom didn’t only teach at the public school but also was involved in the education of the young at St. John’s Lutheran church, teaching Saturday School, Sunday School, VBS, confirmation class and leading Bible class.

After retirement, mom and dad travelled to many places in the world including Antarctica, Africa, Australia, the Caribbean, New Zealand and many more.

In her retirement years, mom became a Blue Jays fan and rarely missed a game on the TV. Her favorite hockey team, other than her grandchildren’s, was the Oilers. Mom new the line-ups and could talk sports!

To remain healthy and strong, Mom believed in a healthy lifestyle: eating wholesome food, getting a good night’s sleep, exercising and having a good glass of red wine. When Mom and Dad moved into Amisk Court, Mom swam 2-3 days a week in Beaverlodge. How she loved the water and meeting new people in a new community through swimming.

She never complained, was adventurous, strong-willed, determined, creative, a problem solver, supportive, not afraid to express her opinion, willing to challenge, had a positive outlook, optimist, never old, devoted wife and a caring mother. She enjoyed knitting toques, mittens, slippers, and sweaters for her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. She also enjoyed music, cards, reading, crosswords, afternoon soaps, jigsaw puzzles, and family gatherings. She was a church leader and a witness for Christ.

Mom was actively involved in her church. Her God and her family were her focus throughout her life. Mom had the attitude that there was nothing she couldn’t overcome and she lived her life confidently through all of her adventures. Her faith always kept her strong, worry-free, and she lived with the assurance that, in the end, she would die, but live forever in heaven with her Lord and Savior, as was her wish for everyone.

She will be sadly missed by her husband Adolph Schultz; 5 children: Maxine (Ralph) Hauger, Mark (Penney) Schultz, Jean (Roy) Hodges, Cheryl (Jeff) Dosen, and Tim Schultz; 10 grandchildren: Jeremy, Jordan, Cody, Scott, Karli, Sarah, Caitlin, Chelsea, Taylor, and Jada; 12 great-grandchildren: Hudson, Davis, Isla, Blakely, Wyatt, Halle, Liam, Reed, Keatyn, Torin, Nash, and Koen; and her brother Val Hennig.

She was predeceased by her parents, 2 sisters Bernice and Naomi, and son Greg.

A Viewing will be held Sunday, December 22, 2019 from 5:00-7:00pm, at Oliver’s Funeral Home in Grande Prairie (10005 107 Ave.).

Funeral Service will be held on Monday, December 23, 2019 at 2:00pm, at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wembley, AB.

Memorial donations may be made to Lutheran Hour Ministries (270 Lawrence Ave., Kitchener, ON, N2M 1Y4).