Rose (Rosa)
May 3, 1925 – May 21, 2008. Rose Marie Innocent passed away peacefully at the Pine Ridge Continuing Care
Facility on May 21, 2008 at the age of 83 years. Rose is survived by her loving
husband Don Innocent of Stettler, AB, two daughters, Shirley (Gordon) Denzler of
Delia, AB, and Linda (Richard) Greig of Edmonton, AB, four grandchildren Kent Greig
of Edmonton, Don Greig (Erin) of Kelowna, B.C., Heidi Denzler of Bangkok Thailand,
Darren Denzler of Taylor, B.C.; three great-grandchildren, Karissa Greig of
Kelowna, Logan Denzler of Taylor, and Spencer Greig of Kelowna, two brothers Joe Ritter (Joan) of Calgary, AB, Connie Ritter (Faye) of Quesnel B.C., three sisters Helen Jackson of Nanaimo, B.C., Freda Lindstead (Ed) of New Westminster, B.C., and Ida Lockrie (Dave) of Edmonton, two brothers-in-law John (Volly) of Stettler, Bob (Mary) Thomson of Edmonton, and eight sisters-in-law, Madeleine Innocent, Edith Innocent, Ema Innocent, Marion McKercher, Dorothy Isaac, Clara Ritter, Evelyn Parker and Joyce Ritter. Rose was born in a small village
located near the Mongolian Chinese border of Siberia. She immigrated to Canada
at the age of four along with her parents, their extended family, and her younger brother Andrew. The family landed at St. John, NB aboard the Minnedosa Canadian Pacific. It would be several weeks later before they arrived in Macklin, SK. The family moved many times and Rosa being the eldest of 10 children was always there to help her mother. At 16, Rose took a hair dressing course in Calgary, AB, and worked for her aunt and uncle in their barber shop. When the war started Rose left for Toronto and worked in the munitions factory at Long Branch, ON. After the war she hitchhiked home to once again help her mother at home. On Aug. 22, 1946 Rose married Henri L’Heureux in Edmonton. They had two children Shirley Ann (Denzler) and Linda Helen-Rose (Greig). After a brief unhappy marriage Rose and her girls moved to Prince George, B.C., to be closer to her mother and step-father. While there Rose worked for the School Board. She later moved to Kitimat, B.C., where she worked
for many years in the post office with her dear and close friend Marion McKercher. In 1964 while on vacation visiting her aunt and uncle in Calgary,
Rose met the love of her life, Donald Innocent. They were married on June 21, 1965 in the Presbyterian Church in Kitimat, B.C. Don and his new family moved on to Don’s farm northeast of Big Valley, AB. Rose very much enjoyed the peacefulness of the country. It was here she spent endless days with her family and grandchildren. Rose always enjoyed working with her hands and spent many hours gardening, creating quilts and stitching beautiful needle-point pictures. Rose was also an avid reader and loved books regardless of the topic. Rose and Don continued to build their farm until retiring in 1987 when they moved into Stettler. Mother would always say “you just can’t take the farm out of the man – just the man from the farm”, as dad would continue to go back to check things on the farm after moving into town. While in town Rose volunteered for Statistics Canada taking census, the United Church, as well as Adult Learning by helping illiterate seniors to read and write English. Rose will be sadly
missed and lovingly remembered by her family and friends. A celebration of her life was held at the Christ-King Catholic Church in Stettler on Monday May 26, 2008 at 11 a.m. with the reception & fellowship served by the CWL following in the Parrish Hall. As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be made to the Alberta Heart and Stroke Foundation or to the Cancer Society in care of Brennen Funeral Home (2001) Ltd., P.O. Box 193, Stettler, AB, TOC 2LO who were entrusted with the funeral arrangements. 742-3315. Condolences can be e-mailed to brennenf@telusplanet.net.