Monday, Dec. 21 was Customer Appreciation Day and the last day of business at Our Home Kitchen in Endiang and the place was packed as nearly 70 people enjoyed the complimentary lunch. Owners Les and Rosemary Stulberg have sold the business to Byron and Linda Wilkie who plan to re-open it in mid-January. We certainly have appreciated the support of the community and surrounding area during the last two years and look forward to seeing the restaurant open again in the New Year.
The community extends sympathy to the Ritchie and Groat families on the passing of Isabel Ritchie on Dec. 19 in Stettler at the age of 86 years. Isabel was born at Endiang on Aug. 2, 1923 to an Endiang pioneer couple, Peter and Elizabeth Groat. She married a local boy, Jack Ritchie Jr. and together they raised six daughters Letty, Betty, Joy, Fay, Laureen and Vicki. Our thoughts are with her daughters and their families and her sister Verna (Roy) Nelson, her brothers Jack (Gladys) Groat and Gordon (Sharon) Groat, other relatives and friends. Her funeral was held in Stettler on Dec. 23.
The community also sends sympathy to the family of Bob Walker, who passed away at home on Christmas Day at the age of 75 years. Bob was born on Oct. 22, 1934 the fifth of 13 children born to Harry and Bessie Walker and raised on the Walker farm west of Endiang. Bob lived most of his life in the Endiang-Byemoor area except for a time when he was an elevator agent at Rumsey. Bob married Evelyn Kobi and they raised a family of four sons, Wes, Les, Clint and Lyle. Our thoughts are with Evelyn, his sons and their families during their time of loss as well as with his siblings, Buster Walker, Jeanne (Mac) Sinclair, Ken Walker, Joyce (Dick) Moore, Winnie Paulsen, Doris Schilling, Deanna (Doug) Johnson, Dennis (Sally) Walker, Donnie (Joy) Walker, Lynda (Clifford) Wilkie and Allen Walker, other relatives and friends. Bob’s funeral is to be held on Tuesday, Dec. 29 in Byemoor.
Congratulations to Art Mattheis of Stettler and formerly of our area, who celebrated his 80th birthday on Christmas Day. We wish you many more happy birthdays, Art.
We send congratulations to Crystal Schellenberg and Will Oickle on their recent engagement.
We certainly had a white Christmas at Endiang with the recent snow and the fog on Christmas morning that coated the trees and fences in frost, creating a winter wonderland. Local residents have been busy travelling to or hosting family events during the holidays.
Ray and Clara Abram had their family home for Christmas day, Maxine Benson of Red Deer, Gordon and Sarah Abram and girls of Sylvan Lake and Alona Quaschnick of Hanna.
Lois Ballinger spent Christmas Eve in Hanna with Katie and Derrick Campbell and family, Christmas Day with Dolores and Gary Pearson at Delia and Boxing Day with Shannon and Lyle Knowles at Byemoor.
Dave and Luann Buchwitz spent Christmas Eve with Nat and Alvina Buchwitz in Hanna and on Christmas Day Kelly, Bobbi and Sullivan Buchwitz were their guests. On Sunday, they celebrated the Lohrmann Christmas in Hanna.
Brian and Theresa Christie and girls spent Christmas in Medicine Hat with Brian’s sister and other family members.
Terry and Sonny Gallant spent Christmas day with Eldon and Sharon McCrindle and also visited their sons at Sylvan Lake and Calgary during the holidays.
Art and Lucy Gutsche spent Christmas Day in Hanna with Doug and Winona Gutsche and family.
Wes and Karen Gutsche had their family all home for Christmas, Logan, Lacey and Jenna as well as Stan and Marge Moench of the Hand Hills.
Margaret Groat of Hanna spent a few days at Christmas at home with Gary.
Doug and Deanna Johnson had Christmas Eve at their house with Steven, Carla and Lincoln Johnson and Jodi, Caitlyn, Kelsey, Cody, Ashley and Gunnar Keith. Scott and Tara Johnson, Natalie and Holly were home from Medicine Hat on Sunday.
Rick and Jayme Laak spent Christmas in Victoria, B.C. flying out on Dec. 24.
Eldon and Sharon McCrindle had a house full at Christmas. They hosted the McCrindle’s on Christmas Eve and on Christmas Day all their children were home, Vicki and Earl Flynn and family of Carlyle, Sask., Darlene and Winston Webb and boys of Veteran and Heath and Angie McCrindle and baby Bryce of Red Deer.
Doris Schilling had her family home for Christmas, Rocky of Didsbury, Tani Boss and boys of Hanna and Rhonda and Ewald Steinwand and family of Castor.
Ken and Eleanor Schultz spent Christmas Eve in Hanna with Dave and Kris Mohl and family and on Christmas Day hosted John and Jacky Chop, Val Schultz, Judy and Jeff Crawford of Calgary and local family Clifton and Mickey Tucker, Dale and Florence Tucker, Dwight, Heather, Callie and Kia Tucker and Velma Gore.
Home for Christmas with Bill and Linda Smith were Bernice Zeimer, Dale, Tammy, Denton and Macey Burns all of Hanna.
Jim and Leanne Sorensen and family and Agnes Sorensen spent Christmas Eve with Bob and Janet Campbell at Byemoor and Christmas Day with Cherrone Ziemmer at Lacombe.
Larry and Lorene Stulberg had their family home for Christmas, Cody, Alicia, Hayden and Easton Scheerschmidt, Krystal Stulberg and Bud Stoutenberg all of Stettler and Carol Stulberg.
Spending Christmas with Les and Rosemary Stulberg were Travis and Tyler Stulberg and Bob and Dorothy Diprose of Stettler and Carol Stulberg. On Boxing Day they travelled to Wainwright for the Diprose Christmas hosted by Brad and Louanne Diprose.
Lorne and Marlene Wallace had Herb and Helen Gutsche of Hanna spend Christmas Eve with them and on Christmas Day their guests were Shawna and Darren Benson of Erskine, Jeff Wallace of Red Deer and Sylvia and Jim Maxwell of Calgary.
The Wasdal families celebrated their Christmas on Boxing Day at the Byemoor hall.
Bruce and Kate Woelk spent several days at Christmas in Medicine Hat with Kate’s son David and other family members.
Keep in mind the following coming events:
Dec. 31 – New Year’s Eve Dance at the Endiang Hall.
Jan. 2 – Novice hockey tournament at the Endmoor Arena starting at 9:30 a.m.
Jan. 5 – Crib at the Endmoor Drop-In Centre.
Jan. 8 – Farewell potluck supper for Marilyn Boehlke at the Endiang Hall starting at 6 p.m.
Anyone interested in signing up for a referee clinic in January contact Ryan Dettmer at 403-579-2529.
Birthday greetings go out to:
Jan. 2 – Sheila Buchwitz, Theresa Christie and Karin Boehlke.
Jan. 3 – Dawn Walker.
Jan. 4 – Steven Johnson and Shelly Schellenberg.
Jan. 5 – Jim Groundwater and Wilma (Hunt) Paetkau,
Happy Anniversary to Stuart and Kayla Somerville on Jan. 5.
Happy New Year to all, may 2010 bring good health and happiness your way.