DALUEG (RENNICH) , LORETTA E.
January 17, 1913 - January 23, 2010
Loretta Estella (Rennich) Dalueg (nee Scheible) of Stettler passed away peacefully in the presence of her loving family on Saturday, January 23, 2010 at the age of 97. The Early Years
Loretta was born January 17, 1913 on the family homestead near Wiste, Alberta, the second surviving child and only girl in a family of five brothers. On November 24, 1930 she married Peter Rennich at St. Peter's Lutheran Church, north Hemaruka, Alberta. Loretta and Peter's first home was on Peter Rennich Sr.'s homestead, north of Hemaruka. Later, they moved to a farm south of Veteran, where together they continued to work the land and raise their four children: Melvin (1934), Lorraine (1937) and their twins, Richard and Jeanette (1944). During these farming years, Loretta tended a large garden, milked cows, and provided her family with hand-crafted necessities. She also enjoyed watching flocks of geese, especially during goose hunting season, which brought a hustle of activity to the farm. Through hard work, a commitment to family and friends, a talent for creating, and an uncanny ability to enhance everything around her, Loretta helped shape and build not only her family, but the prairie community she grew up in.
A Woman of Many Talents. In 1947, the family moved to the town of Veteran where Peter held the post of UGG Elevator Agent and where Loretta's exceptional pie baking skills were enjoyed by patrons of the Veteran Hotel. It was well known that she would bake as many as 10 pies a day. Upon request, Loretta would prepare batches of her famous pie shell crusts for eager members of the Veteran community so that they could attempt to replicate her pies in their own home.
Baking was not the only talent enjoyed by the community. From family and friends to wedding parties, many people benefited from Loretta's skills as a seamstress to sew their dresses and gowns. Also, local curlers were often spotted sporting Loretta's knitwear. At any given time, most of the curlers at the local rink would be wearing cardigans hand-knit and darned by Loretta. While in Veteran, Loretta took up curling and continued playing right up until she was 70, often "skipping" her own team. From ice curling, she went on to floor curling and much, much later, played shuffleboard. Her vitality and love of the game kept her playing shuffleboard 13 days before she passed away! Even at 97 years, her opponents thought of her as a challenge. To add to her list of talents, Loretta became known as the town hairstylist. Saturdays were her busiest days when local ladies would visit her home to have their hair permed, cut, dyed or styled. Veteran was a small and close-knit community and Loretta's kitchen was a warm and inviting place where the ladies and their families would meet, not only to have their hair styled, but to share news and laughter. Loretta's kitchen helped bind the Veteran community together, during good times and bad, particularly in the mid-1900's.
Throughout the 1930's, the war years and thereafter, Loretta became an avid baseball fan. Her love of the game grew as her husband; Peter formed and managed a local ball team, which included her five brothers and other relatives, and later their son Melvin. While Peter was away threshing during harvest, Loretta would listen to the World Series on the radio and "box score" the game. Her favorite team was the Yankees and her dream was to watch an American Major League game. Her wish came true in 1996. At the ripe old age of 83, Loretta's son-in-law, Gordon, took her to see the Astros play the Atlanta Braves in the Astrodome in Houston, Texas while vacationing with family there.
Tragic Loss and New Beginnings
In October of 1959, tragedy struck when their 22 year old daughter, Lorraine, passed away from cancer. Just one year later, in September, 1960, Loretta's husband, Peter died suddenly of a heart attack. In the midst of her tragedy and loss, Loretta made a courageous decision to move to Galahad with her teenagers Richard and Jeanette, to be closer to her eldest son, Melvin and his family. After making this fresh start, Loretta began working as a Ward-Aide at St. Joseph's Hospital, always tending to the sick with a generous smile. Her door was always open to family; relatives and friends who needed a place to stay, have a friendly chat, or wanted to play a serious game of cards. It was in this new community, while working at the Hospital that Loretta met her second husband, Hank Dalueg. On July 2, 1965 Loretta and Hank were married. They then moved to Forestburg, Alberta and spent the next 29 years together. While living in Forestburg, Loretta embraced the next chapter of her life.
Loretta and Hank maintained a busy and fulfilling lifestyle. If Loretta wasn't tending to her bountiful garden, she was in the kitchen preserving, or cooking large meals for her friends and family. No one ever left hungry after one of Loretta's home-cooked meals. All her grandchildren have fond memories of eating her delicious banana breads, carrot muffins, cinnamon buns and homemade white bread and traditional German dishes. Loretta and Hank also spent their time fishing and camping, going for coffee and playing cards at the local senior's centre, or entertaining the Dalueg and Rennich families. Their home was a welcoming hub, bringing both families together to enjoy each other's company.
When Hank passed away on January 3, 1994, Loretta continued to live an active life. She moved to Wetaskiwin in October, 1998 where she lived for five years at the Legion Arms Retirement Community. She continued her hobbies, playing cards and enjoying visits to Richard and Lana's ranch to see the countryside, cattle and horses. In January 1998, Loretta and her brothers were joined by their families in Red Deer to celebrate their birthdays together. She celebrated her 90th birthday in Wetaskiwin on January 25, 2003. Her final move brought her to Stettler in the spring of 2004 where she lived at Paragon Place. Even though Loretta had slowed down a little by this time in her life, she still continued to crochet her afghans and doilies, watch baseball and curling on TV, and socialize with her friends at Paragon Place.
A Remarkable Lady
Loretta always took great pride in how she looked, and her style and poise was often admired. She crocheted or knitted every one of her grandchildren (and great grandchild) their own afghan blankets. Loretta's motto for living a long life was to eat three square meals and day and a small snack at bedtime (toast). This is good advice from some who lived 3 short years shy of 100. Lastly, not many women get to celebrate 29 years of marriage - twice!
Loretta suffered a fall on January 9 and left us on January 23, 2010. The residents at Paragon Place will sadly miss her swift little steps and cheerful smile. Her family and friends will deeply miss her strength of character, resourcefulness, and wisdom. Most of all, we will miss her generous and loving heart, but not her spirit. Thankfully, that stays with us. Loretta is remembered by her many family, relatives and friends as a wonderful lady who was small in stature, but had the spirit and determination of a giant.
Cherished Memories
Left to cherish Loretta's memory are her sons, Melvin Rennich (Joan Heuer) of Stettler and Richard (Lana) Rennich of Wetaskiwin; daughter, Jeanette (Gordon) Bzdel of Wetaskiwin; daughter-in-law, Catherine Rennich of Edmonton; Eileen Cunningham of Vancouver, step-son, Jim (Joyce) Dalueg of Strome; step-daughter, Leah Heinz of Vancouver; and sisters-in-law, Alvina, Alice and Doris. Also left to celebrate her long and abundant life are 17 grandchildren; 39 great grandchildren and 1 great- great grandchild, as well as many other family members and dear friends. She was predeceased by her first husband, Peter Rennich, her second husband, Henry Dalueg, daughter, Lorraine Rennich, parents, Wilhelm and Lytie Scheible, and brothers, Oswald, Albert, Arthur (Eleanor), Fred (Emeila), and Willy.
Funeral Services were held on Friday, January 29, 2010 at St. Peter Lutheran Church in Stettler, Alberta. If friends and family desire, memorial donations may be made to the Alberta Diabetes Association or charity of choice, in Loretta's honour. Condolences may be emailed to sfchapel@telusplanet.net.
Internment will take place in the spring of 2010 at the Veteran Cemetery, Veteran, Alberta.
Stettler Funeral Home & Crematorium entrusted with the arrangements.