Obituary of Thelmer Oftedal

Thelmer was born on a farm north of Brancepeth, the youngest of three children

born to Thomas and Magnhild Oftedal. He attended Roosevelt school and

completed Grade 8 before he quit to help on the farm. He always said the only part

of school he enjoyed was recess and sports.

The family moved to what became the family farm half a mile east of Liberty Hall,

north of Weldon. At the age of 17 he met Shirley Boe and they were married four

years later on June 12, 1954. Their son, Kelly was born in 1960 and their daughter,

Rhonda in 1962. Except for six months when they lived in Vancouver where Dad

worked with his uncle doing carpentry work, Dad’s whole working life was spent with

the R.M. of Kinistino, until his retirement at age 65. The road crew became his

second family and he loved going to work.

Thelmer loved sports and played hockey, baseball and curled through the years.

He was also good in track and field and he passed this down to his kids. Another

activity he loved was dancing with his favorite partner, his wife. They would go

dancing every weekend, either at Liberty Hall or at Pahonan. Dad was a

jack-of-all-trades, building their own house on the farm as well as helping to build

houses for other family members and a cabin at Emma Lake for his boss. After it

was completed, every weekend the weather was good he would pack the family in

the car and head to the lake to waterski. He farmed on weekends until it became too

hard with weather restrictions, then rented his land.

Thelmer was always willing to lend a hand to anyone who needed it. Family and

friends were most important to him and he loved visiting and playing cards with

them. He was proud of his kids and enjoyed watching their activities. A man of few

words, the only thing he said when he found out he was going to be a grandpa was,

“Well, it’s about time!” He enjoyed his grandkids and was even blessed with two

great-grandchildren.

Suffering a stroke and then dementia, Thelmer spent six months in the Weldon

Country Villa and then eighteen months in Jubilee Lodge before he passed in the

wee hours of the morning, January 24th, with his family at his side.

Thelmer will be forever missed by his son, Kelly (Cathy) Oftedal and daughter,

Rhonda (Brent) Serviss; grandchildren, Kelty, Carah and Kayleen Oftedal, Luke,

(Amy) Serviss and Leah (Max) Serviss-Murray; and great-grandchildren, Lincoln and

Mila Serviss; sisters-in-law, Bernice (Boe) Stene; numerous nieces and nephews.

He was pre-deceased by his wife, Shirley; parents, Thomas and Magnhild

Oftedal; sister, Marie and brother-in-law, Mervyn Rutherford; brother, Arne and

sister-in-law, Eloise Oftedal; parents-in-law, Albert and Theresa Boe;

brothers-in-law, Leif, Mervin and Morley Boe; sister-in-law, Pat (Boe) Loden

Memorial contributions may be made to the Kinistino Jubilee Lodge Auxiliary.

A Service for Thelmer will be held at a later date

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