Carol Rediger

A Visitation for family and friends of Mrs. Carol Rediger, beloved wife of Norman Rediger, will be held on Monday, July 15 from 7:00 - 9:00 p.m. in the Chapel of Preeceville Funeral Home.

The Funeral will be held on Tuesday, July 16 at 2:00 p.m. from St. John Lutheran Church in Preeceville with Pastor Hein Bertram officiating.

The interment will follow in the Preeceville Community Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Nelson Lake Bible Camp or to the Preeceville Hospital Auxiliary as gifts of remembrance.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Preeceville Funeral Home.

Mary Carol Rediger (Sherret) was born on December 28, 1934 to Andrew and Margaret Sherret. Carol was the tenth of eleven children. Her earliest years were spent at the family farm north of Coalhurst, Alberta. She and her siblings all attended a one room country school with eight grades. One of her fondest memories is running around the farm with her younger sister, Gwen, collecting dandelions in their skirts to give to their mother who always received them with delight. Threshing was a big time on the farm with very hungry work crews and Carol remembers the rows of custards and pies lining the counters prepared by her mother.  Carol experienced the typical farm kid’s life of the time – playing with cats and dogs and riding horses.

The family moved to Lethbridge a few years after Andrew died and there her mother ran a boarding house and worked as a maid in a hotel to keep the family afloat. Even though it was a financially tight time, the family enjoyed being together.  When Carol was only ten years old, she babysat for neighbors down the street whose husbands were away at war.  This was a big responsibility even though it was only three doors down from her home but she would be responsible for two to five children and would earn twenty-five cents even if it was all evening or afternoon. 

When Carol was twelve, Margaret remarried and she and many of the children moved to Cranbrook. She finished high school at Mount Baker in Cranbrook and then attended Galt School of Nursing in Lethbridge.  In the 50’s nursing students started their practical education right away by making beds, emptying bed pans, taking temperatures and blood pressure all before starting classes for the day for four hours.  They did shift work from the beginning.  Carol enjoyed her nurses’ training and had many stories of hijinks the young women played on each other. In 1956 after three years she graduated as an R.N. and then nursed in Creston, Prince Rupert, Wadena and Montreal.

Carol met Norman at her friend, Lil Berg’s, wedding.  Lil was Norman’s first cousin and she got married at the little country church ten miles north of Margo.  Carol was billeted with Norman’s parents because there were no hotels handy.  Apparently, they were very taken with each other and got married on October 15, 1960.  Thus, began their married life on the farm.

Some of the early years in the 60’s were very tough with crop failures and with little extra cash to spare.  However, Carol loved being a farm wife and put her heart and soul into helping Norman make the farm a paying proposition.  She helped milk cows, grew a huge garden, cooked on a wood stove, preserved every single thing she could from the garden, fed chickens, picked eggs, and cooked every thing her family ate from scratch.  She also spent many hours with family and friends butchering chickens and wrapping beef and wild meat for her family.  While on the farm at Margo the four children were born – Karen, Darcy, Thomas and Mark.

In 1972 the family moved to Saskatoon and while there Norman was in a serious vehicle crash requiring months of hospitalization and rehabilitation.  During this time while Carol was busy at the hospital, many family members chipped in to help with kids and other duties. It was during Norman’s rehabilitation that Carol returned to nursing after taking a refresher course.  When it was complete Carol returned to work at City Hospital in Saskatoon. When the family moved to Preeceville in 1974, she began work at the Preeceville Hospital and worked there until 1994 when she retired.

Carol and Norman built a new house on the farm for their family and in addition to her hospital duties, Carol once again threw herself into the role of farm wife.  She also made time for kids’ activities being an active fan at sporting events, helping with church activities, and even being the secretary for the local Cadets organization.  Carol loved her life in Preeceville and made many friends through her work, the neighborhood, the church, and being involved in the community.

 Upon retirement, Carol threw herself into more community work and sat on various boards of organizations.  Carol and Norman took time to travel, camp and fish.  They did as much work as they could for the church and Nelson Lake Bible Camp.  They shared a rich relationship and as a couple did whatever they could to help others by sharing their time and love. They were proud of their children and took joy in their grandchildren’s accomplishments.

Carol was predeceased by her parents Andrew and Margaret Sherret, parents in-law Herman and Kate Rediger, all of her siblings Velda, Charles, John, Hazel, David, Cecil, Helen, Gordon, James and Gwen.

Carol leaves to mourn her husband, Norman, children Karen (Dave), Darcy (Pat), Thomas (Jeanine), Mark (Marissa) and three beloved grand-daughters , Katherine, Lawrenne and Kayla and step-granddaughters Tanya and Vanessa, many Rediger and Sherret nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews and many friends from the hospital, church and  community.  She will be dearly missed.