Evening prayer service for the late Elizabeth Neitling of Preeceville, formally of Moose Jaw & Gravelbourg, Saskatchewan, beloved wife of the late Ken Neitling, cherished mother of Ron Neitling and Carol Lamarre will be held on Thursday at 7:00 p.m. from the Chapel of Preeceville Funeral Home.

Funeral Service will be held on Friday at 2:00 p.m. in St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, Sturgis.

Interment will follow in the Rosedale Cemetery, Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.

Friends so wishing may make memorial donations to the Preeceville Long Term Care Auxiliary as tokens of remembrance for the late Elizabeth Neitling

The word “eulogy” roughly translates from Greek to good story and I can’t think of better words to describe Elizabeth’s life.  During her life she lived through the great depression, the Second World War, the beginning and end of the cold war but most importantly she lived through ours.

Elizabeth or Beth as she came to be known was born in Bateman, Saskatchewan to George and Catherine Mann on August 28, 1921. She was the only daughter out of 5 children. Beth worked at many jobs throughout her long life. From housekeeping for Judge Ron Maclean and his family to Funeral home administrator for her husband, there was nothing Beth couldn’t do to perfection. This hard work was present in all aspects of her life. To her immaculate home, to her fine groomed gardens, to her wonderful kitchen and dining room that was never still. Beth took immense pride in everything she did and expected others to do the same in their own work. No task was unapproachable for Beth as even in her later years, it was nothing for her to climb a ladder to paint her house, trim her trees or tend to her garden

She met and married her husband Ken in 1940. They lived happily together as they moved throughout western Canada. Side by side, they worked together as a team in various endeavours for 54 years. Only to be stopped by passing of Ken in 1994. After which she retired to their home in Moose Jaw Saskatchewan. In 2008 she moved to Preeceville, making her home closer to family. 

Together Beth and Ken had 2 children; one daughter, Carol and one son, Ron. She had the pleasure of seeing her 6 grandchildren grow up into adults and find their own way in life. She also had the pleasure of knowing 13 great grandchildren whom she loved, cherished and always welcomed them into her home with an open heart. Her family came first no matter what the circumstance and her home was a place of happiness and warmth even in the dead of winter. Her love and teachings were ever present in everyone who had the privilege of knowing her. Personally she taught me many things, not only how to tie my shoes and keep them tied but how to be a kind person with an open heart.

I don’t think any moment in Beth’s life perfectly captures her love, compassion and selflessness more than the time she helped Shane Hartwell. Shane is a very close friend of my father and at the time he first moved to Moose Jaw, he had just finished school and had just found his first job. He had no place to stay and no money until he got paid in following two weeks.  Beth opened her door and her home to a stranger. All was well, Shane had found a place and was going to be paid on the 1^st of the following month. However, the landlord stated that unless the damage deposit was in on the 30^th he would lose the apartment. Distraught, Shane came to Beth and told her that he was going to have stay much longer than he had intended. Beth didn’t say much, but the next day when Shane came home from work, she handed him the keys to his first apartment and said “well since your money wasn’t good enough, I gave them mine.” A small act of kindness and compassion for a complete stranger, 21 years later, is still greatly appreciated and fondly remembered.  

Granny lived until she was 94 years old. She lived a full and wonderful life. So let us not mourn her loss, but celebrate the life of an amazing woman and cherish the time we got to spend with her. Granny will never be truly gone, as no one ever truly leaves us. For wherever there is love; wherever there is happiness; and wherever there is family. She’ll be there standing at the end of the driveway happily waving you in.  

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