Ingeborg Elisabet (Wetterlund) Medlang

   Ingeborg was born February 24, 1921 on NW 7-34-6 W2, Saskatchewan (Holbrook Ranch) just SW of her father’s homestead, to John and Beatha Wetterlund (nee Nilsson).  The family lived there till 1935 when they moved to the Homestead.  She was the oldest of six children.

   At seven years of age, she had her tonsils removed.  The operation was performed on the dining room table on their farm. The anesthetic affected her heart to some extent, so she was kept home from school for some months. Thus, she and Birgit ended up in the same grade.

   She attended school in Sturgis.  She and her sister Birgit boarded two winters at the home of Frank and Lizzie Weikle; where she and Jack built their house in Sturgis in 1983.  Ingeborg’s dad would take them by team Monday morning and then pick them up on Friday after school.  They stayed one winter with Albin and Maria Johnson (uncle and aunt) and walked 1 mile to school. In the later years, they drove to school with the team (Jessie and Joe) and the democrat and in the winter with the sleigh or cutter.  They had four miles to go to school. After grade 8 she stayed home to help look after the other children.

   She learned the art of embroidery and crocheting from her mother. She also knit.

   In 1940, she moved to Winnipeg, where she worked at Eaton’s for two years.

   Jack Medlang worked for John Wetterlund for several years.  On November 9, 1943, Ingeborg married Jack, who was then stationed at Shilo, Manitoba.  Jack went overseas and Ingeborg moved back to the Sturgis area and lived with her parents, as well as doing housekeeping for Ernest and Pearl Morris at Reserve, Saskatchewan.

   Jack was discharged from the Army in January, 1946.  After working on farms and doing some carpenter work, he purchased the NE 6-34-4-W2 from Mrs. Olaf Reitlo in 1947.  They moved to their farm November, 1947, where they did mixed farming.

   They had two children, Blaine and Brenda.

   Ingeborg was a homemaker.  She sewed clothes for Brenda and herself and mended many overhauls and jeans and darned many socks.

   She was a good cook. Everything was made “from scratch”.  There was always baking on hand, buns, bread, variety of cookies and cake.  It wasn’t uncommon for Blaine and Brenda to come home from school to be met with the aroma of fresh baked buns or a chocolate cake with caramel icing, and a neighbor sitting at the table with them having lunch.  A chiffon cake with cooked chocolate icing was always the birthday cake.  When Deara was young, you could hear her in the kitchen helping Grandma bake. Jared especially liked rusks, which he called ruskus. At Christmas Mom made many of the traditional Swedish cookies and other Scandinavian dishes. When someone passed away, she would always take a casserole, buns and a jar of beet pickles over to the relative’s home.

   She had a big garden and froze a lot of vegetables and made pickles.  The potato patch far surpassed what we would use and so friends in town would get potatoes. In the summer the strawberry and raspberry patches kept us in fruit and with the excess she’d make jam or freeze.  Blaine and the grandchildren have each Christmas been recipients of their own supply of raspberry jam.

   In the fall there were meals in the field.  She would pack the card table, lawn chairs and a full meal. When the grandchildren were young and not feeling well, she would make custard pudding (Flapper pie filling) and take out and they really liked that.  To this day Brendan says Flapper pie is one of his favor pies.

   She grew lots of flowers and there were often bouquets on the table.

   When we would come home after school, the house would have a different feel if Mom wasn’t home. You felt it as soon as you walked in.  There on the table would be a note saying where they were and when they expected to be back.

   She always enjoyed company and often visit with neighbors (and shut-ins). On Saturday night while in town, it was not uncommon that they would see a neighbor, and invite them out to the farm for coffee and lunch. There are many fond memories of family and friends gathering for camping and fishing trips, Manitou Spa, playing cards, usually whist, and meals around the kitchen table.  Several summers neighbors were invited for a wiener roast, under the yard light.

   She was also community minded.  They curled the first year the curling rink in Sturgis opened. For many years they worked with Joe and Ann Rogstad and Albert and Clara Sjolie in heading up the Hamburger Booth on Sports Day, which was later taken over by the Legion.  They would put out 1,000 pounds of hamburger from 8 am to midnight.  She then spent many years working at the Supper Booth.

   She was a member of St. John Lutheran Church, Corofin Ladies Aid, Horticulture Society, READ Club, Whitehawk Arts Council; leader of the 4-H Garden Club, volunteered with Sturgis Station House Museum and participated in the bowling league and got a trophy for 5 strikes in a row. She also traveled with family members to Norway, Sweden, California, B.C., Toronto, Denver, Iowa and Massachusetts to visit relatives and to North Dakota to the Norsk Hostfest. 

  They lived on the farm until 1983 when they moved to Sturgis, where she lived till January 2012, then to Preeceville Care home.  In November 2014 she moved to the Norquay Long Term Care, then on February 10, 2015 she was transferred to the Preeceville Long Term Care.

   She is predeceased by her parents John (1968), Beatha (1970), husband Jack (2003), sisters Birgit Beatty (2012), June Hladky (2014), Margaret (2019); brother Nels (2016), sisters-in-law Betty (2003), Selma Medlang (2003), Ragna Williams (2003), brothers-in-law Francis Beatty (1987), Curtis Williams (1972), Ingvald Medlang (2003), great nephew Cory Heffernan (1985). 
   She is survived by her son Blaine (Darlene); daughter Brenda; grandchildren Jared (Stephanie), Brendan (Kate) and their sons Eric, Brett, Brooks and William; Deara; sister Emmy Amy; brothers-in-law Bill Hladky, Lyle Amy, many nieces and nephews and relatives in Sweden.

   She was a loved wife, mother, sister, aunt, grandmother and great grandmother.  A great friend and loving person.  Her presence in our lives will be sadly missed.

​Memorials in memory of Ingeborg may be made to St. John Lutheran Church, Preeceville Long-Term Care Auxiliary or to a Charity of One's Choice as gifts of remembrance.

Arrangements have been entrusted to Preeceville Funeral Home.

A tribute book in honour of Ingeborg's life may be viewed here: https://app.mybabbo.com/share/0ebaf18