Annette Emilie Schlatter

Annette Emilie Schlatter lived a long an amazing life of 107 years. Born in 1915 in Youngstown Alberta, she walked to school through her father’s wheat fields. She was an enthusiastic student, especially proud of her excellent handwriting which she used until she was 100. She was the last of four children and maintained close contact even when they were all off to new lives on their own.

As a young teenager, she moved to Hines Creek Alberta to help her aging parents establish a homestead.  She was good with their few horses and small herd and loved the simple country life of carrying water, gardening and surviving on the land.  With her parents blessing she moved to Lavesta Alberta to help her Bachelor brother establish a Lutheran church and school, both living in a one-room shack. When he married, she moved on to Edmonton and worked in a University of Alberta dining room that served returning veterans. There she met Rudy and after several more job adjustments, they were married and lived in Calgary. Rudy followed his chef father’s career and went into full-time cooking. They were married a few years before their only son Terrence was born and Nettie thoroughly enjoyed being a mother with the best dressed boy in every class and circle. She was a strict and organized mother, taking care of all the house needs while Dad worked long chef hours. They moved to Tacoma Washington and then she was active with her church and Terry’s activities, but still took on several jobs caring for seniors, including her own parents for several years. Their only son was soon off on his own for military service.

Once Rudy retired, they moved to Seattle and he started taking contracts cooking for oil rig crews, often gone for weeks at a time. Nettie was not thrilled with being home alone and soon started accompanying Rudy on contracts. Crews enjoyed her baking and she quickly adjusted to the rustic settings and busy schedule as she experienced camps all over Alberta, Yukon and even the DEW line. Although close to 70, she kept on cooking with Rudy and between contracts they enjoyed trips to Arizona and family visits all over Washington and BC. They became much sought-after pet and house sitters and treasured time with the growing family of grandchildren.

They were eager to return to Canada and accepted brother Albert’s invitation to join them in Chilliwack in a duplex situation. Nettie loved the garden and yard cats and all the family connections. When Albert retired to Kelowna they decided to move to an apartment in Abbotsford where Rudy had relatives. Nettie made close friends there and weathered Rudy’s passing but as her health deteriorated she was willing to recuperate with her niece Faith and husband Jim in Lumby. The next move was to Canterbury Court in Vernon where she lived to celebrate a 95th birthday. She loved the social life at the Court and made many friends there and at her church St John’s Lutheran. Needing a little more care she moved into a suite at Heron Grove where she resided until a move to their nearby Cottage.

Nettie was a faithful and active Lutheran to the core, her source of purpose and a never-ending enthusiasm to share the faith that had sustained her. Her earthly cycle of life will end where it began with burial in a family plot in Youngstown Alberta. with her husband, sister, parents and a wide circle of relatives.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be left for the family by visiting www.pleasantvalleyfh.com