Ella Mae Ziegler

Ella passed away in Royal Inland Hospital on November 28, 2016 in her 86th year. She was the youngest of four girls born to Autumn and John McCrae. The McCrae family lived in a small farming community near Imperial in Saskatchewan. Today family members still reside in the original family home.

Following the completion of her schooling, Ella attended the Business College in Regina and worked at the Sears Catalogue Department and at the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool. In 1962, Ella and Donovan Ziegler were married in Calgary and subsequently moved to British Columbia where Don worked in construction and latterly, he owned and operated his own trucking business.

Ella was very active in Bethel United Church in Liberty. She sang in the choir and was a member of the C.G.I.T. When Ella and Don moved to Kamloops, Ella was active in the Kamloops Untied Church and was a member of the United Church Women.

Their son, D’Arcy was born in 1964 and as D’Arcy became older and was involved in sports, Ella and Don were very supportive of his activities especially the Junior Hockey team. D’Arcy, on occasion, played the position of goalie.

Ella was a member of the Royal Inland Hospital Auxiliary for 41 years. She spent many hours working in the Thrift Cellar. She also has been a member of the C.N.I.B. and the White Cane Club for the past 15 years. For a number of years she assumed the position of “Sunshine Girl”.

Travel was always on the agenda for the Ziegler’s. In the earlier years they traveled to Saskatchewan to visit their families and in the later years Hawaii, California, and Arizona beckoned. Ella and Don were members of the Juniper Sam R.V. Club and travelled in their motor home with the club.

Ella was predeceased by her parents Autumn (1981) and John (1978), by her husband Don (1997) and her sisters Evelyn and Leona. She is survived by her sister Mildred, by her son D’Arcy (Teresa) and grandchildren Amanda and Dylan, nieces, nephews, great nieces and nephews and many wonderful friends. Ella had a special bond with her niece Connie Saelhof (Don), her great niece Jil LaPlante (Drew) of Regina, Saskatchewan and her great nephew Michael Saelhof of London, Ontario. She will also be missed by her two special friends Connie Thomson and Tivola Howe.

Our thanks go to the Staff Members of the Royal Inland Hospital Renal Clinic and 7 North, the Ponderosa First Floor and Active Care Senior Services for all their wonder care of our dear friend, Ella.

Thank You to Dr. Jeevyn Chahal, Dr. Joslyn Conley, Dr. Steven Rollheiser and Dr. Scott Montgomery for their ongoing support and treatment.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Kamloops United Church, 421 St. Paul Street on Tuesday, December 13, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. with Reverend Bruce Comrie officiating.

“Until we meet again”