Nellie (Hambleton) Fjeld, 1924 - 2000

Nellie (Hambleton) Fjeld passed away, at the age of 75 years, after a brief illness, on Oct. 26, surrounded by her family.
Nellie was born on Dec. 26, 1924 near Prince Albert, Sask. to Nellie and Ernest Hambleton. She was raised in a strict household along with three brothers and three sisters.
In 1941, at the age of 17, she married Albert Fjeld from Birch Hills, Sask. In 1963 they moved the family to High Prairie, except for Judy and Bev who were already married by that time.
Nellie and Albert had a total of 13 children: nine boys and four girls. With such a large family came many sacrifices and hardships as well as much laughter and wonderful memories. When Nellie would go outside to get wood, she would make all the kids line up at the window so she could keep a watchful eye on them to make sure they were safe while she continued her outside chores.
Over the years, many loaves of bread were baked in her kitchen - up to 70 loaves a week. Nellie taught the girls how to cook and bake bread at an early age. The girls can remember the piles and piles of clothes they washed and mended each week with Nellie. The patching never seemed to end, which they blamed on their rambunctious brothers.
She was a staunch defender of all her boys, who were usually up to something they shouldn't be. As the boys got older and got their own vehicles, it wasn't unusual to walk into the kitchen at Nellie's house and see a motor or transmission on the kitchen table being repaired. If the gaskets were beyond repair, she would pitch in and make another one for them.
Nellie and Albert loved to dance and won awards on numerous occasions. Her love of music continued throughout her life. She thoroughly enjoyed sitting around with family and friends listening to records or 8-tracks or being entertained by her son Lyle, and other band members during their jamming sessions.
After Albert passed away, Nellie moved into the Golden Age Apartments at the High Prairie Manor. She enjoyed her time spent there with her life-long friend and sister-in-law, "Bud" Fjeld. She spent many hours playing Scrabble,
Yahtzee and crossword puzzles with Bud or with her grandchildren when they dropped by. Nellie enjoyed taking small trips, usually with Bud, on the old familiar Greyhound bus, which to them was a great adventure.
She leaves to mourn 10 children and their spouses: Judy (Arne), Bev (John), Ron (Beatrice), Dennis (Valerie), Doug (Mae), Elda (Charlie), Carmen (Velda), Reg (Cindy), Lyle (Charlotte), and Rob (Tina). She also leaves 28 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren.
Nellie was predeceased by: her husband, Albert, in 1987; son Garnet, in 1974, at the age of 21; and by Clifford and Norma, in infancy.
A funeral service was held on Oct. 30 at St. Mark's Anglican Church with Rev. Roy Dickson officiating. Pallbearers were her sons, Dennis, Doug, Carmen, Reg, Lyle and Rob. Honourary pallbearers were her son, Rob, and friends Paul Dupuis and Doug Dupuis. The eulogist was Mae Fjeld and the organist Anna Stokes. Interment followed in the High Prairie and District Cemetery.
Though Nellie has left us, we want her to rest in peace and for her to know she won't be forgotten.