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Obituary ~ Erika Witt, 1927-2009
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Erika Witt was born in Stattin, Germany on Feb. 9, 1927, and passed away Nov. 13, 2009 at the age of 82 years.
She was the second child of Emil and Wanda Klein. Spread every 2 1/2 years apart came the three children, they were now a family of five children: Gunter, Erika, Joachim, Lisa and Bridgitte. As a young girl, Erika would spend many hours at her one special girlfriend’s house. She felt her house was too crowded with all those children. Growing up in Germany, she worked for a large pharmaceutical company, which distributed all the prescription drugs to the pharmacies.
In the spring of 1953, Erika decided to come to Canada, joining her brother Joachim in Edson. Her first home was working as a housekeeper for a doctor and his family. She left shortly thereafter to work in a butcher shop in Edmonton. While working there, she met Helmut Witt, a mink rancher from Faust, who made regular visits to Edmonton to attend fur auctions.
After a quick romance, they decided to marry in Faust. No water, no power, and lots of work, but she enjoyed her life as she settled down to be a mink rancher’s wife.
On April 12, 1956, their first son Rudy was born. Their second son, Bernie, was born Jan. 26, 1958.
Erika then concentrated on being a loving mother to her two boys and working on the mink ranch. She loved gardening and raised a big, beautiful garden. With all that bounty, came many fresh vegetables during summer and fall, and canned vegetables for the long winters ahead.
Along with all that work, she raised chickens and turkeys and made the most delicious meals. Bernie was quite the hunter as a young man supplying her with wild meat. She made the most tender moose meat, which Bernie still talks about to this day. Rudy still raves about her famous butter creme cake. Remember, this was all done without running water and power. She spoke many times about her being out feeding the mink one evening when she looked over to her little green house and all the lights were on. She finally had power. What a luxury!
Entertaining was common in that house. A proper table was set with a cloth tablecloth and her best dishes. Every event was celebrated with style. Looking through old photographs, it was amazing how many loving friends and family she could fit into that little house. But on every picture of her from that time, she had a huge smile on her face, enjoying every minute.
Erika loved music and dancing, which was done in that crowded house. Oh, what fun they must have had!
In the mink were sold and Erika moved into her first new home, complete with running water. She always said she never minded doing dishes after that, because she finally had hot running water.
The same year she returned to Germany and saw her family for the first time in 20 years. After that, many family members came from Germany to visit her in Faust, then continued on to British Columbia to visit her brother Joachim and sister-in-law Pauline, on Thetis Island. Happy weeks were spent there, relaxing and enjoying the scenery, and all the many animals that Joachim and Pauline had, including their budgie Shale, especially when Shale told Erika. “I love you!”
She thoroughly enjoyed the 12 years of being the librarian at the Faust School. While recovering from hip surgery in Edmonton, she relayed the story to Kami and Haley of how the little children would greet her by saying, “Hello, Mrs. Witt.”
And how those same students who are now adults, still say to her, “Hello, Mrs. Witt.” She was very proud of that!
The Faust RCMP called upon her to a matron at the Faust jail. Being a neighbour of the RCMP and working there occasionally, she became friends with those members. She spoke very fondly of one in particular known as Big John.
At home she spent many hours doing crafts. For awhile she did rug hooking, and knitting the most beautiful sweaters that each one of her granddaughters, Kristina Marie, Melanie and Kami and two great-grandchildren, Austin and Haley, have received. More family members have received her knitted slippers and hats.
She was a lifetime member of the Faust Royal Purple. Many days and evenings were spent stitching exceptional plastic canvas, making Royal Purple hand bags with their signature purple pansy. Her goal was to make sure every Faust Royal Purple member received one of those bags. I am sure every member was appreciative of the time and effort that went lovingly into those bags.
Erika’s garden got smaller, but she always had houseplants. She grew beautiful African violets and her Christmas cactus was huge and bloomed continually, not just at Christmas.
Erika enjoyed bowling and was very competitive in that, receiving many awards. She went to Kinuso to the seniors club and participated in floor curling and when they only played cards she always went along to help with lunch and to visit. Many of her knitting and plastic canvas projects and her baking were donated for various functions. Lucky was the person who received her butter creme cake or her famous mandarin orange cheesecake!
Due to her failing health she moved to the Pleasantview Lodge, leaving her home in Faust after 50 years. She was now leaving friends and her home to ever a completely different living arrangement: communal living! It was hard for someone to adapt to when you are a private person.
But Erika persevered and joined in the many functions. She went on bus trips, berry picking, chocolate making and cross stitching the hand-made quilts that were later raffled.
With her love of music she joined the Red Hatters singing group, even getting to ride on the Pleasantview Lodge float as a Red Hatter in the High Prairie Elks Pro Rodeo Parade.
At the lodge she never missed morning exercise and enjoyed playing Bocce ball. She had her own flower garden, which she lovingly looked after and was very proud of.
Erika is survived by: son Roy Witt; son Bernie (Elke) Witt; granddaughters Kristina Marie Witt, Melanie Witt and Kami (Mark) Brulotte; great-grandchildren Austin and Haley Brulotte; brother Joachim (Pauline) Klein; sister Lisa Habdas in Germany; and numerous nieces and nephews.
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