Velma (Elsie) Szmutko
July 22, 1944
As published in the January 16, 2017 World-Spectator
Velma (Elsie) was born July 22, 1944 to Wilhelm and Frieda Hoffman in Humboldt, Saskatchewan. She was sixth in the family with her siblings Bill, Irvin, Elfrieda, Paula, and Edward. Her younger sister Betty came along two and a half years later to complete their family.
Elsie spent her early years on the farm in Middle Lake, Sask. As a young girl her family moved to Moosomin, Sask. She attended school in Moosomin and graduated from Moosomin High School in 1963.
She married her love, Elais Szmutko on August 10, 1963, and they settled on a farm south of Moosomin, where they resided until they moved to B.C. in the spring of 2006.
On April 22, 1965, they were blessed with the birth of their son Richard. Three years later they welcomed Rhonda on April 21, 1968, and Denise on May 29, 1969.
Elsie kept busy raising children and working at the Moosomin Hospital as a Nursing Aide from 1976 to 1990. She had a passion for nursing and once her children finished high school she went to school to obtain her nursing degree in 1990. Elsie worked as a Registered Nurse until her retirement in 2006.
Throughout the years she was very involved with her home church, Moosomin Baptist Church, co-ordinating the Pioneer Girls program, 12 years as the church secretary, provided leadership in women’s ministries for the Western Baptist Union and deaconess. Elsie had a passion for church ministries and connecting with people.
Elsie’s first priority was her family, making sure they were loved and well cared for. She equally enjoyed spending time with her extended family and helped to organize many family get-togethers and reunions.
Elsie enjoyed crafts of many kinds from artex, ceramics, cake decorating, sewing, toile painting, scrap booking, quilting, and making cards. She shared these interests with her family and numerous friends.
Elsie cherished becoming a grandmother to Katia in 1999, Luke and Jordan (2001), Allie (2003), Jed (2006) and Tatum (2008).
Elsie is survived by her loving husband, Elais, her son Richard (Becky) their children (Luke, Allie, Jed and Tatum), her daughter Rhonda (Darren), daughter Denise (Shawn) their children (Katia and Jordan), her siblings Elfi, Paula, Ed (Mary), and Betty (Jim), numerous nieces and nephews, and extended family. She was predeceased by her parents Wilhelm and Freida, brothers Bill and Irvin, and brother in-law Jim.
She was deeply loved and will be missed by her family and many friends.
We are thankful to God for blessing us with her love and her life.
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