ELSIE LASHA EWASCHUK, born November 29, 1935 to William & Katherine Ewaschuk, in Vegreville Alberta and was the youngest of five children. Elsie was born 5 years after her closest sibling
Peter, this made her the obvious baby of the family and stories read that she was extremely spoiled and insisted on getting her way, as she once proclaimed “I always thought of myself as a daddy’s girl” because if Mom was having a bad day and found my wants and needs to be a little irritating, my Dad would always come to my rescue. Elsie grew up and attended grade school in Vegreville and loved to read, learning everything she could, which eventually led to her desire to travel the world.
After getting her high school diploma Elsie moved to Calgary to further her education in Nursing. After Graduating with a Nursing degree in 1955 she decided to broaden her horizon’s and set off for greener pastures but obviously not warmer ones, as she ended up in Whitehorse, Yukon in 1956. It was there Elsie met Lloyd Vamplew and married in 1958, after a year of marriage it was time to start a family. Sheldon was born in1961 and Spencer followed 4 years later in 1965. In April, 1969 the family moved to Grande Prairie, Alberta and then to Dawson Creek in 1971 where they settled down and built a home. While helping to take care of the family Elsie kept her self-busy working at a Northern Airline, Government agencies and also nursing at the
Dawson Creek and District Hospital. She was also very active with the Royal Purple and headed up numerous fund raisers for various local charities.
In November 1981 Elsie moved to Sydney, Australia, it was there that she met Stan Hill, whom she married in 1983. Elsie and Stan spent the next 13 years living in Australia and traveling around the country and the world seeing sites she said at times would take her breath away. In 1997 after the sudden passing of her husband Stan, Elsie thought it would be better to move back to Canada where she resided in Kelowna for next 9 years; Elsie enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of her close friends and relatives while being very involved in the Anglican Church and heading up many functions and fundraiser’s.
Elsie’s passions always leaned towards education, her favorite TV program was Jeopardy, she was involved in a scrabble and crib club, and usually winning the majority of the time. She spent many long hours writing and taking writing classes wanting to eventually do her own Autobiography, which I am very sad to say was unable to finish. In 2007 Elsie moved to Calgary to be closer to her family and start to slow down in her life. She always loved to be around lots of people.
Elsie was predeceased by her husband Stan, parents William and Katherine, and stepfather Nick Uhrynchuk, brothers Mike and Peter, sister Elizabeth Killick and brother in law John Pasheka.
She is survived by her loving family, Sheldon (Rhoda) and Spencer (Pam) Vamplew; Four grandchildren and three step-grandchildren, sister Olga Pasheka and sister-in-law Angie Ewaschuk also numerous nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Elsie passed away peacefully on December 18, 2013 in Calgary, Alberta at the age of 78 years.
Bergeron Funeral Services & Crematorium Ltd.