January 19, 1918 - November 18, 2019
Lilley Matilde Hamula (Berg) died peacefully in her apartment at Crest View Village in Creston BC on Nov. 18, 2019 at 101 years of age. She was fourth of five surviving children born on the farm near Tofield Alberta on Jan. 19, 1918 to Robert and Kari Berg.
Norwegian was Lil's first language until she attended the local one room school. Life on the
farm in those days was primitive by our standards - transportation was horse drawn buggy or sleigh and there was no electricity or indoor plumbing. She was a teenager during the depression when times were very difficult for prairie farm families. Lil excelled as a student. After finishing high school at Camrose Lutheran College she attended the University of Alberta, graduating in 1939 with a Bachelor of Arts in Languages majoring in Latin and French. After graduating she taught at several different places in Alberta, meeting her husband-to-be Allan Hamula when she was teaching school at Calmar. They were married in 1949 and eventually moved to Calgary where the girls Susan and Gail were born.
Lil was a stay at home mom and accomplished homemaker - family, friends, and strangers were always welcomed and nourished.
Al and Lil moved to the farm west of Blackfalds in 1971 where they put their new home on a
bare quarter of land. She was an avid gardener and within a few years the farm was a beautiful setting of flower and vegetable gardens, shrubs and trees (and grass for Al to mow). It was a place where family and friends loved to visit. In 2011 Al and Lil moved to Creston BC to be near Susan and Don.
Lil is survived by daughters Susan (Don) Low of Creston BC and Gail (Mike) McGlynn of Jackson Michigan, grandchildren Eric Low, Corey Low, Alison McGlynn, Kristen (Matt)
McQuillan, Joel McGlynn, Elizabeth McGlynn, great grand children Charles Mead, Brooks McQuillan and Lily McQuillan, and numerous nieces and nephews and their families.
She was pre-deceased by husband Al in 2014, brothers Arnold and Lloyd Berg and sisters Alice Berg and Ruby Lee.
We will miss her sweet nature, quiet intellect, wit, uncomplaining manner and determination. She loved learning, which included languages, books, cooking, crafts, music, card games and her beloved Toronto Blue Jays. She was a particularly accomplished knitter and embroiderer. She was a great friend to many and the expressions of love and condolences
we have experienced from so many towards her have been very touching. She loved her
family dearly and took special delight in her grandchildren and great grandchildren. We will
greatly miss her presence. As one friend put it: "the world will be a less interesting place with Lil gone".
We would like to thank the staff at Crest View Village and Creston Home Support who were so good to Lil. She was so appreciative of the care she received. We also especially thank Dr. Nerene Kleinhans who was so attentive to Lil's needs.
No service by request. Lil's ashes will be interred at Amisk Creek Lutheran Cemetery near Tofield Alberta.