January 23, 1931 - December 31, 2024
In loving memory ~
Rose Flegel (nee Getzlaf) was born on January 23, 1931 on a farm outside of Avonlea Saskatchewan, the youngest of nine children of Alexander and Pauline Getzlaf.
As a youngster, Rose's mother Pauline Getzlaf taught her and her brothers (Tony and Pete Getzlaf) how to play bridge. She carried that love of playing cards nearly right to the end of her life. In 1950, she married John Flegel (deceased in 2011), after which they set up a farm outside of Claybank, Saskatchewan and went onto to have 8 children (Jan, Dan, Ben, Tim, Mary, Helen, Phil, and Lisa), 17 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.
In addition to farming and raising children, Rose served as secretary and treasurer at Claybank's St Joseph's Parish for a number of years. She was famous for her marvelous baking, (all her grandchildren would agree that grandma Rose's doughnuts were the best). Her assertive sense of humour, and her utterances such as "you are the fightingest kids in Canada, many hands make light work, and that's the Christmas spirit".
In 1984, John and Rose moved to Wynndel, BC where Rose continued to pursue her love of competition by being an active player at weekly bridge games in Creston, playing other card games with her extended family, defeating numerous grandchildren at the board game Pente, and occasionally winning at Scrabble. Win or lose, Rose loved the mental challenge of games. She even guessed correctly the word 'audio' on a first try on the New York Times Wordle website.
In 2014, she moved to the town of Creston, BC, where she continued to be a huge Saskatchewan Roughrider football fan which is almost mandatory for those born and raised in Saskatchewan. Rose was an active member of the Holy Cross Parish in Creston where she was part of the Catholic Women's league for many years. Rose passed away in in the Creston Valley hospital on December 31, 2024.
Funeral services will be held in spring while her ashes will be interred at a later time in the family plot in Claybank, Saskatchewan. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Soup Kitchen (Holy Cross Church Creston) or the Refugee Society, Creston, BC.