Frances Mary Derkitt (Fran to most although in her later years she preferred to be known as Frances) was born on March 9, 1930 in Prelate, SK to Karl and Annie Osiowy whose families immigrated to Canada from Austria in 1897 and 1904 respectively. In 1930 Karl and Annie moved their family to Lemburg, SK. There they lived in an apartment above the local telephone exchange and undertakers, which her father Karl and older brother John operated until 1950. While Frances was in her teens, she along with her two older sisters took turns as operators on the local telephone exchange switchboard. In 1948, Frances enrolled in nursing school at the Regina Grey Nuns Hospital. After graduating in 1951 she worked at the Watson Hospital in northern SK until her marriage to Robert Edwin (Bob) Derkitt on July 1, 1952. Bob and Frances made their home in Regina SK where Bob was a city bus driver and Frances took time off from nursing for a time to raise 3 sons. In the mid 1970s the family moved to Red Deer, AB where Bob tried his hand at managing the local Ponderosa restaurant and then as the regional sales manager for CIP Midwest Papers. In 1981 the family returned to Regina where Frances returned to work part-time as a Ward Nurse at the Wascana Hospital and during which time Bob began a new career in real estate. In 1989 Bob and Frances both retired to Medicine Hat, AB and made many trips including the Maritimes, New York City, Hawaii and most frequently Las Vegas where they both enjoyed the weather and Bob especially enjoyed playing the slot machines. They moved one last time in 1999 to Calgary, AB to be closer to family.
Frances was a lifelong member of the Roman Catholic Church and attended service on most weekends. She enjoyed the simple things in life... baking, knitting and laundry! She loved listening to Andrea Bocelli's performance of La Boheme, (https://youtu.be/xEB5OHtEJx0) and she always tuned into Stewart Maclean on CBC each Saturday morning. One of her all time favorite memories was to meet and have dinner with Stewart Maclean before one of his live performances in Calgary. Frances was not much for clubs or games or sports, but if you turned up unannounced, you could sometimes find Hockey Night in Canada or a Saskatchewan Roughrider's football game on the TV in the kitchen. For a time in the early 2000s before she became too frail, Frances even took up and enjoyed tai-chi classes at the local community center. Frances was a kind, gentle and caring person and will be missed and remembered and loved by her family and all that had the fortune to know her.
Frances was predeceased by her late husband Bob who passed away in 2000 due to lung cancer. Frances was one of 9 children in her family and was the last surviving member of her 6 brothers Joe, John, Ed, Goerge, Jim and Tom and two sisters Pauline and Anne. Frances is survived by her three sons Robert James (Susan Peters), Timothy Joseph (Joan Bailey) and Mark Jason (Sandra Sweet); 2 grandchildren Rebeca Jayne and Reilly James along with many nieces, nephews.
Frances, (Mom, Auntie Fran, Gramma Kitkat) -- may your laundry always be clean and bright, may your cookies never burn, may your knitting never need ripping and may the Riders always win the game by kicking that last minute field goal!
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.southcalgaryfuneralcentre.ca for the Derkitt family.
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