Elizabeth Schulz

Elizabeth (Betty) Schulz was born on July 15, 1929 in Greenland, Manitoba to Johann P. and Katharina (Quiring) Doerksen. At a very young age she moved with her parents to Saskatchewan, then Coaldale and then, as one of her earliest memories, finally moving to Gem, Alberta in her Uncle Peter Doerksen’s carriage-type covered buggy. Initially they moved into a “house” that had previously held cattle. Mom recalled walking with her mom into the prairie to the community trash dump where they would look for tin cans that may have some bacon fat or other fats in them to be made into soap for doing the laundry. They would also look for other things that could be recycled into something useful. They eventually lived on 3 different farms in Gem and Mom was often called on to help out with the farm work. One memory she had was being asked by her dad to drive the team of horses into town to the elevator after the harvest. She had been very nervous about it, but was relieved when one of the workers at the elevator took over when she arrived. The Doerksen family was very active in the Gem MB Church. Mom accepted the Lord Jesus as her personal Saviour and was baptized as a teenager. She demonstrated her strong faith throughout her life. Mom attended school in Gem from Grades 1 to 10. She got to school by horse drawn covered wagons with a pot belly heater in them. For Grade 11 she attended the Alberta Mennonite High School in Coaldale. During that year (1946) her parents and sisters moved to Chilliwack to Prairie Central Road and she came by train at the end of the school year. She then attended Sharon Mennonite Collegiate Institute in Yarrow for 1 year.

The following winter to spring she worked at Woodwards in Vancouver in the grocery mail order department, living at the Maidchenheim girl’s home and then with a friend in a single room in a shared rental house. In the spring and summer she was expected to come home to pick raspberries and hops (which she didn’t enjoy.) That winter she attended East Chilliwack Bible School. Since her parents were very strict, Mom’s courtship with the love of her life basically consisted of travelling back and forth in a car to choir practice at the church. Mom married David Schulz on June 25th, 1950 in the Broadway MB Church. They enjoyed a short but sweet two-night honeymoon in Bellingham and Seattle but had to be back by the third night so Dad could help with the chores and milking and Mom could pick berries at her parents’ place. Mom and Dad rented the farm from Dad’s parents for several years and later bought it. The early years on the farm were very tough years and Mom, no stranger to hard work, worked outside as much, or more than, inside.

By 1962 Mom and Dad had been blessed with 5 children: Ronald, Melvin, Janice, Stanley and Beverly. Although there wasn’t very much money for pleasure and “things,” the farm was a good place to raise the family. Mom was an excellent seamstress and her cooking and baking were always appreciated by her family, and the extra workers during haying and harvesting time. Her Saturday morning buns were legendary! Many miles were driven to music lessons in Abbotsford and nearer home, as well as going to band practices and school functions to foster an appreciation of music. Mom had a lovely alto voice and in her youth had often sung with her sisters Agnes and Tina.

During the ’50s Mom and Dad switched to the East Chilliwack MB Church because it started Sunday evening services later in the evening to accommodate the chores that had to be done on the farms. Mom taught Sunday School and Pioneer Clubs, and often helped in the kitchen. Dad and she were closely involved in helping a refugee family from Laos move to and get settled in Chilliwack during the ‘70s. Mom also canvassed the neighbourhood for Red Cross and later she volunteered at the MCC Thrift Store for many years. Throughout the years Mom and Dad continued to support many various ministries and missionaries.

Mom enjoyed travel. As a young couple with small children Dad and Mom would take time to go camping in summer, and try to visit family in Alberta and Vancouver as often as possible. As their family grew to five children they began holidaying each summer in Osoyoos and other areas of the Okanagan. A family trip to California was a highlight. Later on they bought a truck and camper and that opened up a whole new world of travel adventures for them. Along with Bill and Helen Baerg they traveled across Canada and to all corners of the lower 48 states. Dad and Mom also enjoyed a trip to Europe, as well as a number of cruises, but it was a Christian centered resort in Sky Valley, California that became an on-going destination for them. They enjoyed spending many winters in their park-model trailer there, making many good friends and enjoying the excellent church services and fellowship with believers of 29 different denominations. They were also very generous in sharing their trailer with family.

Mom and Dad moved off the farm in 1983 to Lake Dr. in Sardis for a year and then to Swallow Crescent on Little Mountain for 15 years where they spent many hours working on the beautiful flowerbeds in their backyard. It was also an ideal home to host their ever growing family. Mom enjoyed large family celebrations. She also spent much of her time then, and later on, creating beautiful needlepoint and counted cross-stitch pictures as well as crocheting blankets and knitting countless slippers and toques. In 1995 Mom had a stroke and maintaining the yard became difficult so they moved to a gated community on Hazel St. They enjoyed it there very much. In 2006 Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer but with surgery and medication she was cured. As Dad began to get dementia they moved to the Lynnwood Retirement residence. While there Dad suffered 2 strokes and a fall and because he needed more help than Mom could provide, in 2015 they moved to Agassiz; Dad in Glenwood full time care and Mom in assisted living in Logan Manor which was attached. Mom faithfully went to his side every morning and stayed until he was in bed asleep in the evening after they had evening devotions together. After Dad passed away in 2016 Mom got more involved in the activities at Logan Manor, enjoyed doing jigsaw puzzles and loved having visitors. She spent many hours praying for her family and especially enjoyed seeing the grandchildren and great grandchildren. She found the isolation of Covid-19 very challenging. She began to develop dementia and after a fall in July, 2024 was moved into full care at Glenwood. She found this move very difficult and confusing as her mental and physical abilities declined. Mom passed peacefully and went home to her Lord and Saviour on September 20, 2025 at the age of 96 years.

Elizabeth was predeceased by her husband of 66 years, David Schulz, her son, Melvin Schulz, her parents and all her siblings and their spouses.

She will be lovingly remembered by her Children - Ron (Lois) Schulz, (Mavis) Schulz, Janice (Ken) Braun, Stan (Marilyn) Schulz, Bev (Bob) Kroeker, 15 Grandchildren and 27 Great-Grandchildren.