Elsie Christine Knoll

With profound sadness, the family of Elsie Knoll announce her passing at the age of 103 at Royal University Hospital in Saskatoon.

She was born to Swedish immigrant parents, Per and Sara Nylander, on the family farm near Prince, SK. Her father passed away in 1930 when she was 10. Six years later, her mother married Jack Bolin.

In 1939, she attended Normal School in Saskatoon to become a teacher. She taught school in a number of one-room country school houses before joining the Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II, serving in Victoria, BC, as an Operations Clerk plotting planes and ships on the Pacific Ocean. After being discharged she returned to teaching, then met and married Peter Knoll in 1946. They lived in Red Deer Hill, Lepine, and Fairy Glen, then moved to Landis, SK, in 1951. She had stopped teaching to start the family. In 1954, she contracted tuberculosis and had to spend 8 months in the Sanitorium in Saskatoon. She returned to teaching grade 5 in Landis in 1966. Both Elsie and Peter retired in 1982, and the following year moved to an acreage near North Battleford to be closer to her mother.

Family was the most important thing to her. She not only raised her own children but also helped with nieces Kathy and Carol, and watched over her cousin Esther. Great memories were made with the family every summer at the cabin at Cochin, along with so many friends, especially the Archdekins and the Karolats. She loved playing cards in the evening, especially with her grandchildren. At 103, she still played Cribbage and usually won! She was an avid supporter of her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Well into her 90’s she still went to hockey rinks.

She enjoyed travelling and saw much of Canada. She also went to Sweden, Yukon, California, Hawaii, Mexico, and at age 90 went to New York City with her daughters Linda and Sandi.

She was predeceased by her husband Peter, parents Per Nylander and Sara Bolin, stepfather Jack Bolin, siblings Olaf, Edna, John, Ruth, and Betty, and all of her in-laws.

She is survived by her four children Les (Pam), Linda (Garry Neumeier), Ron, and Sandi (Grant Craig); 8 grandchildren and 16 great grandchildren: Jared Knoll (Bunmi Adekunle); Brad (Tara) Neumeier, their children Tyler, Kaelyn, Brett, Michael, & Matthew; Scott (Carla) Neumeier, their children Hannah & Blake; Kurt (Lyndsay) Neumeier, their children Brielle, Graydon, Taylor & Brynley; Jessi (Jeff Trout) and their daughter Chloe; Orin Bellavance and his daughter Scarlett; Nolan Bellavance; Devon (Katrina) Bellavance and their children Evie, Blair & Maxine.

The family thanks the wonderful staff and residents at Luther Intermediate Care Home and the medical staff at RUH for their limitless care, compassion, and support.

A Celebration of Life will be held Friday, September 15, 2023, at 2:30 p.m. at Mourning Glory - Acadia McKague’s Funeral Chapel, 915 Acadia Drive, Saskatoon, with Pastor Heather Anderson officiating. Livestreaming will be available at https://youtube.com/live/DYii-rQBSAg?feature=share and for later viewing. Interment will take place Saturday, September 16, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at the North Battleford City Cemetery with Pastor Sheldon Gattinger presiding.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Luther Care Foundation https://www.luthercare.com.

Funeral arrangements are entrusted to Aimé Laventure.