Helen Fehr

Helen Fehr

December 19, 1931 – August 2, 2021

It is with immense sadness that we announce the passing of our dear mom Helen Fehr, formerly of Vanscoy, SK, on August 2, 2021 of Alzheimer’s disease. She will be sadly missed and forever remembered by her children Donna (Tom) Hirst, Darlene Northcott, Dianne (Kevin Kilbride), Darrell (Shannon Nabe) and David (Sherri Lemaigre); nine grandchildren (Jennifer, Kristen, Robert (Lindsay), Scott, Ryan, Todd, Holly, Lindsey, Gerrad (Whitney), six great-grandchildren (Kyler (Katrina), Kyren, Kailyn, Dane, Kaelie, Cru) and one great-great-grandchild (Rodney). Helen is also survived by her sisters Phylis Rudolph, Pauline Schaedeli, Louise (Bill) Kaminsky, Leona (Don) Demyon, her brother Larry Balan, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Neil Fehr; her parents, John and Teena Balan; and brothers Pete, Billy, and Arnold.

Helen was born on December 19, 1931, in Strong Pine (north of Prince Albert). She and Neil met in Saskatoon while they both worked at Pepsi-Cola and married on November 5, 1955. In 1962 they started their life in the retail trade when they purchased Fehr’s Shop-Rite on 20th Street. In 1972, they bought Nutana Meats on Broadway Avenue, and together they worked to make theirs one of the most respected meat shops in Saskatoon. In 1982, they purchased Way-Out Inn at Candle Lake. Helen enjoyed her summers at Candle Lake, mostly because of the time she spent with her mom making pies and perogies for her hungry guests. In 1983, they moved Nutana Meats to their acreage by Vanscoy, and finally, in 2000, after 44 years of working side-by-side nearly every day of their 50 year marriage, Helen and Neil sold the business and retired.

Never one to sit idle for a moment, Helen’s most treasured time was in her garden and in her kitchen. Famous for her green thumb, she was renowned for her fabulous roses, geraniums and begonias, particularly after moving from the acreage to Vanscoy in 2003. She “cranked” tens of thousands of perogies during her lifetime, which her children and grandchildren were only too happy to enjoy. When not poking around in the dirt or dough, she could usually be found playing Kaiser or Shanghai rummy.

Helen was happiest when surrounded by her family. She boasted that her kids made her “the richest person in the world,” and often said she wished she had five more. Her grandchildren called her Grandma, and to her great-grandchildren she was Baba, which made her proudest of all.

Helen’s last years were spent with Alzheimer’s, which slowly robbed her of her memories and ability to stay in the present. She was seldom in anything other than a good mood, and freely shared her great sense of humour with her wonderful caregivers at Sunnyside Adventist Care Centre, where she lived for the last two years of her life.

The void her passing has left in our lives will never be filled. She will be forever missed and remembered.

The Funeral Service will be held at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, August 10, 2021 at Grace-Westminster United Church at 505 10th Street East, Saskatoon and will be streamed live through www.gracewest.ca. Interment will follow at Vanscoy Cemetery. Memorial donations in lieu of flowers may be made to Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, #301, 2550 – 13 Avenue, Regina, SK S4P 3X1 or www.alzheimer.ca/sk. Arrangements are in care of Dalmeny Funeral Home, 306-254-2022.