Annie Wardhaugh

Annie Wardhaugh

October 28, 1941 – November 16, 2021

Ann passed away peacefully in the early hours of Tuesday, November 16^th.  Diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in May, she bravely fought to stay with us, accepting chemo and its side effects.  Her main concern was that we, her family, would be well after she was gone.

Ann was born to Alexander and Annie Douglas in Paisley, Scotland in October, 1941, the middle of WWII.  She was the youngest of six children.  Her eldest brother, Alec, was serving in North Africa when she was born.  In those difficult years after the war she had to leave school at the age of 14 and work.

Ann met Robert Wardhaugh while on holiday at Arbroath in 1959.  He was from Ashington, Northumberland in England, 150 miles from Paisley.  They traveled back and forth and met several times half-way in Edinburgh, Scotland.  Ann moved to England and worked in an electronics factory when Bob went to teachers’ college in Durham in 1960.  They got engaged as the train crossed the Border Bridge at Berwick-on-Tweed and married in 1962.  Bob started teaching in 1963, and their first child, Michele, was born in Morpeth, Northumberland in 1964.

Struggling to make ends meet, they decided to emigrate to Saskatchewan, Canada in August, 1966.  There was a lot of sadness as she left family and friends in England and Scotland with Bob and two year old Michele. 

Ann was very quick to make friends wherever she found herself.  They first lived in Redvers and established friendships which have endured.  Robert was born in 1967 in Redvers Hospital.  In 1968 after a summer in the UK, they moved to Watson.  In 1969 they moved to Ridgedale where Ann continued to make lasting friendships.  Annette was born in Tisdale in 1971.

The need to be close to the University of Saskatchewan found them moving south to Borden near Saskatoon.  Ann found some part time work at Borden Hospital, and soon formed some very special friendships, but still missed her family and friends in England and Scotland.  Moira was born in 1978.

Ann volunteered at Borden School as an aide in the resource room and later found work at Eagle Creek and Sunnydale Hutterite Colonies.  Her grown up students still remember her fondly.  In 1999, Ann left her job at the Colony to go with Bob on another adventure, this time to Cormorant, Manitoba, 60 miles northeast of The Pas where Ann’s support was again an essential part of Bob’s teaching career.  Ann was very proud of her children who all went into careers in education.  Bob says that, despite all that their kids have achieved, Ann was still the best teacher of the family.  Ann and Bob returned to Borden and retired in 2002.

Ann was highly skilled at knitting and spent hours in creating outfits for young family members.  Although shy in playing before audiences, she was also skilled with the Irish drum and enjoyed Celtic music.  Ann was a hardworking member of the Borden’s Lions for 20 years, and was an important member of the catering committee.

Ann and Bob have eight grandchildren (Pamela, Tara, Emma, Danielle, Brenna, Lexi, Claire, and Spencer) and three great-grandchildren (Haddie, Holden, and Zoey) who will miss her dearly.  She was a lady with infinite capacity for love for family and friends.  She demonstrated this love with her concern for all of us in so many ways.

Ann’s family would like to thank the staff of the Palliative Care Unit at St. Paul’s Hospital for the wonderful care and kindness they showed Ann and her family during her stay there.  In lieu of flowers, we would ask that donations be made to St. Paul’s Hospital Foundation.

A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 at 1:00 pm at the Borden Community Centre, 301 1st Ave, Borden, SK.

Arrangements entrusted to Dalmeny Funeral Home 306-254-2022.