ELDER, Valerie

ELDER VALERIE IOLENE ELDER passed away peacefully, with her family at her side, on Wednesday, November 20, 2024 at the Chinook Regional Hospital, Lethbridge, AB. She was 81 years old.
Mom was predeceased by our dad, her loving husband Jerome (Jerry) Elder, in 2013. She also lost her beloved son Craig Elder in 2015. These losses were very hard for Mom, and she was never the same again. Mom was also predeceased by her parents, Carl and Bernice Kangas, her older brother, Warner Kangas, and Dad’s parents, Louis and Lena Elder, as well as numerous other family members and friends.
Mom is survived by her remaining children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Son, Kevin and Darilyn Elder and their family: Adam Elder and Katelyn deBoer; Chad and Ali Elder and their son, Toby; Drew and Keely Elder; Jennie and Robbie Lien and their children, Vyla, Xavier and Ellie; Maggie and Darcy Olshaski; Eva Gorny and Adam McDonald and their children, Allison and Lily.
Son, Kyle Elder and his family: Natasha and Trevor Molnar; Jordan Elder and Nash Epp; Hannah Toker and Cayden Rayner; JT Toker.
Daughter, Michelle Elder and Gary Ward and their family: Brittany Elder; Courtney and Jared Koch and their son, Levi.
Daughter of her heart, Twila Herbel.
Mom is also survived by her older sister, Loretta Reimer of Prince George, BC and her lifelong best friend, Lorna Erickson of Olds, AB, as well as numerous nieces and nephews, in-laws and friends. She will be greatly missed by her much-loved dogs, Trouble and Patches.
Mom grew up on the Kangas family farm outside of Granum, AB. She loved to reminisce about her early years and had a huge tie to the farm and the rural community. She often spoke of the antics that she, her siblings and friends got into. Once she got a driver’s license, she took a job at a paper company in Lethbridge, and there met her boss and future husband, Jerry, who nicknamed her “Cookie” in short order.
Mom and Dad were married on April 25, 1964 and welcomed their first son, Kevin, in 1965. Kevin was followed by Craig in 1966, Kyle in 1968 and Michelle in 1970. Life was busy with four little ones, but Mom managed it all, including being very involved in Boy Scouts and cooking for Cub Camps every summer. Boy Scouts was the place that Mom and Dad made many of their lifelong friends, and Mom loved to talk about these times.
When not at Cub Camp, Mom was passionate about packing up the family in the tiniest trailer and camping all over Alberta, BC and Saskatchewan. In addition to camping, Mom loved to go fishing and would head out in the wee hours of the morning to go fishing with whomever would accompany her. Another pursuit that Mom enjoyed was hand painting ceramics. She did beautiful work and we all have abundant evidence of her talents in our own homes.
Mom was a very welcoming person. She loved to have extra people around! From all of her kids’ childhood and teenage friends, to any family or extended family, and to the friends of her grandchildren, no one was ever turned away. It didn’t matter when you showed up at her house, in very short order, she would put a huge meal on the table, with enough food to feed the masses, including the trays of sweets for dessert. We miss her cooking and baking!
A Service of Remembrance will be held at CORNERSTONE FUNERAL HOME, 2825-32 St. S., Lethbridge, on Saturday, November 30th, at 12:00 P.M., with a reception to follow. Val will be laid to rest with her husband and son at a private interment.
In lieu of flowers, please make donations to whatever pet rescue or animal shelter that you feel would benefit from your kindness. Mom would have rescued ALL the dogs if it had been possible!

To send a condolence, please visit www.cornerstonefuneralhome.com