Edna Pauline Pollard

Edna passed away peacefully on Saturday, March 16, 2024, surrounded by family at the Southwood Hospice in Calgary, one day after her 93rd birthday. She was born to parents Otto and Bertha Dunz on March 15, 1931, in rural northern Saskatchewan. Her birth certificate states her place of birth as Section 4, Township 53, Range 17, West of the 3rd Meridian, Saskatchewan. It is near the former community of Speedwell.  

Edna was predeceased by her husband of 54 years, Lewis (Lew) Pollard in 2005, her eldest granddaughter Amy in 2020, her brother Wesley (Wes) in 1996, and her parents, Otto and Bertha. She is survived by seven of her eight siblings, Loretta (LeRoy, deceased), Betty (Bill), Al (Anna), Bob, Eileen, Jean, and Bill. She is also survived by her five children, Douglas Pollard (Brenda Pollard), Lynnda Pollard, Gregory Pollard (Melinda Nicodemus), Barry Pollard, and Carey Pollard; eleven grandchildren, Joshua Pollard (Lisa Pollard), Tyler Pollard (Noa Reich), Cody Pollard (Kourtney Fujita, fiancée), Taylor Bargholz (Griffin Bargholz), Michael Pollard, Kristi Pollard (Cody Maluorno), Nikolas Pollard (Madison Brewin-Spelrem), Ashley Pollard, Kelsi Bonnet (Pierus Bonnet), Kyle Pollard, and Haleigh Pollard-Wendlboe (Erik Wendelboe); and twelve great-grandchildren, Molly and Eleanor (Joshua and Lisa Pollard), Kristopher and Rowan (Cody Pollard), Nora (Taylor and Griffin Bargholz), Kinsley Pollard (Michael Pollard), Casey Maluorno (Kristi Pollard and Cody Maluorno), Leena Pollard (Nikolas Pollard and Madison Brewin-Spelrem), Addison and Cecillia Bonnet (Kelsi and Pierus Bonnet), and Sienna Wendelboe (Haleigh Pollard-Wendelboe and Erik Wendelboe). Tyler Pollard and his wife Noa Reich are expecting their first child in April of this year.

Edna grew up in rural northern Saskatchewan on the family farm. She attended a one-room school while living in the area. The family moved to Southern Alberta in the 1940’s, first in the Coaldale area and then settling in the Taber area. She met her future husband, Lew Pollard, shortly before they were married on Friday, July 13, 1951, in Taber. They moved throughout south and central Alberta with stops in Crossfield, Didsbury, Hinton and others, until again settling in Taber in 1958. At the time, there were four children; the fifth, Carey, arrived in late 1959.  During their time in Taber, Edna and Lew were active in the Taber Curling Club as well as the Knox United Church, volunteering countless hours to each organization. Edna and Lew moved to Calgary in 1972, when Lew changed jobs within the Alberta government. At that time, only the two youngest sons moved with them. Edna began working for Shipley Photo in the mid-1970s, before the age of digital cameras, when film required processing to produce pictures. After the two youngest children graduated from high school, Lew and Edna began travelling to Hawaii and continued to do so into the 1980’s. The eighties, nineties and two-thousands were marked by the marriage of the children and the arrival of grandchildren. Lew passed away suddenly in early October 2005 after a lengthy illness.

Edna and Lew bowled extensively, both five and ten pin, while he was well, some years several nights a week in leagues. In later years, she enjoyed watching curling on TV and was very knowledgeable about the game and its participants. Edna’s interests and hobbies included a passion for needlepoint artwork.  She completed numerous, complex, and beautiful works up into her eighties, when her eyesight began to fail slightly.  Travelling, dining out and going to the casino with her granddaughter Amy were some of Edna’s favourite things in her later years. She vacationed with Amy in Mexico and once in Panama.  She travelled up until about her 85th birthday when insurance costs, airports and flights became too onerous.

Edna and her son Carey lived together throughout the last years of Edna’s life in a house in Cedarbrae.  Edna remained independent right up to Christmas 2023 when she helped prepare a turkey dinner on Christmas Eve for the family gathering. Family gatherings, especially Christmas Eve, were always special occasions for Edna and the whole family.  Each year it seemed that the family grew larger, but no matter how big the family got, Christmas Eve was always celebrated at Edna’s house, whether it was in Lakeview, Prominence or Cederbrae. 

The family would very much like to express our gratitude to the staff of Unit 94 at the Rocky View General Hospital and the staff at the Southwood Hospice for the wonderful care Edna received while living out her last days.

At Edna’s request, there will be no service. A private gathering of friends and family will take place at a later date to honour her memory. Edna has been cremated and her ashes have been intermingled with her husband Lew’s at her request. The ashes will either be scattered at a suitable location, or the urn will be interned. This will be decided by the family at a later date.

Edna, you are much loved and will be greatly missed by all your family and those who knew you.

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