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It is with heavy hearts and a deep sadness that we announce the passing of Evelyn Holstine on January 2, 2022.
Evelyn was born to Amanda and Leonard Frost on a bright August 29th day of 1937 in Regina, Saskatchewan. Amanda and Leonard emigrated from Germany and raised Evelyn as an independent, loving, only child. She continued to make her parents proud by completing her education which included attending secretarial school, which set her up for an amazing career in the Oil and Gas Industry in Calgary.
Evelyn embarked on a journey to Calgary, Alberta with her good friend Violet Grieg and she quickly made Calgary her home. There she built a strong community of friends and found her faith in the Lutheran Church committing herself as a member since 1958.
She began her career with Hudson Bay Oil and Gas as an Executive Assistant to the President. Subsequently through mergers—she became an HR Advisor for Dome Petroleum, and Amoco Corporation. Evelyn was highly regarded for her ability to effectively communicate and her organizational skills.
Evelyn enjoyed social outings and experiences, meeting her first love, Harold McBean through mutual friends at the “Tall Club”. Harold and Evelyn courted for a short time, pledged their love to each other very easily, spending many a night twirling each other around on the community ‘square dance’ floor. The couples’ love was short lived as Harold predeceased Evelyn a scant seven years after their marriage in 1962.
In her grief, Evelyn turned to travelling with her church group as a way to manage her sadness. On the way to Japan, Evelyn stopped in Honolulu and happened upon William (Bill) Holstine, an American working in the Marshall Islands in the South Pacific. Bill and Evelyn embarked on a loving courtship where, over the next four years of sending notes and cassette tapes through the postal service while dating from afar, before Bill finally moved to Calgary and asked Evelyn to be his bride in 1974. The ecstatic couple wed in Edmonton in a very quaint ceremony with close friends. Over the course of their marriage, they bought and lived in two different homes in Calgary before building and settling in their dream home in the Coach Hill area. Bill passed away in 1983 and Evelyn remained in this loving home for almost 40 years.
Evelyn’s passion for travel continued as she pocketed experiences from many different countries all over the world. She found the Orient her favourite destination and traveled across the international date line several times to experience the culture, people, and sites of Asia.
She made many of these trips with her treasured friend Vonda Krawczyk where these two young at heart souls enjoyed the vista’s, and adventures together like sisters. She continued to be an avid gardener, passionate about taking care of her yard, which included annuals, perennials, and a small vegetable garden. She shared eagerly with friends and neighbours.
Evelyn had a very busy social calendar. Her faith and strengthening connections with friends gave her such joy and purpose. You would often find Evelyn giving back to her community with a kind and generous spirit by being an active chaperone to friends and congregation members for various appointments and hospital visits.
For over 65 years of friendship with the many generations of the Bosman family who eagerly adopted Evelyn into this family fold, she participated in many holiday dinners, birthday and significant milestone celebrations with laughter and devotion
Evelyn will be missed by all who were lucky enough to witness and experience her graceful presence. Her loving memories will forever bring smiles to our faces and live in our hearts.
Funeral Service will be held at First Lutheran Church on Wednesday, January 5, 2021 at 2:00pm. Graveside Service to follow at Queen’s Park Cemetery.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of (Deara) Evelyn Holstine, please visit our floral store.