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Elsie Ellen “Biggie” Radloff and her twin sister, Ella, were born on November 25, 1925 in Ridgedale, SK to Joseph and Elsie Schmidt.
Her Dad had nicknames for all the kids when they were growing up. When Elsie and Ella were small, Elsie was the biggest, so he named her Biggie and Ella, her twin sister, became Dot. Interesting that after they had grown up, Dot was the tallest of the twins! Both of them as well as their brother and sister’s nicknames stuck with them for the rest of their lives.
Elsie was raised on a farm northwest of Ridgedale. During her school years she was a very active and accomplished softball player. Her athletic abilities even carried on after her school years with weekly bowling at the Tisdale Lanes and then a very competitive curler in many bonspiels during the winter months.
After Elsie had graduated from high school in Ridgedale, she attended Normal School in Saskatoon for one year to get her teaching diploma. After Normal School, she taught at the Oriole School southeast of Star City for one year. It was during this year that she met her future husband, Glen Radloff.
Glen and Elsie were married on August 7, 1946. They lived and raised their family, Warren, Wanda, Pam and Dwight on the Radloff Farm northwest of Star City. All of us kids have many fond memories of all the delicious meals that she cooked every day for Dad and the hired men at dinner time and then another complete meal for all of us at supper time every day after school. She had a huge garden to supply all her baking needs and she was able to use them all. Plus, our cold storage room in the basement was completely full of all the canned fruits, vegetables and jams that she made.
We always knew what day Mom was going to make bread because in the morning when we left for school the yeast sponge was already in the bowl rising. We loved coming in the door after school to the smell of freshly baked bread. Usually there were also cookies, cake or maybe even cinnamon buns. We still have the original bread recipe!
One thing we knew was not to walk on her freshly washed and waxed kitchen floor! We didn’t dare step one inch off the door mat while we were taking off our dirty shoes after school!
Mom was a very creative person, she must have been super busy every day while we were at school between meals knitting everything imaginable and sewing all our clothes. There was always something on the go all the time!
About when we were done school, she decided to go into Melfort and take painting classes. This started a whole new and accomplished talent in her life. From then on she spent hours and hours and hours painting. Her painting skills were incredible. A Doctor, who was a former student of hers at the Oriole School, came up from Regina to buy some paintings for his clinic and office. She had numerous paintings in Star City and Melfort on display. And of course, we as her family have numerous paintings to remind us of her exceptional talent!
They moved into a house in Star City when Glen was getting close to retirement from the farm and then later into a condo in Melfort. In 2006 they moved out to a condo in Edmonton, AB.
In 2015 Mom sold the condo and moved into an Allen Grey Assisted Living suite. She enjoyed her 8 years living there. Eating at the cafeteria, all the social activity, playing Bingo and the friends that she had made from the other suites.
In December 2023 she moved to The Sagebrush Optima Living facility in Wetaskiwin, AB. She needed more care than the Allen Grey could provide and it was closer and more convenient for Monty and Wanda to help out with her needs as they also live in Wetaskiwin. Elsie passed away on August 15, 2024.
Elsie was predeceased by her husband Glen in 2009 and her twin sister, Ella, in August 2021. Her granddaughter Darcie and grandson Colin. Her bothers Joseph Jr, Ralph and Earl and her sisters, Alice and Stella.
Part of Mom and Dad’s legacy is their extended family from their own 4 children, to 11 Grandchildren, 13 Great Grandchildren and 3 Great Great Grandchildren.
A Memorial will be planned sometime in early July 2025.
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November 25 1925
August 15 2024
Death notice for the town of: MELFORT, Province: Saskatchewan
death notice Elsie Biggie Radloff November 25 1925
August 15 2024
obituaries notice Elsie Biggie Radloff November 25 1925
August 15 2024
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Elsie Biggie Radloff November 25 1925
August 15 2024 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
