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Martha was born to Gottlob and Martha Seybold in St. Gotthardt-Goeppingen near Stuttgart, Germany.
Her father was a small hold farmer, who had difficulty farming due to a leg injury sustained in the first world war. Her mother carried a heavy load in the farm and household responsibilities.
Martha had two siblings from her father’s first marriage. He remarried quickly after the death of his first wife. They had 4 more children.
Martha was the youngest of the six children and was born when her father was fifty four. She adored her father and often spoke of what a wonderful man he was, even after the onset of her dementia in 2017. He would often play hymns on his pump organ into the evening while she was busy at her sewing machine.
She grew up athletic and was very strong which was remarked even by the caregivers at the care home. She had a great love for her only brother Alfred who was 10 years older but died at the edge of Moscow in late 1941, at the furthest point of the German advance into Russia.
She remembers his kindness as he would lift her onto his bike and take her with him whenever he could. Martha apprenticed as a tailor at age 15 and could sew anything ; suits, underwear, bathing suits, wedding dresses and upholstery. She even made the first suit of her young future brother in law Joe for her own wedding to Rudy in 1950, which occurred after a very short courtship. They were married for sixty five years. They built a house together in St. Gotthardt and had three children (Elisabeth, Agathe, Rudy) before immigrating to Canada in 1959. She was reluctant to come to Canada. She then had three more children (Heidi, Anita, and Doris).
She lost her only son Rudy when he was 27 in a rafting accident in 1984 She currently has 21 grandchildren and 19+ great grandchildren with one on the way.
Martha and Rudy purchased land in Priddis in 1963. It was a forest that they had to bushwhack through in order to build a cabin. They moved into the ground floor of the main house in 1965, and later added the second floor. Martha and Rudy were extremely hard working and generally did most of their own excavating and construction. Between building, keeping cows, chickens etc etc, extensive gardens and raising children, she was very very busy. She had amazing gardens, and was an expert at weeding, harvesting, canning and storing for her family for the winter.
In the midst of all her hard work, war, relocation, loss, and the joys of living, the one constant was her faith in Jesus Christ. She loved church and she loved singing hymns to the Lord. She would pray in the night for her children and her grandchildren because it was a time of quiet and she was sometimes a poor sleeper. Her hospitality, meals, and baking were known by everyone, especially her caraway seed bread. Everything was made from scratch and soup with homemade stock was on the menu almost every day. Memories of those who pass away may gradually become dim but we do know this, her life is hidden in Christ, who does not forget.
Arrangements in care of Snodgrass Funeral Homes, Okotoks. Ph: 403-938-3111.
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November 14 1926
April 30 2023
Death notice for the town of: Okotoks, Province: Alberta
death notice Martha Schmidt November 14 1926
April 30 2023
obituaries notice Martha Schmidt November 14 1926
April 30 2023
We offer our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Martha Schmidt November 14 1926
April 30 2023 and hope that their memory may be a source of comfort during this difficult time. Your thoughts and kind words are greatly appreciated.
