Laura (Pauls) Pahlke

Laura Pahlke was born August 4, 1933 to Jake and Elsie Pauls in a mud house on the homestead near Demaine, SK. She was the middle child of 3 girls. Her family did not have a lot of worldly possessions but Laura had a happy childhood finding her own entertainment.  She loved the outdoors and doing chores on the farm. Laura received her Grade 1-8 education in Demaine. In 1947-48 she attended Herbert Bible School where she took her Grade 9.  In Fall of 1952 Laura attended Bethany Bible School where she met her future husband, Albert Pahlke. In December of 1952 she contracted Polio. She was very sick and nearly died and had some long-term effects from the illness. She went home to Demaine/Lucky Lake for a time and returned to Bible School for a couple of weeks in the Fall of 1953, but left to go to nursing school in Winnipeg at the Manitoba Technical School.  Her practicum was in Winkler and Brandon. Her career as a nurse was short as she married Albert Pahlke on June 19, 1955 in Demaine.  They first lived in the town of Pierceland and then moved to the Deer Haven District where they farmed for many years. The farm had an existing log house which they lived in until they built a new house in 1969 in the same yard. They raised five girls and one boy.  Laura was a very busy wife and mother.  She cooked delicious meals and bake many wonderful desserts. She would get up early to make breakfast, bake cookies and pack lunches. She had a green thumb and grew a big garden which included vegetables and flowers.  In Summer she would pick berries and apples and would spend many hours canning and processing fruit, meat and vegetables to feed her family. She knitted and sewed clothes for the family.  She raising chickens, and pigs, and did chores like bottle feeding calves, feeding chop, milking cows, hauling bales and managing cows during calving and branding season.  She helped with processing meat during hunting season.  She did many things to make money like skinning beavers, fish processing in the fish plant, working as a census taker and selling Bosch machines.  She managed the family farm records, taxes and finances.  She kept busy driving kids to and from school activities, sports, day camp, and extra curricular activities. She was very involved in church functions, making food for church events, teaching Sunday School, attending ladies’ prayer group, bible study, choir practice, and she enjoyed singing hymns and playing the piano.  She funded many missionaries over the years. Laura was a gentle loving mother. She was a positive person. She did not complain much even though she had many challenging times.  Her unwavering faith in God sustained her through many hardships. It was very important to her to raise her children in the Christian faith.  She will be remembered for her perseverance, generosity and kindness. Laura lived on the farm for most of her life.  Her last years of care were in the Cold Lake Long Term Care until her passing on January 9, 2022.

She was predeceased by her parents Jacob and Elsie (nee Dueck) Pauls and her husband Albert Pahlke.

She is survived by her children: Bernice (Orlin) Flanders, Vicky (Leon) Green, Irma Boehler (Mike Heath), Rosalie Brown (Mike Fleming), David (Brandy-Lyn) Pahlke, and Judy (Chris) Wolfe; grandchildren: Dez, Dustin, Devin Boehler, Harley (Kathlene), Daylene, Alaska and Caymen Pahlke; and great-grandchildren: Hudson, Dayton Pahlke and Lucy Boehler. Also, left to morn are her two sisters:  Verna Pauls and Hulda Kuffner and many nieces and nephews.

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