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Thora Wiggens |
Thora Wiggens lived in our midst for more than seventy years, at all times being a leader - setting goals for us to follow.
Thora Gloslee was born in 1916 and was one of a family of eight. The family had moved from Davidson to Prince Albert to Christopher Lake, where on July 10, 1935 she married a farmer, Obert Wiggens.
In 1935 Louise arrived, followed by Joyce in 1938. Pat came in 1942, with Carol completing the family in 1948.
Some of us here will recall there was no electrical power in rural communities. Running water meant a river close by. This family in order to survive, like other families, kept milk cows, chickens for eggs, pigs for the salt pork barrel and a garden with enough potatoes and carrots to last until next July.
These four, girls with no brothers, learned the art and the necessity of doing all these things, as well as getting a good education.
By the year 1940, Thora became a member of the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool Committee. This was ten to twenty years before other communities even thought of having a woman of a Pool Committee. Meetings were usually held in a Diesel smelling office.
In 1940 Thora and Obert helped to start the Prince Albert Co-op. Later in life Thora became involved as an In-Service Director of the Co-op. She was a school trustee for the Christopher Lake school, a member and organizer for the CCF and a constant campaigner for hospitalization and later medicare.
Thora is believed to be the first Saskatchewan woman to be elected to the Farmers Union executive.
Thora was very active in church, but also in politics. She ran as a CCF candidate against John Diefenbaker in 1958. She also served on both the provincial and federal councils of the NDP.
In 1962 she became a founding member of the Prince Albert Co-op Health Centre. In 1967 the Wiggens family moved from the Spruce Home farm to Prince Albert. At this time, her daughter Carol was an independent 19 year old.
Thora started working as a volunteer at the Co-op Health Centre. She spent five years on the board of directors, and at that time started taking a correspondence course, which led to a degree in social work.
From 1979 to 1984 Thora worked as Program Development Officer for the Co-op Health Centre.
She founded the Senior Volunteers which are still in existence, the Pop Group and other groups dedicated to keeping senior people healthy and active.
She became Chairperson of the Council for Aging which has promoted numerous programs such as Senior Housing, Hard of Hearing meetings and Meals on Wheels.
In 1991, at the age of 75, Thora obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Work.
In 1994 she received a Certificate of Merit award from the Saskatchewan Department of Co-operatives. There were several awards, far too numerous to mention.
One of the jobs which was getting beyond here strength, but she was reluctant to give up was Meals on Wheels. Those short visits with those less fortunate speared her on.
Throughout her very busy life she had time to lovingly care for her family of four married daughters, 12 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.
She has written poetry, composed songs, and was a member of the Watsonaires, as well as a curler and club supporter.
The church work, the health community work and the community involvement were a God given force that constantly propelled her forward. She truly affected the lives of all of us in this room, and of people who have never heard her name. May we thank God for the life and work of this woman in our our lives.
Adapted from the eulogy given by Ralph Hjerataas.
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