Karen Maude Poulsen

Karen Poulsen passed away October 27 in Pincher Creek's Good Samaritan Vista Village. Mourning her loss is her son Ken Poulsen of Cowley, her sister Helen Taggart (99) of Brooks, her sister Isabel Hermanrude (95) of Edmonton, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Al Poulsen, her mother Annie Hermanrude (originally from England), her father Henry Hermanrude (originally from Norway), her brother Bill Hermanrude (Evansburg, AB), and her brother Ole Hermanrude (Salmon Arm, B.C.)

Mother was born and raised at the farm south of Evansburg (west of Edmonton),

was good at school, completed grade 8 and assisted the teacher with the younger students.

Mother left home at the age of 14 and worked as a housekeeper/babysitter for Dr. and Mrs. Chisholm; then as a housekeeper/nanny at the Coggins' farm at Brule.  After that she worked at the Athabasca Ranch as assistant cook and housekeeper.

She then stayed with the Porcupine Hills Ranger's wife (her friend Jesse Fru) over winter (east edge of the Waldron Ranch), then worked for Colonel and Mrs. Elton (north of Cowley) as a housekeeper and kept track of their two boys Eric and Jack.

Karen married Al Poulsen on June 6, 1943 and lived on the farm until about four years ago.   (Since then a cracked pelvis, and later a major stroke, forced her to Vista Village Old Folks Home.)

Mother helped with calving and feeding the cows while Al worked at a job in town six days a week.   In the early years she milked her jersey cow and sold the cream. Also sold a couple dozen eggs each week.  On occasion she tried fishing in the river.

She worked hard in her gardens and yard and won two 'Best Yard' awards given by the district agriculturalist. All the bushes and trees you see in her yard were planted by her since 1961.  She made jams, jellies, and canned fruit and saskatoons. She helped butcher and wrap up venison.

Karen enjoyed visiting with the neighbours and relatives, going to picnics, the Livingstone Ladies Club, and the United Church Ladies Club. For a couple decades she went bowling with the ladies.  She went to Norway with her sisters to visit old relatives and went on one cruise/trip up to Alaska.  She liked the dogs we had through the years: Crusoe, Bonnie, Bernie, Lisa, and Frisky.    She enjoyed the birds in the yard, watched the hummingbirds at the feeder, and the wild animals that passed through.

She read some history books, did quilting and sewing, and enjoyed jigsaw puzzles. In later years she enjoyed meeting friends at the Lundbreck Seniors Centre.

Karen, Al and her sisters liked to get together and play tile rummy and scrabble. 

She only watched Jeopardy, Wheel of Fortune, and the News.

Karen liked sunrises, sunsets, and rainbows.

A Memorial Service will be held on Saturday, November 9, 2019 at 1:00 p.m. at the Cowley Community Hall.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Livingstone Ladies Club (P.O. Box 187, Cowley, Alberta T0K 0P0) in memory of Karen.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Karen Maude Poulsen, please visit our floral store.