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OWENS
Arrena Ann Owens was born at Westcott on December 12, 1909. Her parents were Jess and Elizabeth Tuggle. They had moved to the Didsbury area and settled on a farm west and south of town. There they farmed the land and worked for Ed Klinck's family while raising three daughters and one son. Arrena, the oldest, grew up knowing how to milk cows, mow hay, work hard and do more than your share. After graduating from high school, she went to the Camrose Normal School to become a teacher. It was while teaching at Rugby that she met her future husband Wilfred Brown Owens. He and his brothers had purchased a farm west of Carstairs, so the couple were married in Innisfail July 11, 1931 and moved into a wooden granary situated along the Dog Pound Creek on the north quarter of this farm. Later that year, this structure was dragged to where the family home now sits. They spent years planting, trimming and mowing to create a beautiful yard. Here they raised a family of five children Carroll, Peggy, Janice, Bobby and Joan. Arrena worked in a world of no running water or electricity and water for the household was hauled from the Beaver Dam Creek and power was kerosene lamps. She was an excellent cook and Wilfred was always asking friends in for a meal so she had to be creative with not much to work with. In the fifties and sixties, she taught school at Jackson School and Sunny Slope School. People came from miles around to see the Christmas concerts she and the children organized. Arrena's hobby was crocheting; over the years, she created many lacy doilies and at least six full sized tablecloths. After her husband died in May 1984, with the help of her family an auction sale was organized at the farm and she then moved to a new little house in Carstairs just west of the United Church. She lived here happily going for walks in the park with Peggy and her friends. At this little house, everyone was welcomed and always served coffee and good stuff. Arrena was a wonderful mother who gave her family a lasting example to follow. In June 2006, as her health was becoming more frail and after much talk with the family, she decided to move to the Mount View Lodge in Olds. Here she gradually settled in making new friends with the staff and residents. During the almost four years here, the caregivers were amazing helping her in any way they could. After a brief illness, she passed away at the Olds Hospital February 6, 2010 at the age of one hundred years and two months. Arrena was predeceased by her husband Wilfred Brown Owens, her parents Jess and Elizabeth Tuggle, her daughter Janice Loraine Luft, granddaughters Dani Lee Benn, son Bobby Owens, grandson Dallas Luft and great-grandson Trevor Baker. She will be lovingly remembered by her three daughters Carroll (Vic) Johnson, Peggy (Trevor) Moody, Joan (Allan) Wilson; son-in-law Don Luft; eleven grandchildren, twenty great-grandchildren and one great-great-granddaughter. Arrena's family wish to pay tribute to the special people at the Olds Hospital, Home Care, Mount View Lodge and Dr. Turner for the constant gentle care they gave our Mom. Funeral services were held on Thursday February 11, 2010 at the Carstairs-Bancroft United Church with reverend Bryan Derksen officiating. Interment followed at the Carstairs Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made directly to the Carstairs-Bancroft United Church or Mount View Lodge. Heartland Funeral Services Ltd, Olds entrusted with arrangements.403-507-8610 www.heartlandfuneralservices.com