Obituary of Laura Audrey Larsen

Laura Audrey (Matters) Larsen

June 18, 1935 – November 3, 2024

With heavy hearts we announce that Laura passed away peacefully at the age of 89, at Regina Grace Hospice (William Booth) with loved ones by her side. She was predeceased by her husband of 64 years, Allen; daughter Brenda, and son-in law Bryan Merritt; parents, Art and Cora Matters; siblings, Lorraine Neilson, Lloyd Matters, Faye Friedrichsen and Fern Hillstead; parents-in-law, Thea and Sverre Larsen; brothers and sisters-in-law, Don Neilson, Peter Friedrichsen, Orville Skjerdal, Sharon and Garry Larsen, and both of Garry’s wives Evelyne and Evelyn, and Ken Johnson; nieces and nephews, Grant Friedrichsen, Linda Matters, Lorne Matters, and Kelly Mantler (nee Hillstead).  Left to cherish Laura’s memory are her daughter, Pam Larsen (Brian Sveinson); grandchildren, Chad Merritt, Alicia Ruiz (Ernie), Jill Sveinson and Katie Sveinson (Ryan Dejaegher); great-grandchildren, Juliette and Lilou Lindsay, and Cohen and Logan Ruiz; sister, Louvonne Skjerdal; sisters and brothers-in-law June Matters, Morris Hillstead, Dennis (Karen) Larsen and Wanda Johnson; maternal aunt, Nina Kaufmann; and longtime friends, Joan and Sherman Skreden. She is also remembered by numerous extended family members and friends for her honest sharing of her feelings, her willingness to help anyone, her kindness and her delightful sense of humour.

Laura was an incredibly strong person – physically, emotionally, and mentally - and her strength, strengthened others.  We were so very fortunate indeed, to have had her in our lives.

The family thanks Laura’s many friends and condo neighbours for the support they provided, especially in these past several years. And we’d like to thank the incredible and caring folk at Grace Hospice and Pasqua Hospital for being so kind in the last few weeks of Laura’s life. We are truly thankful to Dr. S. Karunakaran and Tracey, Dr. D. Mervitz and staff, Dr. E Oluma and staff at the Stapleford Clinic for the years of wonderful care and concern. 

At Laura’s request, there will be no funeral. In memory of Laura, donations would be appreciated to Regina Wascana Grace Hospice, 50 Angus Road, Regina, SK, S4R 8P6, or the Saskatchewan Branches of the Heart & Stroke Foundation or Kidney Foundation.

Laura Audrey Matters was born on June 18, 1935 to Arthur and Cora Matters at Goose Lake, SK  – about five miles North of Lake Alma, in her Grandpa Albert Matters’ small house on the farm. She was welcomed by brother Lloyd who was four, and sister Lorraine who was two. Later, her Uncle Teddy would nickname these three:  Bubba, Tot, and Baby. When Laura was four years old, the family moved to the Hank Lean farm and welcomed sister LouVonne who was born at the Radville Hospital.  The family moved to a different farm about two miles east of Lake Alma when Laura was seven. And the twins, Faye and Fern were born in Midale, when Laura was eight years old. So the family grew to one brother and five sisters. The house on this last family farm had to be moved to the North end of the farm, just off highway 18 to be closer to water for the family and farm animals.  Laura didn’t mind milking cows, but she sure didn’t like those chickens.

Laura went to school in Lake Alma, which was a cold walk on many of those winter days. She often wound up trading her warm mittens for sister Lorraine’s cold ones because Lorraine’s hands were so cold. No one knew about Lorraine’s heart condition at that time. In Grade 11, Laura moved into Lake Alma and lived with Allen’s Grandma Hilda and Grandpa Louis Skjerdal, to help Grandma Hilda with housework and laundry after school. She graduated from Lake Alma School with one other person – Lois Ann. 

Laura trained as a Psychiatric Nurse in Weyburn at the Saskatchewan Training School.  The Training School had about 1000 patients and she was part of its move to Moose Jaw, by railroad.  With the move, Laura transferred to the Saskatchewan Mental Hospital in Weyburn, where the patient population was about 2000.  There were a number of advances in mental health during those times and it was an exciting place to be.  Although she never completed her training, due to moves and starting a family, Laura was able to use what she learned in a number of her jobs and in her life experiences.

Laura became engaged to Allen Larsen on her 18^th birthday.  They were married in 1954 and lived in Weyburn initially. Allen worked for Coghill Electric with plans to become an electrician.  Daughter Brenda was born in Weyburn in 1956, and shortly after Allen found a job with Mobil Oil, so the family of three moved to Alida, SK.  They lived in a small trailer (smaller than the motor home and 5^th wheel they camped in later in life) in the Mobil Oil park.  Pam was born in Gainsborough, SK in 1958.

About five years later, the family moved to Carnduff, SK.  Laura worked at several places in Carnduff but mostly at the Nursing Home.  After a few years, Allen was transferred to Swift Current with Mobil Oil. There was a bit of an oil boom going on then so a lot of employees were transferred there.  So along with meeting new friends, longer term friends were living close by.  Laura and Allen lived in Swift Current for 12 years.  During that time, Allen finished his journeyman electrician ticket.  Laura worked at a few different jobs including at the halfway house (a group home for those with mental illnesses), the nursing home, and at a job she really loved - as an aide in the operating room at the Swift Current Union Hospital.  Brenda and Pam graduated high school in Swift Current with Brenda going on to become a secretary, and Pam, a nurse. 

After the girls left home, Allen accepted another transfer with Mobil Oil – this time to Lloydminster AB.  There, Laura worked in a furniture store at first then in a job she liked much better, at a drug store.  While in his early 50’s, Allen was diagnosed with heart problems which forced him to retire early.  Shortly after, Laura and Allen moved to Regina.  They lived briefly in an apartment then moved to their house on Merlin Crescent, where they met some terrific neighbours.  And in 2004, they moved into a brand new condo and were blessed again with wonderful neighbours. After moving to Regina, Laura worked part-time for a while at Fanny’s Fabrics.

Laura loved sports – especially softball and track and field.  As a young teen she played on the women’s ball team and even went to a Saskatchewan Provincial Track & Field competition.  There, for the first time ever, she threw a discus since after entering all the running events that she could, there was still another event to fill her card.  She had one practice throw, then, managed an extra half turn on her first competition try – and threw the discus behind the starting point instead of in front of it.  Although embarrassed at the time, she always laughed about it when she told the story later on in life.  And as a young mom in Alida, she played third base and really enjoyed it.  And in spite of being terrified of putting her head under water, Laura liked to water ski.  It was no easy feat to get her back into the boat after a mid-lake fall when she couldn’t let go of the top of the lifejacket as she craned her neck to keep her head out of the water.  When we’d ask her to give us her hands she’d say “No, I can’t - just pull me in”.  And she’d do it all again the next day.

Starting in Swift Current, Laura and Allen became avid campers.  Many a family holiday included packing up the tent trailer and heading out. So many wonderful memories were made this way.  After moving to Lloydminster, the tent trailer days were traded in for a motor home and a boat.  After moving to Regina, Allen and Laura joined Good Sam Camping Club where they met some wonderful friends and had many camping adventures.

Besides being a camper, Laura was always a sewer, a gardener, a canner of that garden harvest (and any fruit she could get her hands on), and a church volunteer. She painted and wallpapered and did house maintenance of any kind.  Some of her volunteer activities included participating in outreach feeding programs with Good Sams, sewing quilts, creating layettes, helping with funeral lunch coordination with the church, and at the condo, serving as a board member and booking the guest suite.

Another role that Laura excelled at was being a wonderful and caring wife – she looked after Allen for two years at the condo when he was unable to do so himself.  And she was an almost daily visitor to him during his last two years at the nursing home. 

As a mother, I (Pam) believe she had no equal – she always let my sister and me know she was there for anything we needed, that we could come to her with any problem, that she had our backs – no matter what.  She ‘mothered’ many of our childhood friends too and our home was always a safe and welcoming place for them. Laura embraced both sons-in-law -- my sister’s Bryan Merritt and my Brian Sveinson, as if they were her own. She extended this safety net to her grandchildren by blood and by marriage including – Chad, Alicia & Ernie, Jill, Katie & Ryan, and her great-grands – Juliette, Cohen, Lilou, and Logan.  She was not only a sister, but a friend to her siblings and siblings-in-law – even if she made them eat tomatoes when they didn’t like them as kids.  Laura valued her relationship with her sole surviving sister, LouVonne.  And she appreciated connections she kept with sisters-in-law June and Wanda and their families, and brothers-in-law Morris and Dennis and their families.   As an aunt, Laura welcomed nieces and nephews any time, and several of my cousins lived with her and Dad for a time.  Aunty Laura’s famous chocolate cake was a real thing in our family.  Thanks to nephew and godson Trevor for his numerous efforts to keep in contact.   As a niece to many, at her time of death, Mom had a single Aunt Nina with whom she kept connected.  And as a cousin, I know she appreciated being able to re-establish adult relationships with the Fladeland clan and Matters cousins in the USA.   Mom took being a friend seriously and worked at cultivating and maintaining friendships over the years – Joanie and Sherman Skreden have been part of that since Alida days for Joanie and Swift Current days for Sherman; and Monica and Bonnie Simpson since Alida.   Mom truly valued her friends, card playing buddies, and neighbours at the condo. A special thank you to Elsie Dean and Donna Daniels for the many things they did on a daily basis to make Mom’s life easier. And thanks to friend, Rita Turlock and cousin, Pat Leatherdale for the many phone visits. 

One role my Mom Laura didn’t plan for, but that she was amazing at, was that of being a “comforter”.  When you’ve lived to be 89 years old, you experience many wondrous and amazing things that make you happy and fill you with joy.  You also experience sadness and loss.  Personally, Mom faced numerous health challenges over the years that diminished her physical health – yet she persevered with grace and remained as independent as she could be.  Mom lost grandparents, parents, sisters and a brother, parents-in-law, aunts and uncles, cousins, brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews, and many friends. She lost her life partner Allen after 64 years of marriage.  She lost her son-in-law Bryan Merritt, who faced many health challenges with such dignity, a handful of months before her own death.  But perhaps the most difficult loss was that of daughter Brenda – who died in 1996, several months past her 40^th birthday, of an undiagnosed heart problem.  Throughout all these losses, Mom found the strength to comfort others who lost those same people, while dealing with the grief herself.  Her strength strengthened others.  It always has. And it will continue to do so.

So in your own way, I hope you take some time to celebrate this remarkable woman, Laura Audrey (Matters) Larsen, who I have had the great privilege and incredible good fortune of calling “Mom”.  I am so grateful to have had you in my life, Mom. Love you always!