Elisabeth Gehmacher
Mother, great-grandmother, numbers lover, eternal optimist. Born on June 8, 1920, in Neukirch-Hoehe, East Prussia; died on April 9, 2014, in Calgary, of a stroke, aged 93.
"Possessions are a burden." Our mother loved to pass on this nugget of wisdom to members of the family. Perhaps it stemmed from her difficult years as a refugee during the Second World War. But the war had another, happier impact: Had she not been driven from her home by the conflict, she would not have met our father.
Elisabeth Margarete Hensel, a Lutheran from East Prussia, and Franz Xavier Gehmacher, a Roman Catholic from a village in the Bavarian Alps, met in Freising, a town near Munich, and married there in 1947. They met serendipitously in a restaurant, but it was their love of dancing that drew them together. Numerous photos show their pleasure in dancing, at home, and at family events such as weddings.
Life in Freising was agreeable for the couple and their two young daughters. Elisabeth's parents, who had escaped the Russian invasion of East Prussia, lived nearby and doted on the girls. But Germany was still struggling in the aftermath of the war years, and Elisabeth and Franz were concerned about their children's future.
In 1952 they decided to immigrate to Canada. Franz arrived first, in Toronto, and worked hard to send money for his family's passage. Six months later, Elisabeth and the girls sailed on the SS Columbia, landing in Quebec City and then taking the train to Toronto. Proficient in English, Elisabeth acted as interpreter for many of her fellow immigrants on the train.
Two more daughters had been welcomed by the time Elisabeth and Franz bought their first house in Mississauga, the first of seven homes in Ontario and two in Alberta. Franz's career path brought about the many moves, and Elisabeth always coped well with them. They designed and built three of their homes, a labour of love, but she often lost sleep devising floor plans.
Elisabeth stayed at home when the girls were young, and resumed her career in office administration at the age of 41. Worried about ageism, she lied about her age at her first job interview, claiming she was 38. The "mistake" was not rectified until she applied for her old age pension.
In her final position as accountant for a baby-goods manufacturer, her meticulousness and empathy were valued by both management and the immigrant workers on the assembly lines. One evening at home, Elisabeth received the single call allowed an employee who was about to be deported. Among our mother's correspondence, we found a letter of thanks for her sympathetic ear.
Elisabeth died two months shy of her 94th birthday, with loved ones by her side. Her longevity was a testament to her optimism, adherence to naturopathic practices, and devotion to "pelvic tilt" exercises. Until the end, she was still managing her home and dispensing advice to her husband, four daughters, five granddaughters and three great-grandchildren, as well as solving crossword puzzles, defending the Harper government, chatting with neighbours in her signature Tilley hat, and dancing up a storm.
Evelyn Gehmacher, Cordelia Hare, Doris Gunnell and Arlene Gehmacher are Elisabeth's daughters.