Ella Evelyn Shiels was born October 29, 1934, in Valleyview, Alberta. She was the daughter of Gunnar and Ester Persson. Ella went to boarding school in Red Deer, Alberta when she was 15 years old.
At the age of 16 she worked in a hospital as a care aide. Ella married Harold Shiels on October 8, 1955, in Prince George, BC. They had their first-born son, Dwight Harold Shiels in 1957. They moved to Saskatchewan to live. In 1962 a second son was born, Ralph Kenneth Shiels, and a third child along in 1965, a girl Judy Ella Derenowski.
Ella worked alongside Harold on the farm and had several jobs throughout her life. She worked in camps as a cook, head housekeeper in a nursing home, worked in a hatchery and had several different jobs at Greenwater Provincial Park.
Ella and Harold divorced and years later she met a life partner Fred Oberg. They resided in Wadena, Saskatchewan for 20 years. After some health issues Fred passed away and Ella moved to Drumheller to be near her daughter which is where she lived until her passing on May 29, 2023, at the age of 88 years.
Ella leaves to cherish her memory, her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, nieces and nephews.
Ella will be cremated, and a private family service will be held in Saskatchewan at a later date. Courtney-Winter’s Funeral Homes are in care of the arrangements.