Remembering Pat Helen Langford
October 23, 1924 ~ April 21, 2013 Patricia was the fifth out of six children born to Peter and Helena Rosgen on October 23, 1924. Mom passed away peacefully on April 21, 2013 at the Continuing Care Facility, surrounded by family, at the age of 88.
Mom attended nursing school in Calgary, but was unable to complete her studies due to family illness.
She married Herman Kuysters on her 22nd birthday on October 22, 1946. While married to Herman, they travelled with his work in the oilfield business to numerous communities in Alberta. Upon his passing in May, 1961, mom returned to Drumheller with four children ranging in ages from 7years to 9 months of age. We spent many days at grandma and grandpa's farm while mom planted and reaped bountiful garden produce. Barb and Marilyn remember themselves, Hermine and Grandma Rosgen shelling bushels of peas and dumping the pods over the fence to Uncle Tom's sheep. Mom would then bring home the peas and work into the night freezing vegetables.
Mom raised us four children on her own in a 12x40 ft mobile home until June 1965 when she married Leonard Langford and moved to the house down the road.
Mom worked out of the house as a clerk at the auction market in Drumheller. She later worked at Mel's Shoe store, and in 1969 took a position at Drumheller Associated Physicians Clinic so she could be home with us kids on Saturdays. She worked at the clinic until her retirement in 1984. Every May long weekend saw the whole family out planting the garden. Mom and dad's garden was well known for the huge tomatoes, cauliflower, cabbage, and potatoes. Mom spent time canning, freezing, making jelly and of course using the Rosgen recipe for making sauerkraut. She used the home made grater from Grandma Rosgen, that was so sharp it really was more like a guillotine. Gardening continued when the grandchildren came along, but they didn't think the work was much fun.
Mom was proud of all four children attending post secondary education and lots of collect phone calls to home were made Sunday evening. When we came home for the weekend, all our favorite foods were on the menu and we always returned to the city with a care package. In those days, snail mail was the only other way of keeping in touch and a letter from home was often waiting in the mailbox.
Retirement years were spent with Ed and Ruby and the coffee crowd at Yavis' restaurant. There were trips to Three Hills to visit the Rosgen clan there. Trips to Munson to the homestead resulted in an evening of entertainment with Uncle Tom at the organ telling his latest jokes. And of course, much time was spent visiting her kids and grandkids. She would have a big smilewhen Melissa brought her great-grandson Tate to visit.
After dad's heart attack in 1998, mom entered the Nursing Home where she lived for 15 years. She met and befriended many residents, often helping them out and inviting them to the evening coffee parties. Continuing care staff commented on mom's ability to remember everything and how she spent time each day journaling. They referred to her as the matriarch as she tried to keep tabs on everyone and the activities of the rec department. One of the girls even said mom would call her at home to say the bunny escaped the hutch and she was worried about it....just like she worried about us.
Mom's sparkle was a little less bright after dad's passing in 2010. She missed his daily visits. Her health had been failing since then and now we know they are "Together Again".
