Ella Hildegard Knipfel/Hughes

Ella Hildegard Knipfel/Hughes beloved wife of Stanley Hughes and Harold R. Knipfel passed away in Drumheller on January 30, 2021 at the age of 91 years.

Ella was born at Nisku, Alberta on March 8, 1929.  She was one of ten siblings to Frederick and Emma Haupt.  The family lived on a farm at Craig, which was just west of Markerville.  Ella met her first love Harold (Nip) while waitressing in Ponoka.  In November 1949 the couple welcomed their first child, Carol Ann.  The family ended up in the Drumheller Valley. 

In 1958 Ella started working at Jimmie’s Grocery’s (where the Pioneer Trail is today), then at the Co-op Grocery.  In 1978 Ella started her own ceramics shop.  To this day many people have ceramics they made in Ella’s classes.

In 1989 Ella’s husband Nip passed away after 41 wonderful years of marriage.  In 1994 Ella met up with an old friend Stanley and they wed on Valentine’s Day 1995 until he passed in 2019.

Ella was predeceased by her husband Nip, her second husband Stanley, her father and mother Frederick & Emma, brothers Gerald, Herman, Elmer, Chuck, George, sisters Frieda, and Hedvig.

Ella leaves to cherish her memory, daughter Carol (Clifford) McLean, granddaughters Justine (Brian) Finlay, Kathleen (Danny) Hayes, Heidi McLean, five great grandchildren, sister Erna Mantai, brother Walter Haupt.

There will be a spring interment at a later date.  If friends so desire, memorial donations may be made to Drumheller Women’s Hospital Auxilary, 351-9th Street N.W., Drumheller, Alberta, T0J 0Y1.  Courtney-Winter’s Funeral Homes are in care of the arrangements.

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