Obituary of Regina Storbakken

Regina Clare Laura Storbakken was born on June 16, 1929 in Hardisty, Alberta to Robert and Mary McBride of Sedgewick. She attended Wheatland School, a little country school not far from their farm and later went to school in Sedgewick. In 1945 she married Roy Storbakken and they made their first home across the road from Roy's parents. It was known as the Askelson place and was located on the SW ¼ of 2-45-12. On November 23, 1945 their only child, Faye Marie, was born. In the summer of 1946 they decided to move the house into the yard of Roy's parents, Melvin and Gunda, which was on the NW ¼ of 35-44-12. Here Regina was a homemaker and a hard working farm wife, cooking and hauling meals to men and threshing crews, milking cows and feeding animals. Summers were spent picking berries and canning vegetables and fruit. In the winter, Roy would hook up his sleigh to the horses and he and Regina would take Faye and go visiting or coyote hunting. Hot stones kept Regina and Faye's feet warm. Regina also found time to do lots of sewing and patching and was an excellent seamstress. Daughter Faye had the privilege of wearing many dresses and coats to school, weddings and Christmas programs that were made by Regina. In the winter, Regina also spent a lot of time crocheting doilies and knitting. Many of the stitches were learned from Roy's mother. In 1956 Roy and Regina moved to SE ¼ of 28-44-12 where Regina's parents resided. Here she cared for her parents. Her mother was wheelchair bound after suffering several strokes and at that time there were no institutions for caring for the elderly. The work was difficult with no power or running water to start with, and there was lots of lifting and carrying. Regina was nothing short of an angel! In 1963, they sold their old house and built a new one on the farm. Roy continued to farm and Regina continued to garden and grow strawberries and saskatoons as well as can and freeze up a storm! During this time, Regina had the chance to travel to Ireland with her sisters and nieces where they saw the stone house her father had built. This was very exciting for her since she was the only McBride not born in Ireland. Regina and her husband, Roy, had the chance to travel together with friends and relatives visiting Disneyland, Mexico, and going on a Caribbean cruise. Also, she enjoyed camping and fishing at various lakes in the North, but Regina often mentioned the water was no friend of hers! Regina was also an avid floor curler and was so proud of two gold medals that her and her team won in provincial summer games. Regina loved to dance and through the years, she and Roy went to many school house, wedding, Halloween, and New Year's Eve dances. In fact, they met at a dance! In 1998, Regina and Roy built a new house in Sedgewick. Here, she continued to floor curl and dance. She especially enjoyed the afternoons in Kinsella at "Hicks in the Sticks". Fixing and hemming pants, inserting elastic in tablecloths and patching also kept her busy. Regina always looked forward to having family visit -- Granny's homemade buns and pearl tapioca were always a favorite! Regina was predeceased by her husband, Roy, in May of 2014. Her loneliness of not having a partner by her side was very hard for her to endure. After a short battle with cancer, Regina passed away peacefully in the Viking Hospital on Wednesday, August 12, 2015. She leaves to mourn daughter Faye and husband Arnold Lien, her three granddaughters and families: Cammie, Bob, Delanie and Kylie Allen; Carrie, Sheldon, Tanner [Alyssa], and Willow Frissell; Candace, Graham, Darian, and Clarissa Lewis, her sister-in-law Ruth Erikssen, brother-in-law Ralph [Ellenor] Storbakken, and numerous nieces, nephews and friends. A service will be held in her honor on Monday, August 24, 2015 at 2:00pm in the Sedgewick Community Hall. Memorial donations in memory of Regina may be made to the Alberta Cancer Foundation or Trinity Lutheran Church Cemetery Fund.