A partnership of 67 years was transformed in the early hours of Saturday May 03, 2014 with the death of the senior partner, Edwin (Ted) Weddell. Ted was born in Kelowna General Hospital, July 31, 1922, oldest son of Edwin (Bud) Weddell QC and Katherine Bliss.
Ted joined the army at the age of 17 and served overseas with the British Columbia Regiment (Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifles) for the five years of the Second World War with service primarily in Belgium and Holland. Ted returned to Kelowna in 1945 and completed his high school diploma at Kelowna Senior High School. It was here he met Betty Rutherford. The couple was married in December of 1947 at St. Michael’s and All Angels Church.
Ted obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree at Trinity College, Toronto University in 1951 and his teaching certificate at Vancouver Normal School after which he was hired by the Vancouver School Board and for some years taught at John Oliver High School. Ted was counsellor and Math teacher at Kam High from 1972 to 1982. Underpinned by his commitment to the Church, teaching became Ted’s lifelong profession with three of his six children following in his footsteps.
The couple has five children; Michael (Dianne), Murray (Carla), Sheila (Harald), Christopher, (Susan), and Geoffrey (Debbie). Eldest son Bruce died in infancy.
Ted found much pleasure and comfort in the love and respect of his grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great grandchild.
In retirement Ted devoted time and attention to Kamloops Lodge No. 10 as well as the completion of his memoirs, The Life of Ted.
Elizabeth Wengberg
Elizabeth passed suddenly, but peacefullly on July 1st, 2024, in Penticton, BC, at 88 years young.
Elizabeth was born March 10, 1936, in Red Deer, Alberta, the eldest of 6 children. She was raised on the family farm near Willowdale District southeast of Red Deer, Alberta.
In Elizabeth’s own words from her journal: “At that time, the county was desperate for teachers. So, as I wanted to become a teacher, I was offered an opportunity to go to Edmonton, attend the University of Alberta, graduate in April with a teaching certificate which allowed me to teach grades 1-9. It was called a Junior E program and was considered one year of a Bachelor of Education degree program. I paid no tuition, only a promise to teach for two years. I completed Junior E at the end of April and was offered a teaching position at Calder - a rural school - eight grades, 23 pupils - located east of Innisfail, AB. I started in May of 1955. I taught there until the end of June 1956 when the school closed. Calder school has been moved to Red Deer and is part of the Sunnybrook Farm Museum in Red Deer, Alberta.”
On June 30, 1956, Elizabeth married Hans Wengberg who had emigrated from Sweden in 1951 to live with his uncle, William Olson, who owned the farm across the road from Elizabeth’s family farm.
An efficient multitasker, Elizabeth juggled many tasks: household chores, sewing, knitting, planting a huge vegetable garden including strawberries and raspberries, raising and processing chickens, assisting with calving time, outdoor yard work, teaching school full time, raising three children, building a hockey rink in the front yard for her boys utilizing straw bales, having her daughter enjoy Girl Scout Brownies and 4-H, and participating in community events.
Elizabeth was determined to extend her education. Night classes were her only option. For several years, after organizing the family for the evening, Elizabeth drove on dark, wintery roads to take night class in Edmonton following a full day of teaching. Elizabeth finally earned her Bachelor of Education Degree from the University of Alberta in 1975 graduating with Distinction. Elizabeth never lost her love of teaching. Her career, which spanned close to 45 years, made an impact on countless students.
Elizabeth and Hans farmed for many years in Alberta before moving to British Columbia in 1980. She relocated to Kamloops, BC in 1994 and was instrumental in numerous volunteer endeavours with the Royal Inland Hospital Auxiliary Gift Shop, knitting baby blankets for the hospital pediatric ward, driving Cancer patients in the Cancer Society van to treatment, and ushering at the Sagebrush Theatre. Elizabeth enjoyed traveling and history and was able to enjoy cruises, European trips, bus trips and road trips. She even took up sketching.
In 2008 Elizabeth moved to Penticton, BC with her partner John Thomas and built a large home to host family and friends. Elizabeth enjoyed their home and she and John took walks along the lake with their favourite Dairy Queen treat! Her dedication to helping others continued in Penticton where she knit baby blankets for the Penticton Hospital. Elizabeth joined Eastern Star and became Worthy Matron of the Order of the Eastern Star, Edina Chapter No. 33 in 2013. She created her beloved Santa Store which made it possible for less fortunate grade schoolers of Queen’s Park Elementary School to buy Christmas gifts for their families at kid-friendly prices. To this day the annual Santa Store lives on.
Elizabeth’s talents were many and diverse. She could do anything she turned her hand or mind to. She tackled the creative process of knitting, without a pattern, hockey team logo blankets for her boys. In retirement, her greatest enjoyment was communicating with her family and friends. She never failed to text, phone and write a letter to keep in contact with those she cared about.
Elizabeth felt every voice counted, including her own, and continued advocating for what she felt was best for her community and country by writing letters to officials. Elizabeth felt very fortunate to be able to watch wildlife just outside her window. She especially enjoyed seeing mountain sheep on the cliffs above her home.
Elizabeth is finally reunited with her loving partner of 20 years, John Thomas, who was taken too soon September 26, 2016.
She is survived by her sisters Geraldine Shulhan of Nanaimo, BC, Linda Taylor (Ron) of Red Deer, AB; sister-in-law Shirley Hamilton of Red Deer, AB, sister-in-law Janet Reitmeier of Red Deer, AB; her three children Terry Wengberg (Carol) of Red Deer, AB, Lorry Wengberg (Tammy) of Lake Country, BC, Sonya Sims (Kelly) of Los Angeles, CA; her grandchildren Brina Wengberg of Edmonton, AB, Anelise Wengberg of Saskatoon, SK, Logan Hermus of Lacombe, AB, Brock Hermus of Victoria, BC; numerous extended family members, as well as her amazing neighbours and friends in Penticton.
Elizabeth was predeceased by her parents Isaac and Barbara Hamilton, her brother McGregor Hamilton and his wife Arlene; her brothers Lee Hamilton, Lloyd Hamilton and his son Randy, and brother-in-law Ron Shulhan.
