Diane Hewitt

It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved Diane Hewitt.  It is our comfort that she is at peace.

Diane was born in Everton, SK on September 12, 1943.  She grew up the second youngest of nine children.  They were a close family and she learned a strong work ethic on the farm.  She attended nursing college in Regina, graduating in the spring of 1964 and married Robert (Bob) Hewitt on October 10, 1964.  She was devoted to caring for others in her almost 40 year career as a Registered Nurse in Rose Valley and Tisdale.  Bob and Diane raised their children on the farm near Archerwill, SK and spent the latter years of their retirement in Saskatoon.  Diane’s grandchildren were her pride and joy and she never missed an opportunity to spend time with them.

Diane will be dearly missed by her friends and family.  She is survived by her son Gerry (Anna Dawn) Hewitt; daughter Janine (Billy) Maruschak; four grandchildren Dylan and Ryan Maruschak and Madison and Lindsay Hewitt; four sisters Alice (Allan) Black, Irene Evans (Gary Chute), Joey (Bert) Moores and Loraine (Orv) Burak; two brothers Arnie (Jenny) Schweitzer and Erwin (Betty) Schweitzer; sister-in-law Corinne Friesen, brothers-in-law Jim Hewitt, Marvin Sather, Thom (Stella) Hewitt, and numerous nieces and nephews.  She is predeceased by her husband Robert Hewitt, parents Frank and Rose Schweitzer, brother and sister-in-law Bill (Arda) Schweitzer, sister and brother-in-law Evelyn (Merle) Turnquist, brothers-in-law Bob Evans, William Hewitt and Bill Friesen, and sister-in-law Sandi Sather.

A Career as a Registered Nurse

Diane was an amazing, compassionate nurse to everyone she cared for in her almost 40 year career.

She was a quiet, well-respected leader that never stopped learning and had a special love for obstetrical nursing in Tisdale. She was present for many deliveries in the area and even delivered a few on her own because the physicians would tell her, “We knew you could handle it!”  She loved to teach, mentor and share her knowledge of nursing and orientated many new nurses to the hospital. Outside of work it was a rare day that someone in the neighbourhood did not call her for some medical advice or assistance. She never shied away from helping someone.

A Mother and a Farm Wife

In addition to her career she was dedicated to her family.  Gerry and Janine were kept busy with school activities and sports as well as plenty of chores and a good measure of unsupervised time that helped build character.  Family was important and Diane ensured we attended and hosted many family events.  She was a second mom to many friends and cousins and there were often more than just two kids at the farm.  Diane also helped with the farming.  She could drive farm machinery and herd cows as good as anyone and together with Bob they built a comfortable home and successful farming operation.

The Best Years as a Grandmother

Diane was present at the birth of 3 out of her 4 grandchildren.  Janine and Anna Dawn both knew if anything was to go wrong Diane would know what to do. Her gift to the grandchildren was the gift of time. Diane ensured that their childhood was fun and full of learning, because after all they were all smarter than anyone else’s grandchildren! They built snow forts, sang songs, played on her most updated computer- with learning games only, crafts, baking and watching classic movies in her bed. She taught the grandchildren how to drink coffee as a preschooler (“It can’t hurt”), run in the mud barefoot every spring (don’t ask your mother first), and pick berries so well there was not a pink one left! She always took every opportunity to have her 4 grandchildren together and it’s because of her they remain close today.

A Life Well-Lived

Diane always spoke fondly of growing up on the farm with lots of siblings and hardworking parents.

It was in her early years she learned the value of hard work, the importance of family, the love of farming (especially harvest) and love for animals that she carried on to her children and grandchildren.

She was an avid gardener and loved to cook. The Hewitt farm was always a welcoming place to gather for family and friends. It was because of Diane’s warm, welcoming nature that family visited annually for many years.

She was known as an early adopter of all the new technology. She had one of the first microwaves, first Apple computers and one of the first disc players. We are sure she could have wrote her own microwave cookbook!

Bob and Diane loved baseball and travelling. They traveled with family and friends to Hawaii, Florida, California, and Australia. They had many fond memories of their travels.

The family wants to acknowledge and thank everyone who took the time to visit Diane in her last years struggling with dementia. Although it may have felt futile to visit sometimes, we knew deep down her spark and soul was still present.  Sometimes she would smile or wink, make a smart remark or give us a look we recognized as part of who she was at one time.  Many times her caregivers and the many visitors to the care home, some we barely knew, would comment on what a kind and gentle soul she was to everyone.