Juliette Lilja

Celebration of Life

Thursday July 17, 2014

2:00 p.m.

St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Wadena

Juliette Lilja passed away peacefully at Pleasant View Care Home in Wadena with her daughter by her side on July 10, 2014. Juliette was born June 3, 1915, in Greenbush, Minnesota, U.S.A., to Inga (Holmberg) and Per John Hokanson. She was the seventh of 12 children, six boys and six girls. They moved to Wadena area when she was two years of age. She stayed home to help her mom for most of the time, receiving her grade 10 at Tiger Lily School. In 1941 she married Carl Lilja and they lived in Calgary for five years. During this time two children were born, Dennis in 1943 and Dianne in 1945. They returned to Saskatchewan in 1946 and bought the Lilja home place west of Hendon where they farmed and resided until Carl had a stroke in 1985. Following this Carl and Juliette moved to Provost, Alta., where Juliette cared for Carl until their move back to Wadena in 1990. At this time Carl was in Pleasant View Care Home (PVCH) and Juliette moved into Spruce Manor. She really enjoyed living in Spruce Manor and took part in many activities (cards, bingo, exercises, visiting) and was concerned about and often checked in on other residents to make sure all was well. She was such a caring person who never worried about herself. She resided there until March 2014 when she became a resident of Pleasant View where she was comfortable and well looked after, never complaining. In her younger years, Juliette belonged to and was very active in the Co-op Guild, Ladies' Aide, and Community Club; later, the seniors' club. Both she and Carl enjoyed dancing and joined the pattern dancing. She was baptized and confirmed into the Lutheran faith and was an active member of the Hendon Scandia Lutheran Church and later the St. Paul's Lutheran Church in Wadena. Over the years many enjoyable trips were taken to California, Disneyland, Vancouver and Victoria. On her 80th birthday Dennis and Linda took her to Vancouver and Victoria. It was such a memorable trip for her. The past 10 years she was always packed and ready to go with Dianne to visit the family in Gillam and Dauphin, Man., Calgary, Provost, or wherever those grandchildren were. Of course, she always brought tarts, buns and cupcakes and Rice Krispie cake for all to enjoy. One trip she didn't bring the Rice Krispie cake so great-grandson Carl promptly asked, "How do you make it?" and she supervised while he mixed it up. Carl and Juliette worked very hard on the farm but always had time for family, especially the grandchildren. Her greatest joy was having the grandchildren at the farm. Juliette loved her family and she was always there for you. She was a caring, happy lady with a great sense of humour, a very loyal friend to all and never complained about anything. Juliette was predeceased by her husband Carl in 1994; son-in-law Neil McMartin in 2000; brothers, Ragnar, Gilbert, Albert, Lloyd, Walter and Victor; sisters, Lillie, Clara, Signe, Minnie and Evelyn; parents, Inga in 1961 and Per John Hokanson in 1932. She leaves to cherish her memory son Dennis and Linda Lilja, Calgary; daughter Dianne McMartin, Wadena; grandchildren, Corrine (Rodger) Goodman, Douglas McMartin, Provost, Alta.; Carleen (Shawn) Elliott, Dauphin, Man.; Jennifer (Vince) O'Gorman, Calgary; step-grandchildren, Scott (Tracey) Holdsworth, Kevin (Tracey) Holdsworth; great-grandchildren, Joshua (Carla) Goodman, Alex (Jonathon) Goodman, Carl and Katherine Goodman, Provost, Alta., Kaydence and Madison Elliott, Caleb and McKenna O'Gorman; step-great-grandchildren, Corey and Logan Holdsworth, Jessica, Sara, Allie, Cassie Trachuk, Calgary; great-great-granddaughter Tori Goodman, and many nieces and nephews. Juliette will be sadly missed not only by her family but also by her friends, neighbours and the community she was so much a part of.