Mary ‘Eleanor’ Bucholtz, of Vulcan, passed away peacefully in Calgary, AB on February 13, 2020 at the age of 91 years.
Mary Eleanor Bucholtz (nee Johnson) was born to Jim and Georgie Johnson on January 31, 1929 in the Red Cross Outpost Hospital in Bracken, Saskatchewan. Growing up as a child of the Depression, Eleanor lived in small towns across Southern Saskatchewan and Southern Alberta. Climax, Val Marie, Skiff, Wilson Siding, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Stirling and several boxcars were called home. The boxcars were temporary housing during the Depression, as her father worked for the CPR and any work, anywhere was the motto. As a young woman in Medicine Hat during the war, Eleanor recalled the German/Italian prisoner of war camp being larger than the City itself and chasing rattlesnakes on her bicycle, much to her mother’s chagrin.
Eleanor graduated from High School in Medicine Hat in 1946 and subsequently attended Normal School in Calgary, in what is now SAIT, graduating with a teaching certificate in 1948. Eleanor was a gifted math teacher and taught in Carmangay, Medicine Hat, on several Hutterite colonies in Southern Alberta and in Barrhead, where she met and married Norm Bucholtz in 1953. The newlyweds lived on the homestead at Barrhead briefly before moving to Lethbridge, where they welcomed two sons. First Glenn, in 1954, then Bill in 1957. In 1959, at the age of 30, Eleanor and family moved to Vulcan. In 1963, a third son, Jack was born. Eleanor continued to teach in Vulcan for many years, was an active member in the Lionettes Club, and spent many enjoyable hours working at the library.
The family spent many weekends camping and exploring the Alberta Foothills. Norm passed away in 1991, but Eleanor still traveled extensively, driving recreational vehicles all over Alberta and the Southern US. In her latter years, she wintered annually in Needles, California, where she volunteered in the local library and had many friends. Eleanor lived for 60 years in Vulcan, and loved the town.
She is survived by her three sons, Glenn (Karen), Bill (Lorraine) and Jack; five grandchildren, Ryan (Kim), Victoria, Jan-Marie (Jeff), Mike (Jocelyn), Tom (Adrienne) and five great grandchildren (William, Eric, Allison, Jasper and Anna).
At Eleanor’s request, no service will be held. The family would like to express our thanks to the Vulcan Hospital staff for their caring, professional staff. The family would also like to express our thanks to the staff at the Dulcina Hospice in Calgary for their wonderful care.
Arrangements in care of Vulcan Funeral Home. Telephone 1-403-485-2633. E-mail condolences through www.vulcanfuneralhome.ca.