Theresa Mary (Hagel) Lakness

Theresa Mary Lakness of Nokomis, Saskatchewan passed away at Coronation Health Center on Monday, March 9, 2020 at the age of 79 years. Theresa was born to Emmanuel and Lillian Hagel on December 16, 1940. Theresa is the second oldest of five children, George, Leonard, Dorothy, and John. Theresa was born on the home quarter in the Allan District. She attended Lime Stone Hill School. Theresa often told stories to her family about how she disliked riding the horses or taking the cutter to school. Theresa was working as a house keeper where she met the love of her life, Bernard Lakness. Theresa and Bernie were married July 16, 1960 in Duval, Saskatchewan. They were married for 51 years. They had six children, Bertha (Russel-deceased), Hilda (Kevin), Alan (Rosanne), Keith (Brenda), Lisa (Donald), and Pauline (Rob) and 22 grandchildren, 25 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great-grandchildren. They enjoyed spending their time fishing, farming, playing cards, and raising their family. Theresa enjoyed telling Bernie how to make the rows for the potatoes in her prized garden, and probably grew enough cucumbers for three families. Throughout her life, Theresa has worked as a cook at several restaurants within Nokomis and at the Nokomis Hospital. Theresa volunteered in the local Girl Guides, as a member on the Nokomis Library Board, Social Coordinator for Hiawatha Homes, and at the Senior Center. Within recent years, Theresa enjoyed spending time with her family and playing cards with her friends. She can be remembered by her children and grandchildren for her time spent in her garden and in the yard. Some past times of Theresa were baking, knitting, crocheting, and upholstery. A story which her children remember was when she lost the diamond from her engagement ring when scaling fish. Theresa searched through the scales of the fish to find her diamond. Theresa spotted her diamond very quickly; she put the diamond in a bag to keep safely in her jewelry box. As a surprise on their 25th anniversary, her children got her rings fixed. You could not get anything past Theresa; she immediately recognized her wedding rings were missing. Bernie came to save the day as usual. Bernie had been known to run interference for his children. Some of our families’ favorite memories of Theresa are the two weeks spent at Last Mountain Lake every year. Pauline can remember being concerned about mom being sick however Theresa had too much alcohol with Dad, Uncle George and Aunt Dorothy. The children can remember rising early in the morning to go fishing at Last Mountain Lake. Some of her grandchildren’s memories are her standing at the bottom on her steps yelling “get to bed; I better not have to come up there” or “don’t slide down the banister”.  She was a great baker also, especially at Christmas, her chocolate covered marshmallow cookies were the best!  Another memory the children and grandchildren have is searching in the deepfreeze looking for fudge or finding her other baking hidden throughout the house. At this time we are going to be feeling the loss and emptiness that her death is bringing upon us. The thing is we know that she did not like big celebrations but we felt it was important to share her life with all her family and friends. Theresa often told her children and grandchildren how important and proud they were to her. She loved the visits however she also enjoyed the quiet house after. Theresa is predeceased by her husband, Bernard; her parents, Emmanuel and Lillian; her brothers, George and Leonard; her sister, Dorothy; and her niece, Sherry. Theresa was also predeceased by her in-laws, George and Bertine, Dagmar, Gladys, Alida, Carl, and Laverne.

Credit was provided by old man Johnny.