Jean Halvorson

Jean Halvorson, age 96, passed away on September 28, 2017 at the Cypress Regional Hospital, Swift Current, SK, with her family at her side.

Jean Irene Halvorson was born on July 4, 1921 in the Hazlet District, SK to Mayer & Hilda Sannes. Jean grew up on the Sannes farm just north of Hazlet and attended the Pittville school — sometimes riding her horse or walking the almost three miles up hill to get there. After completing her schooling, she moved to Weyburn to work as a nurse’s assistant, which provided her with some scary stories to tell about her shifts at the mental hospital. She moved back to Cabri and worked as a nurse at the Cabri Hospital. During this time, she met Robert Haydon, and they married in 1944. Together they had three children— Sandra, in 1947, Gary, in 1949, and Basil, in 1953.

During her years of farming with Rob, she worked hard at planting trees and cooking meals, as well as helping in the field. Jean always had a big garden and did a lot of canning — she would walk meals over to Rob’s parents, and hauled water to every little fruit and evergreen tree she had planted around their yard. Jean was known for her homemade bread and cinnamon buns, which got eaten as fast as they came out of the oven by whomever happened to be there — neighbors, nephew, or grandchildren. Rob’s sister, Mavis, and her husband, Jose, visited from Texas every summer with their son, Peter. Along with all her other jobs, she always found time every day to play cards with them. Jean & Rob enjoyed square dancing, and started a club in Hazlet called “The Hoops and Boots.” During these outings, they made many lasting friends. Rob was a member of the Masonic Lodge, and Jean was a member of the Order of Eastern Star — she worked her way up to Worthy Matron.

After Jean and Rob separated, she married Wilf (Oliver) Halvorson in 1974. Wilf lived in Calgary, and this started a new adventure in her life with a whole new family. Even with these new responsibilities, Jean made it a point to come back to the family farm every spring seeding and harvest to help cook and take meals to the field for her boys. After Wilf passed away in 2003, Jean lived in Calgary until 2009, when she moved to Riverside Village Estates in Swift Current, and where she lived until she dislocated her hip in this past September.

Jean is survived by her children, Sandra (Larry) Assaly and Basil (Elaine) Haydon; her step-daughters, Sylvia (Richie) Carter, Eleanor (David) Cadman, Marilyn (Jack) Innes, and Kim (Chuck) Halvorson; her grandchildren, Michael, Adam (Tasi), and Thomas (Roberta) Haydon, Michele Assaly, and Dori (Mike) O’Callaghan; her great-grandchildren; Jacob and Cole O’Callaghan, Maxwell Assaly-Smith, Brodie-lynn and Houston Finlayson, Hudson Haydon, Addison Haydon, and Eric, Isabel, and Lucas Haydon; her sister-in-law, Liz Sannes; her niece, Leanne (Manny) Weisgerber; her nephew, Peter Escobar; and by many step-grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Jean was predeceased by her husband, Wilf Halvorson; her ex-husband, Robert Haydon; her son, Gary Haydon; her step-son, Cameron Halvorson; her parents, Mayer & Hilda Sannes; her brothers, Orville Sannes and Donald Sannes; her sister-in-law, Mavis (Jose) Escobar; and by many of her Aunts, Uncles, and Cousins. Jean will be dearly missed by her family, and those who knew her as the special person she was.

As per Jean’s request, no formal funeral service will be held. Her family will have a Private Internment Service at a later date. In memory of Jean Halvorson, donations made to the Cabri Hospital Auxiliary would be appreciated by the family. 

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