Anne Willman

My mom, Anne Louise Willman was born in Gull Lake, Sask, on March 6, 1956, to Edward and Ella (Papke) Aldag.  Mom loved growing up on the farm and often told of the fun she had growing up in the country.  She remembered many fun family gatherings and dances at the Horse Shoe Bend Hall and skating on the frozen slough in the winter.  She was the younger sister to her brother, Wayne Edward.  She lost her brother shortly after he graduated on November 20, 1971, in an accident.  When mom graduated high school in 1973, she moved to Regina to take her nursing assistant diploma at the Wascana Institute, which she received in July 1975. While she did not work in that field, she did work at the Plains Hospital in the cafeteria.  It was during this time in Regina between 1973 and 1976 where she met, lived with and alongside some roommates, who then became lifelong friends and they continued to meet up whenever they had an opportunity to be together.  She met the love of her life, Wayne Willman, and they were married in Shaunavon on December 3, 1976.  When they were first married, mom and dad lived in Calgary for a few months.  When they moved home, they purchased a mobile home and lived in the yard of my dad’s parents farm for a couple months until they moved into Shaunavon, where my mom worked at the medical clinic there and my dad continued to farm.  Sabrina Anne was born on July 10, 1978, and I arrived 6 weeks early to their surprise.  When mom’s dad retired, her parents moved into Gull Lake and we moved out to their farm, where my mom grew up.  She loved being back on the farm and remained a farm girl at heart throughout her life.  When her dad passed away, my parents built onto her mom’s house in town and we moved into Gull Lake in May 1996.  Mom also enjoyed living in Gull Lake and visiting with her many family members and friends in town.  She went to work at the Gull Lake medical clinic as office assistant, where she worked for many years. She also took over running the Gull Lake School of Dance for a few years, as well.  Mom also had many hobbies that she enjoyed.   She loved to line dance and this was something that we did together for many years.  She loved to cross stitch and created some amazing embroidered pictures.  She also loved to crochet, creating some beautiful blankets and scarves. I married Terry Empey on July 29, 2001.  Her first grandchild, Cole Ellene, was born on November 2, 2006, and her second grandchild, Denaya Beverly, was born on July 5, 2010.  Her grandchildren were the light of her life and she never missed an opportunity to watch any activity, event, or sport that they participated in and she was always their biggest cheerleader. Mom also loved spending time at our family cabin at Ferguson Bay.  After she and my dad retired, they would spend most of the summer at the cabin and we have all made many wonderful memories at the lake. My mom was always full of life and had the best laugh and the biggest hugs, which she shared with everyone she met and whether you were family or friend, you were always family to her.  She extended this to all of my friends and all of her grandchildren’s friends, too. She will be fondly remembered and forever missed.   

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