Katherine Tornquist

Katherine (Ens) Tornquist passed away peacefully at Gull Lake Health Center in Gull Lake, SK on May 11, 2021. She was the 13th of 16 children born to Jacob and Anna Ens. She was born at home near Carrot River, Sk. on Dec. 11, 1932. She attended Causeway school until Gr. 8, then helped with the family farm until she entered the work force and gained experience working in the kitchen at the Carrot River hospital and at a café in Nipawin, Sk.

She married Torance Tornquist in Dec 1954 in Nipawin, Sk. and then moved to Ile a La Crosse, Sk. Two children were born there, and then they moved to Denare Beach, Sk. While there, three more children were added to their family. From there they lived in Creighton, Sk., Nipawin, Sk. and Regina, Sk. They lived in Regina from 1968 to 1975, and another child completed the family. They moved to the Tornquist Family farm in White Fox, Sk. where she lived for 5 years.

Kathy and Torance separated in 1980 and shortly afterwards Kathy moved to Nipawin and began working for the Nipawin Home Care as a Home Care Aid. She worked there from 1984 to 1997, at which time she retired. Because of declining health (dementia) she moved to Gull Lake in Sept. 2013 to live with her daughter and son in law, Rita and David Munshaw. In the summer of 2015, she became a resident of the Gull Lake Health Centre and has appreciated the excellent care of all the staff there.

Kathy made some important decisions in her life, but the most important decision was when she accepted Jesus as her Saviour in 1964. Shortly afterwards she was baptized in Northern Fellowship Chapel in Creighton Sk. She also felt it was important that her children attend Sunday School and church. It was her goal to either take them or send them every Sunday. She also made the decision to work as a Home Care Aide in 1984. She was a natural for the job and because she understood low German, she was indispensable. Other things in life happened that she would never have chosen but with her faith, her family, and her upbeat way of looking at life she made the best of those situations.

Some of Kathy’s favorite things: her kids, grandkids, great grandkids, bowling, walking, sweets, puzzles, gardening, picking berries, baking, kids, milk cows, helping others, babies, coffee with cream, gospel songs, visiting, chocolates, knitting, wareneki, comfy clothes, patting bums, a good joke, the 23rd Psalm, butterflies, birds, clean floors, clean sinks, flowers, crystal rainbows, and purple.

Kathy is predeceased by her parents Jacob and Anna Ens, her siblings: Susan Heinrichs, Aaron Ens, Jesse Neufeld, Anna Heinrichs, Frank Ens (in WW2), Jake Ens, Agnes Ens (in infancy), Betty Leslie, Agnes Mitchell, Helen Wright, John Ens, Issac Ens (as a toddler), and Bill Ens.

Kathy is survived by her brother Corny Ens and her sister, Marg Bazar, both in Nipawin. Her children: Rita (David) Munshaw of Gull Lake, Curtis (Heather) Tornquist of Brooks, AB, Trent (Pam) Tornquist of Lomond, AB, Brent (Maurica) Tornquist of Lloydminster, SK, Shelly (Ferlon) Smits of Codette Lake, SK, and Anton (Heather) Tornquist of Dawson Creek, BC; her grandchildren; Skip (Kelly) Munshaw, Tobey (Aaron) Dietrich, Colby (Amanda) Munshaw, Reba Munshaw, Kendra (Craig) Pittman, Tyler Tornquist, Kale (Breanne) Tornquist, Shawntel (Austin Onafrychuk) Tornquist, TJ Tornquist, Jonas (Rylee) Tornquist, Teale (Riley Griffith) Tornquist, Janine (Kevin) Hardy, Shantel (Curtis) Galambos, Marinus Smits, Issac Tornquist, Merik Tornquist and 26 great grandchildren, her former husband Torance Tornquist and numerous nieces and nephews.

Kathy’s family would like to express their immense thanks to all the staff at the Gull Lake Health Center and to Doctor Clare Kozroski for the excellent care Kathy received while there.

Her family plans to have a gathering to scatter her ashes near her birthplace at a later date.

Donations can be made in honor of Kathy to the Gull Lake Health Centre, Gideons International in Canada, or to the Alzheimer Society.

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