March 21, 1923 - January 16, 2022
In her 99th year, Ida gently passed away at home in Coldstream, BC on January 16, 2022. We'd like to think that she happily strolled through the pearly gates where, after almost a century, a huge party was waiting to greet her. Born 21st of March 1923 in Hilda, Alberta to Rose &Emmanuel Flaig, Ida had an enriched childhood on the prairie with siblings, Ray, Bertie and Lloyd.
On the farm at ten years old, she drove a team of horses pulling wagonloads of wheat to the grain elevators, a ten mile trip that little Ida made - by herself. Music and literacy were important to the Flaig's. Ida played piano from an early age and went on to become a school teacher. 'Miss Flaig' taught Grades 1-3 in Milk River, Tilley, and Hilda Alberta in the 1940s. In her late 90s she was touched to receive notes from several of her students, fondly remembering how she had taught them to read. In 1947 Ida married William Heinz, a WWII Juno Beach veteran, they had fourteen children. Our parents provided well for us and ran a tight ship in our happy and chaotic household. We were all frequent flyers in the time-out-chair, and learned to put the fun in dysfunctional! They raised us to be kind, accountable, resourceful, and to give back. They showed us the transformative power of a good book, humour, art, music and spending time in the great outdoors. Ida was predeceased in 1959 by their little daughters Iris and Grace, son David in 1999 and husband William (Bill) in 2009. Life brought her tremendous joys and threw her many hardships and tragedies but Ida always found the grit and grace to keep moving forward. Her faith was her refuge and strength. Her super powers were her resilience, kindness and gentle humour.
Ida was a lifelong learner, bilingual, an avid reader, current events keener and enthusiastic traveller. It was always fun to sit down with Mom over a cup of Red Rose tea and see the world through her wise lens, no topic was off limits. 'Grammy' enjoyed welcoming her 21 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren and taught many of them how to read; they played in her yard, climbed trees, jumped in piles of leaves, read stacks of books and ate heaps of cookies. Ida truly made the world a brighter place; she was a treasure to all who knew her. God speed, dear Ida, Mom, Grammy, you are cherished and forever in our hearts.
In memory of Ida, perhaps put up a bird feeder and enjoy the birds, or consider a donation to EffectHope.org.