ROENSPIES: Aurea Maria (Desjardins)
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Feb. 20, 1927 - April 12, 2015
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Aurea Roenspies (Desjardins) was born February 20th, 1927 on a small farm in the Blucher - St. Denis District east of Saskatoon, the second youngest of eight children born to Josephat & Octavie (Senneville) Desjardins. Aurea attended school in St. Denis to grade eight and completed her high school diploma through correspondence classes at home (Grade 10) and then at Zion Convent Boarding School in Saskatoon. She began her teaching career in 1946 at the Leavenworth one-room country school in the Annaheim District near the parish of St. James where she met the love of her life, Bud (Leverne) Roenspies. They married in 1948 and created a farm on Section 29 鈥� land granted to Bud as a returning war veteran. There they raised a family of seven children. Aurea was well-known for her large gardens and her 鈥済reen thumb.鈥� She was very involved in every aspect of her childrens鈥� lives and followed their pursuits with interest and enthusiasm. She was a master seamstress, a master baker of pies, bread and cinnamon buns, and a master quilter. Despite their busy farm life, she听 participated in church activities and in the local 4-H clubs. In 1979 Aurea and Bud retired to Naicam where she was employed as a Home Care worker for several years听 鈥撎� her first paying job since her marriage. She and Bud were also caretakers for the Seniors Home in Naicam. She was active in the Legion Auxiliary in Naicam and continued to garden and quilt but always had time for her children and grandchildren. She and Bud enjoyed their time at Marean lake; they especially enjoyed their 20 years as 鈥渟nowbirds鈥� spending winters in Arizona. They enjoyed many friends in the south and relished their leisure time with them. In addition to quilting and card playing, Aurea took up painting and spent many hours hiking the desert hills and 鈥渇lea marketing.鈥� In 2000 Aurea and Bud moved to Olds, Alberta. After Bud鈥檚 passing in 2004, Aurea continued living in Olds until 2011 when she moved to Langenburg to be closer to her three children who lived there. For three years she lived with her daughter Sandra and her husband Jack Hollenberg. Since January 2015 Aurea lived at the Langenburg Special Care home where she died peacefully in her sleep on Sunday, April 12. Aurea is predeceased by her husband Bud Roenspies, her parents, her brother Albert Desjardins, her sisters: Anna (George) Rousson, Blanche (Robert) Dauvin, Julie (Ed Pierson) and her eldest grandson, Dean Messmer. Left to honour her memory are her sisters: Albertine Lecompte, Maria Hounjet, and Malvina Dellezay; her children: Ruth Roenspies, Sandra (Jack) Hollenberg, Sid (Thelma) Roenspies, Jan (Don) Layh, Bill (Louise) Roenspies, Kurt (MaryLee) Roenspies and Cindy (Ron) Ballo; her grandchildren: Wes (Katie) Messmer and children Denae and Desirae; Russel Messmer (partner Joannie Dupuis); Scott (Sandy) Roenspies and children August and Ethan; Leyna Roenspies, Adam Layh (Alexis Schappert) and son Pacha; Avery (Mitch) Crittall and son Ezra; Lindsay Roenspies; Melissa (partner Jesse Hein) and children Mia and Grace; Garett (Janelle) Roenspies; Blaine (Farrah) Roenspies; Britney Spracklin (Jonathan Jenson) and son Kingsley; Keelee Spracklin (partner Jareth Fleming). Also left to honour her memory are brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews. Memorial tributes in Aurea鈥檚 honour may be made directly to Family & Friends Community Foundation, Box 800, Langenburg, Sask. S0A 2A0
