Obituaries

Velma Altena Brosch

September 27, 1932 - January 13, 2022

VELMA ALTENA BROSCH
1932-2022

Our family is saddened to share with you the peaceful passing of Velma Altena Brosch (nee Hiltz) on Thursday, January 13, 2022 at Concordia Hospital.

Velma was born September 27, 1932, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, the eldest of seven children, she grew up in the Forties Settlement and New Ross areas of Nova Scotia. Mom met her husband Charlie while working at the Officer’s Mess at RCAF Base, Greenwood, NS while dad was stationed there. In March 1954 Charlie and Velma were married and settled briefly in Kingston, NS before our father was transferred to RCAF Base, Portage la Prairie.

Our mother loved to travel and being a country girl, wanted to see the world. When our dad took a posting to RCAF Base 2 Wing in France, they had the opportunity to travel and see most of Europe from 1959-1963. Upon returning to Canada, they settled in Winnipeg and raised their family in St. James, residing nearly 56 years in the same home on Muriel Street. They took plenty of vacations to many exotic places such as Hawaii, Jamacia, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Mexico as well as many winters in their RV at warm locations throughout the southern United States (favourite being Arizona).

Mom worked for many years as the manager of the Perth’s Dry Cleaners at the Courts of St. James until she retired. She enjoyed going to bingo several times a week for a night out to socialize with her friends and she also enjoyed playing cards with their group of friends from church. Velma was a long-time member of St. Charles Roman Catholic Church and for many years took care of preparing coffee and snacks for fellowship after church each Sunday.

She loved to bake and knit and passed these skills to all her children. Mom was talented at sewing and making outfits for the kids and numerous quilts for her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. She also made clothing and knitted various articles for church donations over the years. She enjoyed tending to her rose bushes and flower beds and enjoyed taking a dip in the backyard pool when it got too warm. Mom also loved to entertain many guests at her home, but her favourite time of the year was Christmas when she would put out a huge spread each Christmas Eve. There would be plenty of home-made goodies and sweets to share with many friends and family, often with over 35 people in attendance.

Left to cherish her memory and celebrate her life is her husband of 68 years, Charlie Brosch; children Karl (Susan) Brosch, Katherine Brosch, Judith (Dale) Corry, Janet (Alex) McDougall and David (Michelle Saul) Brosch; sister Linda Mahar; sister-in-law Helen McGregor, as well as 10 grandchildren and 15 great grandchildren.

She was predeceased by her mother Greta (nee Jones) Hiltz, stepfather Stacey Hiltz; father-in-law John Brosch; mother-in-law Katherine (nee Tiefenbach) Brosch; step mother-in-law Elizabeth (nee Burde) Brosch; brothers-in-law Frank Brosch, Earle Mahar and Ronald McGregor, brothers Grover (Thelma) Hiltz, Horace (Sylvia) Hiltz and Darrell Hiltz, sisters Lorna (Edwin) Jess and Barbara (Leo) Pitts, numerous nieces and nephews and two grandchildren, Mary-Anne Brosch and Jason Carpenter.

A special thank you to the doctors, nurses and support staff on 3 West for their caring and compassion while looking after mom during these difficult times.

Cremation has taken place and a Memorial Service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Velma’s memory can be made to Diabetes Canada or The Heart and Stroke Foundation.

Eternal rest grant unto her O Lord and let perpetual light shine upon her.