Obituary of Louise Bickner

BICKNER - Louise (Hornung) It is with sadness and heartbreak that in the early morning hours of October 1, 2015 our mom, Louise Aline (Hornung) Bickner passed away surrounded by her family at home at the age of 82 years old. Her unwavering courage, strength and faith in her short battle with cancer truly made her a hero to her family. Louise was born in Vanguard on June 14, 1933, was raised and did her schooling at Glenview School. She grew up on the family farm northwest of Vanguard and was one of seven children of Vital and Anastasia Rousseaux. Early years on the farm time was spent helping grandma plant and weed huge gardens. She would come home from school and there would be huge tubs of peas to shell and butter to churn each week. As children they made their own fun sleigh riding on the hills by the farm and playing in the hay stacks. Mom started dating dad in 1953 and then they spent some time apart working, her as a nurse's aide in Alberta. She returned to Vanguard on holidays in August of 1953 and it was then they rekindled their love for each other, were engaged two weeks later and were married in Vanguard October 27, 1953. They then moved to the Hornung farm and there 6 of us kids were born. Life on the farm was a lot of work and mom bought yards of flannel and sewed her diapers and washed and dried them on lines in the house. We then moved to Vanguard where her last baby joined the family. There were lots of tight times raising seven kids but their love for us was never a question. Seven kids racing around, Chokecherry picking time, homemade ice cream, reading bed time stories on the bed with mom and her troupe cuddled around her, small family vacations, all so fun. Life handed us a dirty deal on April 5, 1977 when dad died suddenly. Mom was left with seven children from 12-22 years old to help finish educating and starting our future. She did an amazing job. Mom also worked for a time period in the Vanguard Coop and the Royal Bank in Vanguard. Then in 1980, Ben Bickner came into mom's life and they were married on Sept 27, 1980. Ben was an awesome step-father and assured all us kids he would always take good care of mom and that he did. He is the only grandpa our children know. But once again her heart was broken when Ben passed away in May 1994. She was 60 years old and a widow for the second time. But mom being the brave lady she was carried on enjoying square dancing and socializing with friends. Mom has had a home in Swift Current for over thirty years and she continued to be busy and has always been so independent. When she got sick this was the first time any of us had ever visited her in a hospital, she was the picture of health and took such good care of herself. But mom held her head high and she said she wanted quality time with her family not quantity and she said she wanted to leave it in God's hands. She was an artist and her painting was a relaxing hobby for her. She did beautiful cross stitch work which hang all over her home. She loved her flowers. Her flower beds and pots were always beautiful and full of blooms. I learned to love flowers through her and I have learned to see blooming plants through her eyes. I think that for mom, maybe working in the flower beds was a way to be the careful nurturing person she was. She enjoyed her long hot baths, an occasional evening cocktail and listening to her music. She enjoyed the sounds of birds and loved to feed the birds and watch the different species that stopped by to see her, the wonders of nature gave her great comfort. On Sept 27th mom wanted to see the lunar eclipse so the boys wheeled her out to the front step and there she enjoyed its beauty. She was an awesome seamstress from making Barbie clothes for her daughters and has made countless doll clothes for her great granddaughters. She was such a loving grandmother and at certain times had grandchildren live with her for short periods while they worked in Swift Current. She spent time babysitting great grandchildren, playing on the floor with them and making crepes for them. Mom had her specialties cooking, her chocolate chip cookie recipe which I have used for 36 years and are the only ones my boys like. Her breaded cutlets on Christmas Eve and her crepes which her grandson Joel has mastered making. She kept a pristine house. She maintained her schedule for attending church and getting her hair done twice a week with her girls at the Charm Salon, whom she adored. Her favorite color of course was blue. Her rosary, bottle of holy water and prayer book were always on a table beside her chair. She always prayed, but during these last few days of her illness, it was our turn to check our level of faith and pray for her. Mom is predeceased by our dad Tony Hornung on April 5, 1977. 2nd husband Ben Bickner on May 7, 1994, parents Vital and Anastasia Rousseaux, in laws Anton and Annie Hornung, and other close family members. Cherishing her memory are her seven loving children: Ken (Donna), Gary (Carla), Don (Sherry), Lorne (Judy), Laurie (Dwain) Finlay, Jeff (Jan), Rhonda (Spencer) Nixon. She also leaves behind 15 grandchildren: Chad(Kim), Bryce (Mika), Kyle(Charlotte), Todd(Jolene), Lisa (Stacey)Bye, Jenna(Bobbi) Smith, Kim(Lance) Locken, Ryan, Erin(Brett) Braaten, Devin Finlay, Joel Finlay, Karlee, Carson(Savannah ) Alary, Nicole(Todd) Bracken and Mitchell Nixon, and 18 great grandchildren. She will also be missed by her step grandchildren Karrie (Jason) Gross, Kim (Brian) Rousseaux, Tyler & Devin Karpinski and step great grandchildren all of who she loves dearly. We were able to honor moms wish to spend her last days at home surrounded by her family. The laughter, tears and time spent together last week is something none of us will ever forget. We cared for mom and she was able to have daily life going on around her, Blue Jays baseball games on TV, enjoying a cold beer, lots of reminiscing of growing up, we know mom heard it all. We will carry on as a family and always have her unconditional love as our guidance. Grace, dignity and courage, this is the legacy mom leaves us...thank you mom...for giving us the privilege of being your children. Pallbearers were mom's seven children Ken, Gary, Don, Lorne, Laurie, Jeff and Rhonda. Eulogy was given by her daughter Laurie Finlay. Readers were her granddaughters Kim Locken and Karlee Hornung. Gift Bearers were her sons Gary Hornung and Jeff Hornung. Music was provided by the church choir singing some of mom's favorite songs. Ushers were her three nephews Brian Rousseaux, Marcel Rousseaux and Gerard Rousseaux. Video of mom's life was made by her grandchildren Erin Braaten and Bryce Hornung. The funeral mass was held on Thursday, October 8, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. from Christ the Redeemer Roman Catholic Parish with Father Richard Jasiak MSF officiating. A prayer service was held on Wednesday, October 7th at 7:00 p.m. at the church. A private family burial will take place at St. Mathias Cemetery in the Gooding District after cremation. Donations may be made to Christ the Redeemer Parish Building Fund in her memory. Arrangements entrusted to Parkside Memorial Funeral Home - Ryan Cappelle