Obituary of Hildegard Helene anna Zilch

ZILCH (Schulz) – Hildegard Helene Anna was born February 7, 1919. She was the only girl in the family of 4 children. Even at a young age, she helped take care of her 2 younger brothers and when they were old enough often took them with her to Sunday school. She loved to sing in the church choir. She often recalled songs and hymns she sang as a young girl. She completed her basic education as all children did where she lived and then had additional years of school and then took vocational training. She started working in a doctor’s household/clinic and worked her way up to the position of head cook. While working there, she met the love of her life, Heinz Zilch. They dated for a whole year before becoming engaged and then got married on June 30, 1939. Before they even got to go on a honeymoon, all travel was suspended and war was imminent. During the war mom had Gisela and Horst. While she was separated from Dad because of the war, she managed to keep herself and her children together and out of harm’s way. The family was finally reunited at the end of the war. It was a very difficult time. In 1948 they decided it would be best to go to West Germany. Dad went ahead to find a place for the family. Mom and Gisela & Horst crossed the border without him. It was a nerve racking journey, but they made it to their destination and finally got back together again. In 1950, the family was completed with the birth of Helga. For various reasons, Mom & Dad decided to immigrate to Canada in 1954. They arrived in Morse, SK on August 9, 1954. She eventually got a part time job in the Elkhorn Hotel in Morse working in the kitchen. In January 1955, Mom & Dad heard of a restaurant that was vacant in Herbert ran by David Schwean. They operated the restaurant from January until the end of May. The place was very busy and mom was juggling many jobs; running the restaurant, making meals, baking, cleaning up dishes, cleaning tables, besides looking after her family. By the end of May Dad secured a job with the CPR and mom decided that she could not run the business on her own without hired help and she decided to close and be a stay at home mother. She loved to have a garden and grow vegetables and she also loved to raise chickens, ducks and geese. Mom & Dad decided to live on a farm from 1969-83 just 12 miles north of Morse. They enjoyed life on the farm. Mom had a large garden, many flowers; and they had dogs & cats and enjoyed the country life. In 1983, they both were of age to get their pension and decided to move to Morse. She lived there until 2014. In August she was unable to totally look after herself and moved into the nursing home in Herbert. She made a lot of friends, both residents and staff and love to stay busy folding linens for the laundry. On May 27, 2017 God called her home. She will be sorely missed but we know she is in a better place. Hildegard was predeceased by 3 children in infancy, her 3 brothers, her parents, her husband Heinz Zilch and her daughter Gisela Neumann. She is survived by and leaved to mourn her loss: her son Horst (Margaret) Zilch, Her daughter Helga (Elmer) Wigg and her grandchildren; Thomas (Terri) Zilch, Eric Zilch, Andrew, Jason and David Wigg, Ed Neumann, Dean (Christina) Neumann, Tracy Neumann and great-granddaughter Kaitlin Harrison. A funeral service was held on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 at 2:00 p.m. at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in Herbert with Pastor Linda Hall officiating. The interment took place at the Herbert Cemetery, Herbert, SK. Donations may be made to the Herbert Nursing Home or to St. Paul’s Lutheran Church in memory of Hildegard. For further information or to sign the family book of condolences, visit www.parksidefuneralhome.com. Arrangements are in care of Parkside Memorial Funeral Home – Ryan Cappelle.