Carol Anne Zawada

It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that the family of Carol Anne Zawada announce that she passed peacefully into the morning of April 24, 2026.  She was born October 17, 1943, in La Crosse, Wisconsin to Clarence and Amy Holte, joining her brothers Clyde, Gerald and Keith, later followed by their youngest sibling, Mary Jane.

Frequent summer family trips to Saskatchewan to stay with aunts, uncles and cousins lead to Carol’s introduction and future union to Joe, the neighbour a couple farms over. The rest was not only history but filled with a multitude of stories that have lived throughout the years amongst the cousins. Carol graduated from Onalaska High School and worked for the next year in in Minneapolis at Allis Chalmers before moving to Shellbrook, Saskatchewan, to marry Joe on October 27, 1961.

While Joe’s work in road construction took him away from home, Carol was employed at the Shellbrook Creamery. Four years later, their daughter Deborah completed their family and they purchased their family home on the outskirts of Shellbrook. Carol also worked at Toppings Grocery Store and the Co-op in town.  She took a hiatus for a brief time, then re-joined the workforce with Statistics Canada.  Bookkeeping was always her forte, however the computer age left pencils and paper behind, and she enrolled at SIAST in the late 80’s to upgrade her skills.  Those skills lead to a different path, working at the Shellbrook Chronicle, and later the Prince Albert Daily Herald.  Throughout her career she formed lasting memories and relationships that stood the test of time.

Carol loved road trips and spending time with her aunts and their families, gardening, berry picking, cooking (for 3 and ending up with enough to feed 30), and canning.  She would drive Joe crazy fishing with a single hook in her arsenal while reading a book, smoking, drinking coffee, and eating a sandwich at the same time. When she caught a fish, she would hand the rod to Joe but would never eat her catch, ultimately, a win for Joe!  Carol also enjoyed keeping in touch with family spread across the country, reading, building a multitude of things, and puttering.  She was an excellent seamstress, an attribute passed down from her mother, altering her large wardrobe, creating one of a kind outfits, making drapes, and endless other creations.  When Joe passed in 2002, Carol moved to Prince Albert, where she continued to live independently until the day of her passing.  She loved spoiling her grand fur babies rotten. She lived her life on her own terms and left on her own terms, quietly.

She is survived by her daughter, Deborah “Deb” (Bentley) Wiebe, grand-fur-babies, Bugsy and Lucky; sister, Mary Jane (Rick) Mickelson; and sisters-in-law, Diane and Barbara Holte.

She was predeceased by her husband, Joe; parents, Clarence and Amy Holte; brothers Clyde, Gerald, and Keith; parents-in-law, John and Anna; as well as her siblings-in-law, Stan (Alvina), Sophia (John), Frank (Jean); grand-fur-babies, Clyde, JD, and Floyd; as well as aunts and uncles, numerous cousins, nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life will be announced later this summer.  The family would like to thank the Parkland Ambulance Paramedics, the attending ER doctor, nurses and the nursing staff on the 6^th floor of the Victoria Hospital, Prince Albert, SK, who took excellent care of Carol on her final day with us.  In lieu of other tributes, those wishing to make a donation in memory of Carol may direct them to the Prince Albert SPCA, https://www.princealbertspca.ca/donations .

Family and friends wishing to send online condolences are welcome to visit www.beaulacfuneralhome.com.   Arrangements have been entrusted to the care of Beau “Lac” Funeral Home and Crematorium, Jolissa Trudel, Funeral Director, Prince Albert, SK 306-763-3322

• Date : 2026-04-24
• Location : Prince Albert, SK