It is with great sadness that the family of Gertie Tennant announces her passing in the morning hours of April 11, 2020 following a brief illness.

Gert was born September 24, 1926 in Estevan, SK. to Egnatz and Agatha Martin. She was the youngest of the six Martin children. In 1950 she married her first husband Mike Dubyk and moved to Prince Albert. In 1953, Diane was born and in 1957 David was born. Then in 1960 tragedy struck as her husband Mike, a teacher at P.A.C.I., had a fatal heart attack while curling and left Gertie to raise her two kids as a single parent. She worked as a bookkeeper at Aaron’s Ladies Wear and later at ASB Supervisions, both companies owned by the late Alex Aaron, who was extremely good to Gert and her children.

In 1968 she married a childhood classmate William (Bill) Tennant and in 1975 Gert and Bill moved to Kerrobert, SK., where Bill was appointed as a provincial court judge. Gert and Bill lived in Kerrobert until Bill’s retirement and then moved back to Prince Albert in 1992 to be closer to family (Dave, Janine and their children), a doctor (Janine’s brother Louis) and the family cabin at Candle Lake.

In 2013, with health and memory starting to fail, Gert and Bill moved into the Good Shepherd Care Home. Bill passed away in 2014 and Gert remained there until her passing.

Throughout her life Gert was an extremely upbeat person. Always happy and laughing and making other people laugh. She was well liked by all who knew her and truly loved by all the people at Good Shepherd. Even in later years when some dementia had set in, if you needed cheering up or a daily laugh all you had to do was sit down and talk to Gertie. She was always in the common area; never did she stay in her room except to sleep.

Gert loved to cook and was very good at it. She always cooked fantastic meals, especially at the Candle Lake cabin as that is where all the family generally gathered. She loved her grandkids more than anything and spoiled them rotten. She would do anything for those kids. She often cooked her German dough dishes passed down from Grandma Martin and taught her daughter-in-law how to make them all. Gert and Janine spent many hours together in the kitchen. The grandkids spent every summer at the lake with Grandma Gert. Not only did she have her own grandchildren but very often a lot of their cousins were there as well, and there are a lot of cousins. She was and is Grandma Gert to all of them and will be missed by every single one. She truly was a special lady.

A special thanks has to go out to Pat and all the staff at the Good Shepherd Villas for the loving care that they gave Gert throughout her seven years there. They were her family away from family. They helped nurse her through the two fractured hips and last December’s fractured pelvis and Gert being Gert bounced back every time. I truly believe that the loneliness, boredom and frustration created by the Covid -19 lockdown played a part in her death. Having dementia, I am sure she did not understand why all of a sudden nobody came to visit. Rest in peace Gert, you were loved by so many!

Gert was predeceased by her parents Egnatz and Agatha Martin; her siblings and their spouses Jake (Edie), Katie (John), Tony (Doreen), Joe (Vangie) and Mary (Stan); her first husband Mike Dubyk and second husband Bill Tennant.

She is survived by her children Diane Dahl (Aron) of Calgary, and Dave Dubyk (Janine) of Prince Albert and their children Michael (Janet) and great granddaughter Kiera of Red Deer, Shane (Raelee) of Chilliwack and Sheena of Saskatoon.

A Service or Celebration of Gert’s life will be held at a later date when the world returns to something that resembles normal. In lieu of flowers tributes may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society of Saskatchewan – 2550 12 Avenue, Regina, SK S4P 3X1.

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, Lorne Adams, Funeral Director, Prince Albert, SK 306-763-3322.

 

• Date : 2020-04-11
• Location : Prince Albert, SK