Obituary of Elaine Anne Hargarten

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5wI828q0Q44

On April 16, 2023, Elaine passed peacefully, at the age of 81 surrounded by her family. Elaine was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan to George and Helen Dobson on June 27th, 1941.
The oldest of 3 children, Elaine excelled in school and music. She attended PACI high school where she was active in the drama club. Following high school, Elaine attended the University of Saskatchewan and received her Bachelor of Science, going on to become a medical laboratory technologist. She met Al Hargarten at a dance in Waskesiu, and on June 22nd, 1963 they were married. They moved to Red Deer, Alberta to manage a motel and started a family. They returned to Prince Albert to be closer to family and had 2 more children while Al worked for the family business and Elaine started work as a lab tech at the Victoria Hospital.

In 1970 they again relocated, this time to Saskatoon where they would settle for the remainder of their days. Elaine worked at Kelsey Institute for over 25 years as an instructor in the med lab program, including time as program head, and volunteered for the Canadian Society of Laboratory Technologists at a national level travelling yearly to conventions across the country. She was awarded an honorary membership to the CSLT for her work with the organization.

Elaine was an amazing woman who somehow managed to do it all – she worked full-time, was Brown Owl for the local Brownie troupe, volunteered at the church and sang in their choir, was involved in the Kinette Club of Saskatoon and always had time to help with homework or play a game of cards between loads of laundry. She continued to volunteer in the communities in which she lived in many ways throughout her life.

Elaine and Al loved the lake. Her happy place was with a book, just out of the sun, on the beach or in a hammock or going for ice cream in the boat. We spent many wonderful seasons at the lake with evenings singing campfire songs and telling silly stories. The Girl Scout in her never died. After she retired, winters were spent in Mesa, Arizona where they made many new close friends, playing tennis, getting involved in the drama club again, learning to play the ukelele and volunteering at the library where she could foster her love of books and reading. Summers were often spent at home with family, at the lake or travelling on new adventures with their RV friends.

Mom was the glue that held our family together. She kept us all informed of what everyone else was doing. She regularly texted her grandchildren with words of encouragement, always remembered special dates, exams, birthdays and celebrations and would be sure to be in contact. Her family was her greatest joy and she loved conversations with kids and grandkids.

Elaine is survived by her husband Al Hargarten, children Greg (Eileen Laverty), Todd (Sarah Morgenstern) and Heidi Shockey (Dave), her grandchildren Andrea Fontaine (Nathan Willick), Brittany Shockey (Julian Quaglia), Briana Shockey (Reid Noyes), Thea Shockey (Lucas Morin), Tess, Adam and Laine Hargarten, sister Linda Frost, and brother Rick Dobson.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St.Philip Neri Parish, 1902 Munro Ave. South on Monday, April 24, beginning at 11:00 a.m. Cremation will follow. A private family interment is being planned for a later date.
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