Gertie Russin

Gertrude Russin (Haas) was born on January 9th, 1934, at the family farm Northeast of Langenburg, Saskatchewan. Gertie was the second child of Frank and Magda Haas. Gertie went to school at Echo until grade 10, then went to work at the Langenburg creamery, making butter and candling eggs.

Eventually Gertie met the man of her dreams, Edward Russin of Shellmouth, Manitoba. They were united in marriage on November 8, 1956. They lived in several locations farming around the area, and in 1963 they bought the Flower Valley School in Shellmouth and made it their home.

In 1957 their first daughter, Donna was born, followed by Lila in 1958, Joan in 1959, and still no son so they tried one more time, but along came another girl, Judy, born in 1962. Once the girls were older, Gertie's joy was travelling the prairies with her four daughters playing in every baseball tournament possible. Ed would be waiting at the barn door when they would finally get home from a long day of ball to help him milk the cows.

Gertie enjoyed playing cards with family and friends, loved bingo, square dancing, fishing, curling, golfing, and even had time to knit and crochet. Gertie was never one to sit still and after she moved to town, decided to try out for the provincial senior curling playdowns and became a Manitoba Senior Champion in 2002.

Gertie travelled to Island Lake, Germany, Poland, and Minnesota to see family, as well as to Florida for Christmas with the whole family at Venessa's in 2007.

Gertie and Ed retired from farming in 1998 and moved into Russell where Gertie volunteered for Meals on Wheels and delivered welcome baskets to newcomers in Russell. In 2019 Gertie and Ed moved into Park Manor where they enjoyed visiting, playing cards, and setting puzzles.

Gertie was pre-deceased by her husband of 66 years, Edward Russin, her parents Frank and Magda, in-laws John and Katharine (Mary) Russin, brother Reinhold Haas, Sister and brother-in-law Anita and Audie Zimmer, brothers-in-law Lorne Kilkenny, Victor Russin and his wife Marie, Murray Russin and his wife Joey, sister-in-law Sophie and brother in laws (Ken, and Alvin), son in law Ron Cross, niece Doreen Quibel and her son Jacoby.

Gertie will be missed by her four daughters, Donna (Friend Paul) and children, Venessa (Joe), and Zoe (John), Lila (Zen) and children, Edward (Jessica), and Cassie (Corey), Joan (Craig) and children Jared (Sara), and Kevin as well as Judy (Cliff) and children Ben (Jaimie), Curtis (Elisha), and Byron. Grandma will also be dearly missed by her great-grandchildren, Jade and Jordan Sinness, Dayton and Emmitt Rocheleau, Croix, Cruz and Mavrik Miller, as well as Charlotte and Connor Surma.

Gertie will also be missed and remembered fondly by her sister Myra Kilkenny (Gerald), sister-in-law Eva Haas, brother-in-law John Russin (Darlene) and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.