Natalie Ivanna Jensen (Pyrch) peacefully passed away with loved ones at her side on March 8, 2025 in Claresholm, Alberta.
‘Tollie’ was born on May 4, 1933 in Edmonton, Alberta to Samuel and Katherine Pyrch. Raised in Calmar, Tollie was the eldest in a family of 5 children. Growing up her activities included time with friends, playing cards, dancing, skating, and curling. Tollie loved spending time working in the family store, Calmar Trading, until a young handsome man came to town.
Tollie met the love of her life and husband of 71 years, Eddie, when his Gulf Oil crew came to Calmar. Eddie and Tollie were married on August 5, 1953 in her family’s beautiful yard. Tollie would have followed Eddie anywhere, and she did.
In 1954 they settled in Calgary and a few years later bought their first new home. This proved to be a short term home, when Eddie came home one day in 1959 and proclaimed “we bought a ranch!” Trading in her new house for a log cabin with no electricity, no telephone, no running water, no indoor plumbing, and no road! They were truly pioneers!
During their years in Calgary they welcomed their two sons, Rodney in 1954 and Doug in 1956; their daughter, Kathy arrived in 1961 after moving to the ranch. While at the ranch Eddie’s youngest sister, Kaye (Imes) came to live with them for a period of time. Tollie’s parents and siblings also enjoyed the ranch and often came out to share in the cowboy lifestyle, wide open spaces and the natural beauty.
Together with Eddie’s brother Wayne and his wife Jeanne the families built their first ranch becoming very close, a closeness that still exists and continues with their children. The ranch on the Fallen Timber, west of Cremona, Alberta, held many treasured memories. Those years were not easy times, but they were good times!
In 1967, the love of southern Alberta saw Eddie, Tollie and family purchase the ranch they still call home on Meadow Creek, west of Claresholm, Alberta. Tollie was always a huge supporter of Eddie, her family, and the ranch. Until 1979 Tollie was a stay at home mom, helping on the ranch, cooking, baking bread, gardening, and sewing. Tollie was a member of the Meadow Creek Ladies Club, always helping with functions that served the community.
In 1979 Tollie took her first town job, working at the Claresholm Care Centre. There she worked in the laundry, sewing room, and ward kitchens. Tollie retired from the Claresholm Care Centre after building her new house on the ranch.
This house on Meadow Creek is where Eddie and Tollie shared their love of ranching, family and faith, and remains their home to this day.
Tollie is predeceased by her brother, Dennis in 1943, father Samuel in 1986, mother Katherine in 2000, sister Donna Fandrick in 2010, brother Orest Pyrch in 2020, grand-daughter Amy Jensen in 1999.
Tollie is survived and dearly missed by her husband Eddie; sister Lynda Anderson (Denny); her son Rodney (Hope), son Doug (Holly), her daughter Kathy Slade (Lon); grandchildren Logan Jensen, Dana Cummings (Kenny), Nadine Jensen, Tara Schmalenberg (Kyle), Laramie McInnis (Jordan), Calonna Slade, Lisa Jensen; Great- Grandchildren Tanis Jensen, Jaxson, Charlotte, and Mackenzie Schmalenberg, Benson McInnis, and Kate Cummings; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.