ELIZABETH WHITE

It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Elizabeth White, at the age of 96, on August 5, 2026, at the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre.

Elizabeth was born on February 2, 1930, in Banatski Brestovac, Yugoslavia (now part of Serbia), to Peter and Barbara Karch. She was the last surviving sibling in a family of seven children and grew up in a small community of ethnic Germans known as Banat Swabians, whose roots traced back to settlers from Germany in the 18th century.

Her childhood was marked by hardship, but Mom always found ways to bring joy into her life. She spent hours playing with pumpkins in the yard, pretending they were her students, chasing geese down to the river, and losing herself in books. Her love of reading became the foundation for a lifetime of learning and a remarkable self-taught education.

Near the end of WWII, Mom and her family endured unimaginable hardship. In 1944, as ethnic Germans in the region faced persecution, displacement and internment, they were imprisoned in a labour camp under brutal conditions. Mom eventually escaped with the help of a guard and made her way, first to a refugee camp in Austria, and then to London, England, with her sister, Barbara.

Determined to build a new life, she taught herself English, completed nursing school and immigrated to Canada in 1957. Her nursing career took her across the country, including Ontario, the Yukon and British Columbia, before she finished her career as a labour and delivery nurse at Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg. While nursing in Prince George, B.C., she met our father, a music teacher. They married in Winnipeg in 1960 and lived in various parts of the United States before eventually returning to Canada.

Following their divorce, Mom settled in Winnipeg and raised her three young daughters on her own. Her devotion to us was one of her greatest gifts. She raised us to be happy, strong and independent women, teaching us not only through her words, but through the example she set every day.

Mom was an avid gardener with an extraordinary green thumb, a talented artist and someone who could create something beautiful out of almost anything. Above all, she loved being a mother and, later, a grandmother and great-grandmother. She was always there to care for her grandchildren and was happiest when surrounded by family.

We were incredibly blessed to have Mom in our lives for so many years. Even as dementia slowly took so much from her, some things remained unchanged. She always knew who we were, and her gentle nature stayed with her. She was kind, friendly and grateful, loved to sing, and could happily spend hours painting and colouring. Her greatest legacy is the love, strength and values she passed on to us, which we will carry in our hearts always.

Elizabeth is survived by her three daughters, Tanya White (Tom), Leah Restall (Ian) and Melanie Fenton (Bill); her six grandchildren, Alex Bogucki (Kaitlyn), Natasha Martel (Kjellby), John Kubicek (Michalle), Mitch Kubicek, Owen and Maddy Fenton; and her six great-grandchildren, Nolan, Cory, James, Lizzie, Addie and Ivy. She is also survived by her niece, Linda Birmingham, and her great-niece and great-nephew, Viktorija Aladzic and Branko Vujkovic.

A private celebration of Mom’s life will be held with family.

Our family would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the staff at the Saul and Claribel Simkin Centre and to Mom’s companion caregiver, Susan, for the exceptional care, compassion and kindness they showed her during the final chapter of her life.

Mom lived an extraordinary life, one marked by hardship and resilience, but above all, by love. We will miss her deeply and carry her with us always.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

1833 Portage Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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