Obituary of Audrey Helgason

In Loving Memory Of Audrey Helgason

Audrey Elaine Gladys Helgason (Dewhurst) was born August 23, 1942 in Canora Saskatchewan to John and Gladys Dewhurst. Audrey was raised in Invermay with her older siblings Marion and Ed. In her early years she loved to be outdoors gardening, playing with the animals, riding her bike, cross country skiing and was very involved in the United Church. This did not change as she grew up but did change the skis for a snowmachine.

Audrey excelled in school and skipped a grade which meant that she started at Teachers College in Saskatoon when she was 17 years old. This is where she met Mervin Helgason. They met through some Foam Lake girlfriends, that she had met in vacation bible school, who arranged for Merv to drive her from Saskatoon to Foam Lake and back on the weekends. Their friendship blossomed and when Audrey finished Teachers College she moved to Imperial where she began her teaching career. Merv made a lot of trips to visit during that year and they then married on July 13, 1963 in Invermay, SK. Mervin and Audrey settled in Foam Lake where Audrey taught until they had their children, Dale in 1966, Glenn in 1968 and Ellen in 1970.

Mervin and Audrey enjoyed time together travelling, entering curling bonspiels, snowmobiling trips and fishing - although Merv found that Audrey was happy to catch the fish but his job was to clean them... all of them.

Life was busy for them with family, farming and being involved in their community through volunteerism helping out where they could. Merv and Audrey lead by example and this was passed onto their children to see the value of lifting up your community so that it is better for all.

Audrey has always been dedicated to the United Church. She started this service from a young age when she participated in summer bible schools and caravaning with Reverend Walter Cowan. As an adult contributing to the Foam Lake United Church though the United Church Women (UCW), served on the church board, being a Sunday school teacher (Audrey and her fellow teachers always had some fun activity like tobogganing at Thorsteinson’s Hills, Halloween events at Helen Birt’s farm, and sleigh rides singing Christmas Carols through town), the church choir, the booster committee (was part of making and selling pot pies and the salad bar luncheon events) and supporting other church events such as the annual fowl suppers and garage sale.

Audrey loved to work with others through the church and the community. She was a long time member of the Briar Mound Women's Institute (when she travelled to Australia and made a connection with their WI group). Audrey enjoyed her community and contributed to it through cooking food, building floats for town parades, taking time to visit others, driving people where they needed to go and she was a true and loyal friend. Other groups she enjoyed being part of were the perogy ladies, was a dedicated high school volunteer driver taking her kids and their teammates to sporting events and was there to help out anywhere she was needed in the community with a smile on her face.

Audrey loved music and was a long time volunteer for the Quill Plains Music Festival and enjoyed watching the next generations learning to play instruments, sing and speak in public.

When Audrey finished teaching school, she then learned to play the piano as an adult along with her kids from Thelma Gillis who she provided free room and board for when she came to Foam Lake to teach lessons. This friendship has endured for many years and Thelma encouraged Audrey to teach beginner music lessons, which she did for many years and loved watching these new pianists take flight. A couple of students she remembered fondly were Melvin and Martha Arneson who decided to take lessons in their 80s and Audrey loved being part of them achieving one of their dreams to learn to play. She reminisced about all her students and the joy she took seeing them play those first notes and songs.

Audrey was very creative and enjoyed her hobbies. Most winters she would set up a quilt in the living room and invite friends or neighbors to come, quilt and visit together. Audrey spent a lot of time knitting and crocheting blankets. Audrey loved music and would sing in the choir, loved to dance- Merv and Audrey could sure jive, it was a sight to see how fluid and instinctive they were. She spent time playing the piano and the organ and then would head outside to tend to her garden. Her love of the outdoors showed in her garden where she tended to the perennial and vegetable garden. This then translated into amazing meals that she would cook and share with whomever was around to eat. As a family we shared great meals and desserts prepared by Audrey and there was always great conversation and laughter around the meal table. We all miss her homemade bread and those tasty Icelandic desserts.

Audrey and Merv had a sense of adventure as they travelled to many locations around the world and would seek out a combine or tractor factory as part of their trips, as they both loved farming and tending the land. They shared that love of travel with family as we had some wonderful trips together. Some memorable ones were years spent snowmobiling at White Swan with family and time together in the Carolinas, Hawaii, Iceland, and even Audrey's 75th Birthday in New York. Audrey loved to travel even if it was going with friends for a drive in the country but always had to stop for ice cream to finish the trip off.

Audrey was a family orientated person who spent time with her grandchildren, reading to them, playing games or cards but especially loved to watch them all in school performances, sporting events including football, hockey, soccer, gymnastics, and taekwondo. The summers her love was to be at Fishing Lake with family and friends on the deck, in the water or the hours she spent in the boat as the official spotter. Audrey made every family moment special and went out of her way to make family, friends and others feel welcome, comfortable and well fed.

Audrey dedicated her life to family, community and the church and will be sadly missed by her: son Dale (MaryEllen) and daughter Ellen along with her grandchildren Drew (Kayla) and great-granddaughter Haisley, Ryan, Lauren (Garrett) and Regan.

Also left to mourn her passing are her: sister Marion  (Al) Hingley, sister-in-law Eunice Dewhurst, and brother-in-law Bryan (Linda) Helgason along with many nieces, nephews, close family, friends and relatives.

Audrey is predeceased by her: husband Mervin, son Glenn, grandson Sean, brother Ed Dewhurst and sister-in-law Lynn Helgason.
 

Memorial Service

1:30 p.m.

Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Foam Lake United Church

Foam Lake, SK
 

Those wishing to attend the Memorial Service virtually may do so by viewing the livestream through the link posted on Audrey's Obituary on www.narfasons.com

Please Click Here To View Livestream
 

If there is insufficient service at the Memorial Service, the livestream video will be uploaded at a later time once we gain sufficient service.

Above is the link to view the live stream. You have to register before gaining access to the waiting room. Registering can be done at any time but we recommend doing it in advance in case of any problems. If you do not have an email or mobile phone number when registering you will need to call 1-877-895-2739. The support staff at Forget Me Not Ceremonies will provide you with a code to gain access to it.
 

Those wishing to send cards

of caring & sympathy may send them to

The Family of Audrey Helgason

P.O. Box 503

Foam Lake, SK S0A 1A0
 

Donations in memory of Audrey

may be made to

Foam Lake United Church

or

The Foam Lake Elks Club