Nina Skretting

1937 - 2024

 Nina Vera Skretting, beloved mother, grandmother and great grandmother, and wife of the late John Badura and the late Reider Skretting, passed away peacefully at Chinook Regional Hospital in Lethbridge on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at the age of 86 years.

Relatives and friends were invited to Prayers at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Monday, January 15, 2024 at 7:00 P.M.

The Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Augustine's Catholic Church, 5009 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Tuesday, January 16, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. Burial followed at the Taber Memorial Garden.

 Nina will fondly be remembered by her seven children, eighteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren: Bill Badura of Taber and his children Bobby Jo (Cory) Kerkhoff, Ryan (Jolene) Badura and Victoria (Matt) Harbottle; Cynthia “Cindy” (Kelly) Berntson of Calgary and their children Jessica (George Ryle) and Kelsey (Anthony Speranza); Karen (Irvin) Spengler of Lethbridge and their children Scott and Matthew; Geraldine (Bob) Toth of Foremost and their children Brittany, Nicole (Cord) Sturtevant and Brock; Jeannette Badura of Taber and her children Chelsey (Aidan Nannt) and Scott Holman; Bryan (Lesley) Badura of Taber and their children Johnny (Jasmine), Nickolas, Daniel and Courtney; Carolyn Siemens of Taber and her children McKenzie and Ryvin.

Nina is also survived by her brother Nick Zadan of Lethbridge; sister Val (Lloyd) Robinson of Medicine Hat, as well as many nieces, nephews, in-laws in the Badura, Skretting/Webber families.

She was predeceased by first husband John Badura; second husband Reider Skretting; parents Ivan and Anna Zadan; sister Mary (Fred) Werewka; brother John (Janina) Zadan; niece Jeannie Holstine.

Nina was born in Poland on April 20, 1937. Her family had been evicted from their farmland in Ukraine by the communist regime, and eventually were moved to German labour camps during the Second World War. When the war ended, the Zadan family made their way to Austria. Nina remembered and would tell the story of the risky journey through the Alps, the three years spent outside of Salzburg with other displaced families, and eventual sailing to Canada on the SS Marine Falcon, arriving in Halifax on June 1948. They then travelled to build a new home in the farming community of Taber.

Nina met John Badura in Taber, and they were married on November 23, 1954. They worked hard to build their farming business together southeast of Taber, and to raise a family of six children. There were long hours year-round to support farming, whether hoeing and harvesting the sugar beets, feeding the farm animals, moving irrigation pipes, picking rocks or pitching bales. Each year, nearly 100 chickens as well as several dozen geese and ducks were raised to help feed the family. Nina grew a large garden each year, pickling and freezing into the fall. Vacations though few, were to take a few days in British Columbia to pick fruit that could also be canned and frozen for the winter. She was a great homemaker and baker, and many enjoyed her squares and poppy seed cakes.

Sadly, Nina’s resilience was tested when husband John was taken too early (May 15, 1974), and she had a young family to care for. She would continue to manage the farm for several years, and then met Reider Skretting. They were married on November 6, 1976. Reider continued to farm near his hometown of Enchant, as well as now the Taber farm. Carolyn, Nina’s seventh child was lovingly welcomed by the family. Nina and Reider loved to travel, including the family enjoying trips to California via Las Vegas for many years. Again, Nina’s resolve would be tested by the passing of Reider (March 8, 1992). Through the support of her family, she would persevere. She would often travel with family, enjoying travel to Europe including to visit Reider’s extended family in Norway, as well as many destinations and cruises in North America.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes in Nina’s name may be made to the Alzheimer’s Society, 40, 1202 - 2 Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 0E3 www.alzheimer.ca.

The family would like to thank the staff at the Edith Cavell Care Centre for their care and compassion for Nina, as well as the nursing staff and doctors at Chinook Regional Hospital, for the wonderful care and support that Nina and her family received.