Obituary of Rena Edith Johner

In Loving Memory of

Rena Edith Johner

November 26, 1939 ~ November 26, 2025

Rena Edith Johner (Pulver) passed away peacefully on November 26, 2025, at Our Lady of the Rosary Hospital in Castor, Alberta at the age of eighty-six. Rena was born on November 26, 1939, at the Royal Alexandria Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta to Leslie T. and Edith Mary Pulver as the second child of four. She lived in a small house northwest of Green Court, Alberta.

She walked to school and took a horse and cutter in winter.  rode a horse in the early years with her big brother Donald to and from school. She had to take Wednesday off to catch up on sleep. When you’re little, six miles is a long way to ride to school. As she got older, she rode by herself so that her younger sister Gail could ride with Donald. In the summer, they moved to a bigger house with running water, etc, so youngest siter Carol and siblings could now ride the school bus.

Only her Dad could brush her hair, and it was either braided or ringlets.

She drove the tractor on the farm.

Rena and Louis went to school together in a one-room schoolhouse, there were only two grades between them. Louis would put her horse in the barn upon getting to school and at the end of the day he would retrieve it for her to ride home.

On October 11, 1957, they were married and lived northeast of Green Court. In 1958, at the end of August, they welcomed a son, Barry, to the family and in 1959 in the middle of October, they welcomed a daughter, Lorraine.

The car didn’t start in the cold weather, so they went by horse and cutter to visit her Dad and Mom.

Rena shoveled the grain to the back of the grainery as there was no auger but later drove the grain truck. There were chickens, pigs, and cows to milk. She chopped wood to keep the house warm, cooked the food and heated water for washing and bathing. She also pumped water to carry to the house, washed clothes by hand and hung them on the line outside to dry. She always had a vegetable garden with raspberries, strawberries and rhubarb. She made sauerkraut and butter that was kept in the dirt cellar with other food. Upon moving closer to Mayerthorpe there was running water.

Rena belonged to the Green Court Hall, and she volunteered her time at the bake sales and rummage sales which she made pies for. They also worked at wedding suppers and more, which usually involved us kids. Mom worked hard on the farm.

She was a telephone operator for a while and took up sewing. She made lots of jeans for Dad, did lots of canning and she loved to bake. She taught Lorraine to make bread and bake many things in her early teens. Dad loved her cinnamon buns.

They started racing and Mom was a timer at the races for many years and kept records of all the races throughout the years.

Mom and Dad went to many jamborees to sing and dance in the winter as well as lots of ice fishing. They played lots of cards with family and neighbours at the senior centre and volunteered and sang at extended care.

Rena took pride in her family and spoiled the grandkids and great grandkids.

In 2023, she moved to the lodge in Castor, Alberta and enjoyed all the activities as well as following the racing circuit right up until her passing.

Rena is survived by her loving husband of 68 years, Louis Johner; children Lorraine Hansen (Warren Jackson) and Barry Johner (Christine Trudel); grandchildren: Rhonda Hansen Fuller, Wanda Hansen, Janna Jackson, Brianne Bagshaw, Harley Johner, Amanda Flett, Katlyn Kraal and Bradley Johner; nineteen great grandchildren; sister Carol Hagerman; brother Donald (Vivian) Pulver as well as other relatives and many dear friends.

Celebration of Life

Saturday, May 16, 2026 at 2:00 PM

Diamond Centre, 4918 - 54 Street

Mayerthorpe, Alberta

Memorial donations may be made to Our Lady of The Rosary Hospital Foundation, Box 329, Castor, Alberta, T0C 0X0 or a charity of the donor’s choice.