Date of Birth: October 26, 1944
Date of Death: September 11, 2026
Marlene passed away peacefully on Friday, Sept. 11, 2026, at the Southeast Integrated Care Centre in Moosomin, SK. She will be greatly missed by family and friends.
Marlene was born on Oct. 26, 1944, to James and Aily Abel in Wapella, SK. She grew up on a farm outside of Wapella and attended Wapella School. Growing up she enjoyed spending time with her grandparents, Severus and Amanda Kangas, who lived in New Finland north of Wapella. In 1959 Marlene’s father passed away, and she moved into Wapella with her mother and sister Elaine. After high school, she moved to Moosomin to work at the bank.
Marlene met her husband, Edward Beutler, when her roommate, Shirley Ikert, who was Ed’s first cousin, introduced them. He knew right away that she was the one for him, and they were married on June 15, 1963. They settled on a farm outside of Whitewood where they spent many years in the business of farming. In 1964 they welcomed their daughter, Diana, into their family, and in 1968 another daughter, Janice, and in 1972 a son, Jason.
Marlene spent most of her life on the farm participating in the operation of the farm and raising her children. She loved to read and would make weekly trips to the library, coming home with a bag full of books. In the summer,
Marlene tended to her large garden and kept brightly coloured flowerbeds. She enjoyed all the orange cats on the farm and went to the barn to feed and pet them each day.
Marlene was a member of the Whitewood Evangelical Church, and her church family was an important part of her life. She was a devoted Christian, and her faith sustained her throughout her life.
In 2016 Jason and his wife, Tammy, and their sons, Alex and Nathan, moved to the farm and began working alongside them. Marlene and Ed began to travel more. They enjoyed travelling to British Columbia, Alabama, California, Arizona, Florida and Texas. One highlight was a trip she took to Finland with her daughter, Janice. Marlene and Ed also travelled to Jamaica with Diana and her girls a few years later. To celebrate their 50th Anniversary, they invited their children and their families to spend Christmas together in Cancun.
Marlene was extremely healthy all her life. She was not on any medications until after she was diagnosed with
multiple myeloma in 2022. She required extensive spinal surgery at that time but recovered very quickly and was soon pain free. Marlene later had a fall and broke her hip but recovered very quickly and did not even use a walker afterwards. She then moved to the Cobblestone House, where she spent the last year and a half in her own one-bedroom apartment and made many wonderful friends.
Marlene was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer that had metastasized only a week before she passed away. She never had any pain and passed very peacefully. She epitomized the Finnish concept of sisu great determination in the face of adversity as she showed strength and dignity in the face of serious illnesses at the end of her life.
Marlene was predeceased by her parents and her husband, Edward. She is survived by her sister, Elaine Hamilton; her daughter, Diana (Darcy); her daughter, Janice (Robert); and her son, Jason (Tammy). She will be missed by her grandchildren, Xanthe, Chantara, Madeline, Eric, Alex and Nathan, and great-grandchildren, Will, Mira and Nora.
Funeral service was held on Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026, at the Whitewood Evengelical Missionary Church, with Rev. John Houtman and Rev. James Graham officiating. Pianist Linda Houtman led the congregation in the hymns, the
eulogist was Chantara Lerner, and Xanthe Lerner delivered the readings. Interment took place in the Whitewood
Cemetery with Alex Beutler, Nathan Beutler, Dale Beutler, Brent Murray, James Murray, Reid Basnicki and Will Basnicki acting as pallbearers.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Matthews Funeral Home Melville and Whitewood.
