Mrs. Olga May Cote

With deep sadness we announce the passing of Olga May Cote of High River, AB, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025, at the age of 92 years. She will be lovingly missed. Olga was born October 15, 1932 in a farmhouse in Millicent, Alberta. She grew up in the Rolling Hills area on a farm with her parents Mike and Xenia Rogers and her siblings Edward and Natalie during the depression. This shaped her worldview making her a very thrifty person who didn’t like to see anything wasted. She grew up playing with her siblings and a few neighbor kids, helping with chores, and was able to go to school through grade 12. She was an honour student getting a math award in Grade 12 and going on to the University of Alberta to earn a Bachelor of Commerce. She tried not to let the barriers society set for women stand in the way of her dreams. Olga went on a blind date in Calgary with a Saskatchewan boy named David Cote. They fell in love and were married on April 26, 1958. They had 2 girls: Wendy in 1959 and Lynn in 1961. She also has 5 grandchildren: Michael, Monica, Scott, Logan and Derek and 7 greatgrandchildren: Jackson, Max, Chuck, Eloise, Emily, Claire and Rowan. Olga lived a busy, full life filled with family, friends, work, hobbies, and travel. She loved to read, crotchet, oil paint, sew, craft, garden, dance, curl, camp, play cards, birdwatch, and watch sports. Mom was very competitive and liked to WIN. She was a great cook and all our food was made from scratch. We learned after she moved to Seasons that she never liked cooking – that was her – excel at something for 60 plus years even though she didn’t like to do it. She was an integral part of the farm. She did the books, painted, fixed, picked rocks, and helped whenever she was needed. After the girls grew up she was the harvest truck driver and did lots of field work during the rest of the farming season. Olga was predeceased by her parents Michael and Xenia Rogers, husband David Cote, daughters Susan and Robin Cote, brother Edward Rogers, and brother-in-law Alexander Wilkinson. She is survived by her sister Natalie, her daughters Wendy (Douglas) Kennedy and Lynn (Sean) Jennyc; her grandson Michael (Nina) Kennedy, her granddaughter Monica (Derek) Dickson, her grandson Scott (Navreet) Kennedy, her grandson Logan (Andrea) Jennyc, her grandson Derek Jorgensen and her greatgrandchildren. The family extends heartfelt gratitude to the staff on the second floor of the High River Hospital for the kind and compassionate care she received during her long stay with them. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the High River District Health Foundation www.highriverhealthfoundation.ca . Friends of Olga are invited to join the family to celebrate her life with a graveside remembrance on April 12 at 11:00 am at the Highwood Cemetery (north end) and/or at the lunch following at The Highwood Golf & Country Club. Caring for the family is Lyle Reeves Funerals of High River (Craig Snodgrass) 403.652.4242.

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Mrs. Olga May Cote

October 15, 1932 - March 26, 2025