Viola Angela Antonia Ellithorpe, nee Lazzarotto, aged 85, passed away peacefully on Monday, September 8, 2025 at home in Sundre, Alberta.

Vi was born on July 4, 1940 in Calgary, Alberta, to Tomaso and Zelinda Lazzarotto, and grew up in Exshaw, moving to Calgary with her mother and sister Lorraine after her father’s death in 1956.
She is survived by her husband Robert; children/stepchildren: Angela Bywater, Cathy Ellithorpe, Larry (Debbie) Ellithorpe, Eric (Linda) Ellithorpe and Shirlee Tofin; 10 grandchildren Jason (Jaimie) Ellithorpe, Curtis (Brandy) Ellithorpe, Heather MacNab, Lisa (Dan) Trbusic, Shaun Ellithorpe, Sarah Ellithorpe, Jesse Ellithorpe, Philippa (Izaak) Bywater/Sofer, Christopher Bywater, and Rosa Ellithorpe; 6 great-grandchildren and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins, including Clifford and Ruth Pegoraro. She was predeceased by her beloved sister, Lorraine Davidowski in 2023.

In addition to raising a family, Vi worked hard all her life at many jobs: as a travel agent, lawyer’s secretary, typesetter at the Sundre Roundup, office work at Saunders Contracting, administrative assistant at Sundre Hospital and she also supported Robert’s business, R&V Excavating. In 1994, Robert and Vi took the bold move to retire, sell up and move into their custom bus conversion, spending winters in Arizona and making many friends from all over North America, primarily through square dancing and round dancing.
When they came to Sundre in 1969, Vi’s sister-in-law Bessie Ellithorpe convinced her to join the Sundre Hospital Auxiliary where she volunteered for an incredible 55 years, working as a ‘Sunshine Lady’ (ward aid) in the 70’s, helping with quilt raffles and fund-raising, and taking on the role of Secretary and then President. She was also volunteer coordinator and treasurer of the Thrift Shop, which is the Auxiliary’s main source of income, working with a dedicated team of volunteers to raise funds for equipment such as defibrillators, special beds, foetal monitors, blood pressure units and more. In her spare time, Vi loved to do old time dancing and clogging, to crochet, and to do puzzles. The dancing kept her fit: for her 75th birthday, she joined friends to put on a half-hour clogging exhibition! She also loved curling, canning, Nimble Fingers, yoga, Zumba, making lovely Christmas cakes and terrible tasting rosehip ketchup.

A Graveside Service for family and close friends will be held at the Sundre Cemetery on Saturday 27 September 2025 at 11:00 am. A Celebration Of Life will start at 1:00 pm at the Sundre Legion. All who knew Vi are welcome to attend and celebrate her life.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Sundre Hospital and Care Centre Auxiliary Society, Box 2309, Sundre T0M 1X0.

On behalf of Vi, our family which is scattered across the globe, extends heartfelt thanks to her many wonderful friends in the community, the excellent nurses and staff at the Sundre Hospital, and Home Care.

Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.heartlandfuneralservices.com. Arrangements in care of: Heartland Funeral Services Ltd., 5226 – 46 Street, Olds, Alberta. Phone: 403.507.8610

• Date : 2025-09-20
• Location : (Olds) LOCALLY OWNED AND OPERATED (Red Deer/Blackfalds/Eckville) www.ParklandFuneralHome.com & (Innisfail/Olds/Didsbury/Sundre) www.HeartlandFuneralServices.com