Obituary of Elpha Margaret Senft

Elpha Margaret Hoopfer - Senft

1929 – 2025

Elpha Margaret was born August 29, 1929, at Red Willow, the second daughter of Pearl & Russell Haner.

She lived in the Red Willow area until 1939 when the family moved to the Gadsby area. She received her schooling at Old Red Willow and Imogen. As clerk in the Cockroft & Bowie General Store in Gadsby she met the love of her life, Jim Hoopfer.

Elpha and Jim were married February 10, 1950 (a very blizzardy day) and began their married life on the Hoopfer family farm southeast of Gadsby. In 1953 Jim went to work for a construction company building the Annex on to the Alberta Pacific Elevator, and later on at the new school being built in Gadsby. Elpha and Jim operated the Gadsby Café from 1953 to 1954. It was in May of 1954 that they were appointed postmasters at the Gadsby post office. Jim drove school bus while Elpha operated the Post Office. They had 2 children by this time, Dewey Russell and Donna Leigh. They operated the Post Office until 1964. In 1956, after Jim’s mother’s passing, they bought the farm from his two sisters and one brother. In 1964 they built a new house and moved to the farm. Jim continued farming and raising cattle with his brother-in-law Bruce McMillan. In 1969 when Jim was having health problems, Elpha moved to Stettler and Jim became brand inspector.

In June of 1976 Jim had another heart attack that claimed his life. Dewey had come home from Brooks by this time and had taken over the farm. Donna moved to Medicine Hat and later continued her nursing education; she obtained a doctorate in 1998. In 1978, Elpha married Ron Senft and left the Post Office. In 1980 she went to work for Alberta Transportation, a job she held until her retirement.

In 1984, Dewey married Joanne Macleod and blessed Elpha with two wonderful grandsons which she adored. In 1985, Donna married Ken Anweiler and live in Edmonton. In August of 2012, Jordan married Kelli and Elpha finally got her granddaughter and later a little grandson, whom she also adores. Then James married Jenna and she was blessed with two more grandsons. 

Elpha has been a very busy person throughout her life. While living in Gadsby she was always busy with Sunday school, Explorers, Mission Band, CGIT, curling community hall events, UCW, 4H Garden, sewing, and Beef clubs, as well as with Omega Circle and Church Board. After moving to Stettler she continued her volunteering with Ladies Auxiliary, FCSS, Royal Purple, IODE, Curling Club, Golf Club, Church Board, Superfluity, Flu Clinics, Heartland Good Sam Club, and many more. She always made time to decorate celebration cakes – starting with Halloween cakes for her children’s school classes, birthday cakes galore, and then the many wedding cakes. Besides this she was an amazing seamstress – mother & daughter dresses of the day, graduation, bridesmaid, and wedding dresses. Many of these were done without a set pattern. She always put a lot of work into whatever she did and truly enjoyed every minute of it and the fellowship of working with others. Elpha was recognized by the Alberta Lung Association and the Stettler Legion for her years of service. In 1992, she was awarded Stettler Chamber of Commerce Female Citizen of the Year. In 2008, she was on the curling team that won the gold metal at the Canadian 55 Plus Canada Games, becoming a Canadian Champion.

She was predeceased by her first husband Jim in 1976; parents Pearl and Russell Haner; sisters: Mildred McMillan, Blanche McKay, Maxine Hansel and Annice Erichson and their spouses; in-laws Dewy (Jessie) Hoopfer, Robert (Esther) Senft, Alice Rowels, Verna Herbert, Bill Hoopfer, Dan Hoopfer and Laurie Hoopfer; and many other relatives and friends.

She is survived by husband Ron Senft; son Dewey (Joanne); daughter Donna Leigh (Ken) Anweiler; grandchildren James (Jenna) Hoopfer and Jordan (Kelli) Hoopfer; great grandchildren: Rylen, Daycen, Jax and Jaden; numerous extended family and a host of dear friends.

Celebration of Life

Friday, September 19, 2025 at 2:00 P.M.

Stettler United Church, Stettler, Alberta

Donations in memory of Elpha are gratefully accepted to the Stettler Health Services Foundation, Bag 500, Stettler, Alberta T0C 2L0  or to the Stettler United Church, Box 1027, Stettler, Alberta T0C 2L0.