JONAT, Elvadora Pearl Olivianne Rice Kittler (née Holmberg)

November 14, 1935 — September 9, 2026

Elvadora Pearl Olivianne Holmberg Rice Kittler Jonat lived a life as full and as long as her name.

When Mom turned 90, we created a book to honour her life and titled it “Faith and Family … 90 years.”  That is the theme of what mattered to our Mom.

She was the second child born to Agnes and Oscar Holmberg, and as the family grew to a total of 9 children, Mom had a lot of people to care for and to try to organize. She once asked her brother Dwight what he remembered most about their childhood, and he said, “You were always trying to make us work, and we wanted to play.”

Music was a big part of family life for the Holmberg’s and Mom taught herself to play the piano by ear, and she could transpose to different keys to make choruses and hymns singable for us all. The kids could sing four-part harmony and created their own choir. She learned the French horn, the trombone, the organ, and later in life, the vibraharp.

Life was not always easy in a household of 11 people. There were many chores and a large garden to work and lots of canning to be done. When her Dad began a job as a night cook to serve 75 men placing electrical lines, he asked Mom and her older sister to come and help, and her working career began at the age of 12. She worked for 50 cents an hour and no tips. She was a good saver, too, but when the washing machine broke down and couldn’t be fixed, Mom gave her Dad the money to buy a new one.

Mom was a conscientious and good student and was first in her class from Grade 7–11. She received a scholarship in Grade 11 and used it to buy more books. She was so surprised to be chosen to be valedictorian for her Grade 12 graduation.

Her first teaching position was in Binscarth, Manitoba where she met and married Murray Rice. Life as a farmer’s wife and teacher was busy, but it became even busier when Carol and then Karen and then Russ joined the family. She was Mom to 3 under 3! As we grew older, Mom got us involved in 4-H where we worked on projects, demonstrations, and public speaking, which she believed was good training for our future.

The next biggest chapter was our move to Kelowna, BC. Mom and Dad wanted us to have different opportunities. We found the Kelowna Alliance Church which became an integral part of our faith journey. Mom was in the choir, played the piano and organ for services, promoted missions, and was the Sunday School Superintendent. They survived the teen years because Dad kept us laughing and Mom kept us organized.

Mom supported each one of us as we began to choose our career paths and our life partners. Wherever her kids went, Mom visited and always showed up in a big way.

She was so very proud of Russ’ carpenter abilities and the china cabinet he built was one of her prize possessions. She was excited to have Debbie Klassen join our family and proud of how Debbie got Russ through University and established in his career with Graham Construction.

As Karen was heading to the mission field, in drops Bob Formica, changes her last name and the country they were headed to. Mom packed their barrels and Dad had her stand on the top to add more weight! She absolutely treasured her trips to the Philippines and then Florida when they joined the pastorate.

Carol served in three churches across Canada and at every church, Mom would come to “Cut, Colour, and Count Crafts for Carol’s Kids” and nobody could do it better! Who else would crochet hundreds of baby blankets and paint 37,000 q-tips for a camp craft? Steven Wiebe joined the family and Mom’s prayers for godly partners for her children were answered.

Mom was over the moon excited when she became Grandma Pearl! Karen and Bob gave her Joseph, Carolyn, and Marie. Russ and Debbie gave her Janelle and Joshua. Steve brought Lydell into her life and Carol and Steven adopted Nate from the country of Ukraine. She made costumes out of nothing, hosted tea parties, and loved to take her grandchildren out for coffee so that she could show them off!

Our Dad passed away in January 1992 and Mom married Hugo Kittler in June 1994. She got involved in the life of Hanna, Alberta and learned how to ice fish, collected 375,000 creamo toppers for a fundraiser, and made special church and coffee friends. Hugo passed away in August 1999.

When Mom was 15 years old, Clarence Jonat who was 20, was a travelling evangelist and musician, and they became interested in each other. Marriage was on his mind, but her parents put a stop to that! Fifty years later, they found each other again and Mom and Clarence got married on her 65th birthday in Zimbabwe.

Married life started in Swift Current where Clarence had pastored the Apostolic Church. Mom added Patsy, Rob, Wes, and Lorrie, and four more grandchildren to her family.  Mom and Clarence jet-setted around the country and to Africa helping their kids and taking advantage of ministry opportunities.

In 2011, as Mom and Clarence came to visit Steven and Carol in Kelowna and enjoyed our weather so much, they made the decision to come and enjoy it, too! They found an apartment close to everything they needed, rekindled old friendships and made new ones at their “pew” in McDonald’s.

After Clarence passed, there came a time when Mom needed care. She had dementia, but we never told her, and we answered every question like she was asking it for the first time. God gave us our first choice and Mountainview Village became her new home. We are at a loss for words to describe the care, the attention, and the love that they gave to our Mom. They loved her spunk, her desire to be independent, and her sweet smile when something was done for her.

To the very end of her days, our Mom taught us how to live. To be grateful, to be generous, and to stay connected to family and to God. Every day, she wanted us to be sure we knew, she appreciated all that we were doing for her. Today, we are saying the same to you, Mom.

We appreciate all you have done for us. Thank you for the gift of faith and family over 90 years.

By the way — you’ll be happy to know — you won the last SkipBo tournament.

A Private Service was held in Pearl’s honour.

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