Byrdeen "Buddy" Turriff

Byrdeen Turriff passed away on November 27, 2025, surrounded by family and an exceptional team of caregivers at Sherbrooke Community Centre.

Buddy is survived by her loving family: husband, Patrick; children: Shane, Lisa (Tony), Michael (Sheryl), Mark (Cathy), Tracy (Sonny), eight grandchildren and one great grandchild. She is also survived by sister, Lynett O’Dell, many nieces and nephews, and their families.

She was predeceased by her parents Lawrence and Mildred Row, and siblings Marlene O’Neil, Wayne Row, Niela Frydenlund, Corlyn Row, and sister-in-law, Mary Alice Payne.

After finishing school, Buddy enlisted in the Air Force and worked as a Key Punch Operator. She maintained lifelong friendships from that time.

Raising a family, Mom could often be found in the garden or the kitchen. There was a weekly day for making bread or buns; cookies, cakes, pies, perogies and noodles, soups and stews. There was always a hearty meal and good food ready to eat. Jams, jellies, sauerkraut, pickles of all sorts, and frozen bags of every home grown vegetable; she filled jars and freezers with garden produce. With many burlap sacks of potatoes, carrots and turnips, stored in the cellar.

If not there, she was in the sewing room, making all sorts of clothing items, dance costumes and quilts; while running loads of laundry. She eventually got a longer telephone cord to facilitate conversations with her sisters and friends, while she cut and sewed.

Buddy volunteered in community ventures, such as fundraising for the Allan Swimming Pool. And eventually, she found great pleasure in stitching Hardanger embroidery in her retirement years, filling a table, year after year, in the Norwegian Pavilion during Folkfest.

As a family, we vacationed at different fishing lakes in northern Saskatchewan, which we all enjoyed very much. We also all took up the family sport of curling, after years of following Mom and Dad’s curling games. Mom had extensive Christmas Card lists which included hand written letters.

Our family farmed in the South Allan area. Mom and Dad eventually bought a house in Allan, and then moved to the Sierras in Saskatoon, where Mom made use of the swimming pool down the hallway and enjoyed meeting new friends and all the opportunities offered, like weekly craft get togethers. .

Mom and Dad travelled extensively in their retirement years across eastern and western Canada, and the States. They spent many winters in Qualicum Beach and Victoria, BC, and their summer sites at Wakaw and Emma Lakes.

The family extends a huge thank you to workers in Kinsmen Village House 5 and all the staff members at Sherbrooke Community Centre, for their exceptional care and unique opportunities provided to Buddy. We will all miss roaming those happy and inspirational hallways, rooms, and outside areas.

A funeral service is planned for Byrdeen on Saturday, December 6th, 1:00pm at St Philip Neri Parish, 1902 Monroe Avenue South, Saskatoon. For those unable to attend, a livestream link will be added here prior to Buddy's Service. 

Memorial Donations in honour of Buddy may be directed to the Sherbrooke Foundation, 401 Acadia Drive, Saskatoon, SK S7H 2E7 or online at https://sherbrookefoundation.ca/donate-now/

Martens Warman Funeral Home is honoured to be entrusted with the care of Mrs. Turriff.