Ella Nachay

1940 - 2025

 Ella Nachay, beloved wife of the late Jim Nachay, passed away peacefully in Taber on Saturday, August 23, 2025 at the age of 85 years.

The Funeral Service will be held at Southland Funeral Chapel, 5006 - 48 Avenue, Taber on Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at 10:30 A.M. Burial to follow at the Taber Memorial Garden. 

Ella is survived by her daughters Gail Williamson of Taber and her children Amanda Williamson and Adena Williamson (Brandon); Brenda (Robert) Ross of Taber and their children Jarred Ross (Amanda) and Chad (Jylian) Ross; daughter-in-law Shelley Kessler and her daughter Melissa Nachay; great grandcildren Maverick, Cooper, Aubrey, Adalynn, Lexsi and Caliana. She is also survived by her brother Jake Lowen and sister Laura Lowen.

She was predeceased by her husband Jim Nachay, son Darrel Nachay, grandson Daniel Nachay, parents Jacob J. and Adina Lowen, brothers John, Herman, Frank and Peter Lowen.

Ella and her twin sister Laura were born in Coaldale on May 13, 1940. They lived in Coaldale a few years before the family moved to River Road Chilliwack, British Columbia, where they started school. Their family later returned to the McNally/Coaldale area where their father started a turkey hatchery and farm. Ella and Jim met at a school dance in Coaldale, they dated a few years and they eloped with friends by their side on February 1, 1960, at the courthouse in Shelby, Montana.

After they married, they moved to Edmonton to be closer to some of Ella’s siblings and Gail and Darrel were born during this period. In 1966, they returned to the Coaldale/Lethbridge area where their last child Brenda was born. Jim worked at Beny Chev Olds, farming with Ella after hours, on a rent to own farm in the area. In 1972, Ella and Jim bought a farm in Cranford where they farmed together, with Ella much preferring the outside work to the inside work. In 1977, Jim and Ella, while still farming, opened the Automart in Taber, a parts accessory store that also expanded to Bow Island where they worked together with their children.

Ella had a generous and kind heart and will be remembered for her sense of humour, her artistic abilities and the delicious food that she loved to share with everyone.