Well-known ‘Clearwater Lady’ Ida Dekelver passes away at age of 93

Clearwater has lost one of its most well-known citizens.

Ida Dekelver — known locally as the “Clearwater Lady — was an outdoorswoman, rancher, environmentalist, local historian, community volunteer and naturalist who frequently made headlines for various causes.

Among those causes were the inclusion of Trophy Mountain in Wells Gray Park, opposition to damming the Clearwater River, and defending trapping against its opponents.

Over the years, she and her husband, Joseph Emil Dekelver, went from sheep ranching and farming to outdoors guiding. As a Centennial project in 1967 she and her two donkeys followed the route of the Overlanders to her home town of Wadena, Sask. It was a 1,000-mile trip that took 40 days.

In 1975 she started the Yellowhead Museum, which was a popular attraction for many years.

Ida Dekelver died March 7 at the age of 93. A celebration of life will be held at the Clearwater ski hill on April 15 at 1 p.m. Full obituary is here.