Teichrob spent a lifetime in public service — including as Councillor and Reeve in Corman Park, and in the Saskatchewan Legislature.
When Caroyln Rebeyka remembers her old boss, mentor and friend Carol Teichrob, she thinks of a “hardworking, committed, knowledgeable” woman who was driven to help people live better lives.
“She was just a real down-to-earth person who had entered politics because she wanted to do good things. She wanted to do the right thing. She wanted to make her community better and stronger.”
Joan Hammersmith, another of Teichrob’s friends, remembers her as “an amazingly brilliant woman.”
“Carol was one of those women that, when you meet her, you think ‘holy crap — this is a classy dame.’ ” Hammersmith recalled. “You can’t even begin to imagine what it was like to just sit and have a coffee with her. She was just beautiful. Kind, and patient, and a will of steel.”
In her years at the legislature, Rebeyka said Teichrob was always the first to arrive at the office and the last to leave — and she made a point to read every letter a constituent sent her.
“She really valued people’s opinions and respected them,” said Rebeyka.
She cherished her family, making a point to call her husband Dan every day, even at the busiest times in the legislative calendar.
“They had such a good relationship,” Rebeyka said.
And she had a powerful sense of humour, too — even in the face of adversity.
Rebeyka remembers when Teichrob was the minister responsible for SaskTel, when the Crown corporation was on strike and employees were protesting in front of the legislature.
“At the time, her office had windows facing the front, so we could see all these people gathering,” she said. “And the union had created an effigy of Carol.
“And we were looking out there, as a staff, going ‘oh dear. This is not looking good.’ But Carol went out there and faced them. She wasn’t afraid to go out there.”
And once the job action was over and the contract was signed, Teichrob made a special request of union leadership.
“She asked them if she could possibly have her effigy, if they still had it, to put up at her farm in her garage,” Rebeyka said. “And they willingly gave it to her.
“I think it was because they respected her. They knew she felt the seriousness of the situation, but also the humour of having an effigy of you.”
According to Rebeyka, Teichrob proudly kept the effigy on display for decades — at least until her retirement, when she moved to British Columbia and started a Saskatoon berry farm.
“When she told us she was starting a Saskatoon berry farm, we all said, ‘what in the world are you doing?’ ” Rebeyka recalled. “You’re supposed to be retired. You’re supposed to be relaxing and enjoying life. But that was her way to enjoy life — to continue working.
“She wasn’t one to sit down and twiddle her thumbs and sit there with her feet up.”
Even when she knew she was dying, Hammersmith said her friend continued to be her “astounding, awesome” self, right up until the end.
“Less than a month ago, I talked with her, because she had mentioned on Facebook that she had pancreatic cancer,” said Hammersmith. “And Carol had always been so darn healthy.
“And she said, ‘I’m OK. I’m in an OK spot. I know it’s terminal, but I’m going with it. I’ve done everything I can do, and that’s it.’ ”
— Local Journalism Initiative
Julia Peterson is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of the StarPhoenix. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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