Elder Angelina “Angie” Hazel Crerar, a respected Métis leader and community advocate was born in Fort Resolution, N.W.T., on July 3, 1936, and died on Jan. 9, 2026, at age 89. She moved to Grande Prairie in 1966 with her children.
Shannon Dunfield, a longtime friend, said Crerar took many people under her wing and was widely respected.
“She was well known in a lot of places because of who she was,” Dunfield said. “Her loss is being felt all over.”
Her family said she will be remembered for her grace, warmth and love for everyone.
“Her love for her family — that was the most important thing to my mom,” daughter Patsy Charles said. “She wanted the Métis people to grow, learn and be more of what they ever wanted to be.”
Crerar’s impact in the community was wide-ranging. She received the Governor General’s Caring Canadian Award for her volunteer work assisting the elderly in Grande Prairie.
She also received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, which honours significant community contributions. In 2025 Crerar was awarded the King Charles III Coronation Medal for her decades of service to Métis people and her community. Crerar’s leadership helped shape countless live in the region, through tireless work with Métis Local 1990, the Grande Prairie Friendship Centre, and Native Counselling Services of Alberta. Crerar also helped found the Elders Caring Shelter in June 2003, which provides housing and support for homeless seniors, and has operated near or at full capacity for nearly 15 years.
Crerar shared her experiences as a residential school survivor with national audiences and participated in reconciliation efforts in Rome as part of an Indigenous delegation.
Family members say Métis leaders, friends and relatives from across the country are expected to attend a memorial service at The Bowes at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Jan. 17.
Story by: Thomas Robertson
