Inmates fulfil Regula Schule's final wish: That they build her casket

It was one of her final wishes in life: To have "her boys" at the Labrador Correctional Centrebuild her final resting place on earth.

Over the past week, the inmates spent 40hours crafting a casket for Regula Schule, a missionary who they say had a profound impact on their lives.

• 'She took care of everyone': Labrador mourns life-long volunteer killed in suspicious fire

Schule, 88, died on July 24 in a house fire that theRCMPhave called "suspicious." People across Labrador have been mourning her death, including the prisoners in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

It's the least we could do for her, for everything she's done for us.- Inmate Dean Earle

"It's a tragedy what happened, and we're just blessed that we had the opportunity to make something nice for her to go into the next world in," inmate Justin Rumbolt told CBC Radio's Labrador Morning.

"She did a lot of help for everybody in here, and out there."

Schule was a life-long volunteer,who came to Labrador as a Moravian missionary in the 1960s.

The prisoners in Happy Valley-Goose Bay remember her weekly visits to their penitentiary, her Bible studies and readings, and her willingness to help anyone inside or outside.

"Very forgiving, she was a forgiving lady. Always happy," said inmateDeanEarle.

"She'ddo anything for anybody, regardless of any circumstance. She was very forgiving with people."

Final wishes

Dwayne Brown, who supervises the Labrador Correctional Centre's woodshop, saidthe prisoners were approached to build Schule's casket.

Herfuneral was even delayed to make sure there was time for it to be completed.

It's good to know that she's going to be buried in something that we [made], and something that looks so beautiful.- Inmate Justin Rumbolt

"Apparently Ms. Schule had it written down in several notes that when she did pass, she wanted the Labrador Correctional Centre, and 'her boys'to build her a coffin," said Brown, who also happened to be Schule's neighbour.

"There was no way we could turn it down, we had to do it."

The casket was built over the last week, andthe inmates based their creation containing serpentine carvings, ulus and inukshuks on justsome measurements and a photo.

"It was a very tough project, it was tough for the inmates," Brown said. "It was really tough for myself to do this. But we pulled it together and got it completed."

Meanwhile, the inmates said despite the difficulties they had with the project, it was something they won't forget.

"A lot of hard work, and very nerve-racking," addedRumbolt. "Just knowing that you're building it for somebody that did so much for this place."

"It's good to know that she's going to be buried in something that we [made], and something that looks so beautiful."

Earleagreed.

"It's the least we could do for her, for everything she's done for us," said Earle.

Schule's funeral was held Tuesday afternoon in Happy Valley-Goose Bay.