OLEKSYN (DOBROWOLSKY) – Marie
July 24, 1918 – April 9, 2014

It is with profound sadness and very fond memories that the Oleksyn, Dobrowolsky, Miller, and Hubel families say goodbye to our beloved Mother, Grand-mother, and Great-grandmother, Marie. Mom passed away peacefully with family by her side as she was by our side all the time. Mom was born July 24, 1918 in Zalicia, Manitoba. Mom was the 4th eldest of 9 children. Mom went to school at Riga School until she was 10 at which time the Pohoreski family pulled up roots and moved to Saskatchewan where her parents bought a farm in the Mount Forest District near Melfort. Mom went to school there until Grade 9 and then the Pohoreski family moved to Lenvale, Sask. where Mom worked for her Dad in the Post Office for 12 years. With her Dad being paid $129.00/year for being the Postmaster, you can only imagine what Mom was being paid!! In about 1940 Mom met a dashing young farmer, Harry Dobrowolsky, at a country dance in the Maryville district north of Melfort. Mom and Dad were married in 1943 and had 3 children; Vesper, Gord, and Dennis. They farmed until 1948 and then got into the hotel business, buying the hotel in Gronlid, SK and naming it the Timberland Hotel. Dad operated the beer parlour and Mom ran the restaurant, cooking literally tens of thousands of meals for customers over the course of 13 years. Mom became known for her excellent home-cooked meals, and her outstanding apple pies. They built a new hotel in 1959 at a cost of $60,000.00 and sold in 1961, then moving to Prince Albert. In Prince Albert Mom worked at the C.B. Store, Crescent IGA, Carments Jewellers, and White Cross Drugs. When Mom’s so-called retirement began in 1983, she began her own baking business which she operated out of her home for almost 20 years. Mom loved meeting and talking with people. Dad passed away in 1968, and then re-married to Bill Oleksyn in 1981. Mom actively embraced her faith and her Church. She was a Church member for over 50 years, a choir member for many years and thoroughly enjoyed all Church activities. She loved the Ukrainian language and traditions. Ukrainian was Mom’s first language. And she so enjoyed making the Ukrainian dishes, at Christmas and throughout the year. And the family very much enjoyed the Ukrainian family meals. But first and foremost, she was the consummate Mother. Us kids and grand-children were smothered with affection. In the early years, everything at home was home-made; the bread, the jams, the dill-pickles, the tomato relish and she got all the goods from her own garden. Mom would routinely call us and our spouses over for supper and feed 12 of us for no special occasion. In Mom’s world, every day was a reason to celebrate, celebrate life, celebrate family! She would always find the silver lining in the darkest cloud. Mom was always positive, even when the rest of the family wasn’t. Mom would always say,”if you’ve got your health, you’ve got everything”. Mom never complained even when she had every reason to complain, and become self-absorbed in her sorrow. Instead of complaining, Mom would give thanks, her faith was so incredibly strong and unwavering. Most often Mom led the family by example, and sometimes by words. She was the perfect example of “when the going gets tough, the tough get going.” And Mom loved to fish. Mom enthusiastically initiated many fishing trips to the island cabin at La Ronge. And Mom not only enjoyed fishing, but when at the cabin she would sometimes bake bread in the wood-oven, or go picking mushrooms or low-bush cranberries. And Mom really enjoyed feeding the squirrels. Mom loved to laugh, that was her light-hearted nature; always looking for a fun time regardless what she was doing. And she really enjoyed seeing her family laughing and socializing. In every respect, Mom was the pillar and strength of our family. She will be missed beyond belief! Mom will always very affectionately be remembered by her absolute and total devotion to her family. “VICHNAYA PAMYAT”! Mom is survived by her three children; Vesper (Ken) Miller of Prince Albert, Gord Dobrowolsky (Marilynn Simonson) of Prince Albert, Dennis Dobrowolsky of Calgary. Vesper’s children, Curtis (Shauna) Hubel of Red Deer and their children Michael and Sara. Ken Hubel (Jenn Wolowski) and Ken’s children, Samantha (Shaun) Kozey of Saskatoon; Charlene Hubel (Brandon Eisler) of Calgary. Patrick (Marcy) Hubel of Winnipeg, and son Grayson. Ken Miller’s children, Rod (Shelly) Miller of Salt Lake City, Utah; Shawn Miller of Prince Albert, Curtis Miller of Vermillion, and their children. Gord Dobrowolsky (Marilynn Simonson) and step-daughter Vanessa (Vince) Ethier and their son Joel. Dennis Dobrowolsky’s children; Kyla (Sylvain Bourget) Dobrowolsky of Golde., Joe (Julia Ivana-Solta) Dobrowolsky and daughter Madison Marie of Medicine Hat. Bryan (Tegan Fletcher) and daughter Isla of Thunder Bay. Ben Dobrowolsky of Calgary. Mom is also survived by 3 siblings; sister Dorothy Panchuk of Vernon; brother Anton Pohoreski of Hamilton; and sister Joanne (Geoff) Harris of Tsawwassen, BC; and numerous nieces and nephews throughout North America. Mom was predeceased by her parents Michael and Anna Pohoreski. Mom was predeceased by her first husband Harry Dobrowolsky in 1968, and her second husband Bill Oleksyn in 2008. Mom is also pre-deceased by 5 siblings; John Pohoreski (in infancy), Tena Tkachyk, Louis Pohoreski, Adam Pohoreski and Pauline Panchuk; and great-granddaughter Cassandra Hubel. In lieu of other tributes, memorial donations can be made to the Mont St. Joseph Foundation, 777 – 28th St. East, Prince Albert, SK S6V 8C2. Prayer Service will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 13, 2014 at Gray’s Funeral Chapel, 575 – 28th Street West, Prince Albert, SK. Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Monday, April 14, 2014 at the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church, 684 – 3rd Avenue East, Prince Albert, SK with Father Michael Lomaszkiewicz officiating. Interment will be held at South Hill Cemetery. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.grays.ca Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Gray's Funeral Chapel, Lorne Adams, Funeral Director (306-922-4729).
 

• Date : 2014-04-09 06:00:00