Rose Sophia Agate

The death of Mrs. Rose Sophia Agate (née Kachmarski) occurred at Sarcee Hospice in Calgary, on May 3, 2019. Rose was born on February 19, 1927, on the family farm 5 miles south of the town of Brock, Saskatchewan.

She will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by her children, Richard, of Surrey, BC; Leona Billo (Jeff) of Calgary; Mona Hjermenrude (Brian), of Saskatoon, SK., and by her grandchildren Nadine (Jason) and Stephanie.

Rose is survived by her sister Fran Lyons (Milton) of Vernon, BC; sister-in-laws Wilma Kachmarski (Tony) of Kindersley, Hazel McKone (Joe Kachmarski) of Kindersley and Marie Kachmarski (Paul) of Calgary and by over 20 nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her dear husband Jack Agate in 2000; her father Joseph Kachmarski in 1971; her mother Magdelina (née Zarowny) in 1993; her brother Peter Kachmarski in 2012; sister Kay Olmstead in 2004; sister Ann Shanti in 2015; brother Joe Kachmarski in 2007; brother Tony Kachmarski in 2014; brother Frank Kachmarski in 1982 and her brother Paul Kachmarski in 1992.

After graduating from Grade12 in 1945, Rose went on a berry picking adventure in Vernon, BC, transported by the National Selective Service, but her adventure was short-lived when she and her fellow pickers went on strike and were summarily let go. Her next working stint was a fateful one as a cook with Western Carrier, for a road gang working on number 44 highway in Saskatchewan. There Rose met her husband Jack Agate, and in 1946, they moved to seek wider opportunities and start a family in Calgary.

In 1948, they welcomed a son, Richard; then in 1949, a first daughter, Leona; and finally, in 1952, a second daughter, Mona. They at first rented accommodations, then bought a small wartime house in the Hillhurst area. She took in boarders to make ends meet, and took night courses to become a bookkeeper. In 1955 they took a big step and built a new house in a new neighbourhood way out on the north edge of the city.

In 1956, they moved into the new house at 620 - 40 Avenue NW, and raised their family in the Highwood neighbourhood, where they lived for all of their married life. They joined Highwood Lutheran Church in 1957 and were faithful members there until their passing.

Rose and Jack owned and operated automobile service stations for North Star, Texaco and Shell from 1956 until 1973. She did the books for the stations.

In 1973 Rose took a job working at Foothills bookstore, later renamed Concord Canada, on the order desk and in the retail store and was joined there by her husband Jack, who worked as a shipper and receiver after they gave up the service station business. Jack retired in 1981, while Rose continued to work for the rest of the 1980’s.

After her retirement in 1990, Rose and Jack travelled to visit friends, relations, children and grandchildren in B.C., Alberta, and Saskatchewan. Christmas’s were usually spent in Saskatoon with their two daughters.

From 1991 until 2009, Rose was a partner with her daughters in two retail franchise ventures: “Kernels” popcorn and “Fruits and Passion” body care products, located in malls in Saskatoon. She learned to cook popcorn, wait on customers, demonstrate products, and helped with the busy December sales season, mastering a computerized point of sale system in her late 70’s.

After Jack’s passing in 2000, Rose enjoyed travelling with her daughters to Ontario, Quebec, the Maritimes, BC, Washington, Hawaii, and Costa Rica. In her 80’s she learned to use a PC, mastering email, web browsing and Skype to contact friends and relatives, and video chat regularly with her son and daughters.

Rose was a hard-working, loving wife and mother, and a caring, generous person who always readily shared her time and money with her church, family and friends. Many will recall the help she gave them, unstintingly and unselfishly. She is remembered as a kind and understanding lady by all whose lives she touched, as a committed and caring colleague by those she worked with, and as a very good friend by those fortunate enough to know her personally.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Canadian Cancer Society will be gratefully accepted as expressions of sympathy. Recollections and remembrances to the family will be appreciated.

The Funeral service in celebration of Rose’s life will be held at Highwood Lutheran Church, 419 Northmount Drive, Calgary, T2K 3H7 (403) 289-8206 on Thursday, May 16th at 1 p.m. Reverend Michael Wellman officiating. Interment will be at a later date.