Helen Tyrer

November 12 1927 - February 1, 2023

Helen Tyrer passed away peacefully on Wednesday, February 1, 2023, at the age of 95 years. Helen was predeceased by her loving husband John of 64 years; parents Fred and Anastasia; siblings Katie, Bill, Alex, John, Anne, Peter, Mary, Steve, Rose, and Irene.

Helen we be lovingly missed by her sons Ron (Margo), Bill (Diane); grandchildren Karen (Josh), Melanie (Jason), Christopher (Claire), Tricia (Shawn); great-grandchildren Kayne, Avery, Elijah, Madelynne, Brady, Neala, Nora, and Grace; sister Olga, as well as many nieces and nephews.

A funeral service for Helen will be held Saturday, February 18, 2023 at 1:30 PM at Lee Funeral Home, 3101 Dewdney Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan S4T0Y5.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.leefunerals.com for the Tyrer family.

Mom’s Eurogy

Thank you for coming here to help celebrate mom’s life. I would like to share some of her life that made her a loving, strong, giving person. From a young girl growing up on a small farm in the Ituna area to the woman, wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother and friend that she was.

Before I start, I need help from all of you. I need you to put on a happy face, as this is a day to celebrate 95 years of LIFE. A great accomplish in its self.

I have heard that life can be can compared to the 4 seasons of a year. Starting with SPRING, when you’re a child full of life and energy and ending with the winter season in our elderly years. That is when the body, your vehicle for life, begins to break down and our thoughts turn to reminiscing about previous seasons.

The Spring of Mom’s Life

According to her birth certificate, Helen Iwoncio, was born November 12, 1927, on a farm in the Ituna area. In a family with 10 children, they played and worked together. Probably more working than playing. Her main job was helping with the milking of the cows and then take them back to the their pasture, half a mile away. It did not matter what the weather was like, the cows had to be milked. She also walked every day to Beaver Hill School, a mile away. She enjoyed school and even learned to play the ukulele. She finished grade 8 and that was the end of her schooling.

At the young age of 8, mom’s father passed away, leaving her mom to raise 10 children. They all had the jobs to do around the farm, there was no complaining. Mom said they were probably poor, but they never knew it. There was always food on the table. As her siblings were getting older the farm house was getting smaller, so a bunk house was built for the boys. The boys became men and 3 enlisted into the army and served in World War Two. Fortunately, all 3 came back and started their life’s away from the farm. Mom was also ready to make her way into the world. So, at 17 she boarded a train to Winnipeg to live with her sister Rosie.

The Summer of Mom’s Life

Mom immediately got a job at Carlton Drug Store in Winnipeg. She worked as a waitress at the Café in the store. She had a lot to learn. One of her first customers ordered a ‘Denver Sandwich’. She had never heard of a place called Denver, never mind a sandwich named after it. It was breakfast time, so she gave him bacon and eggs, just like she would have made for her brothers. She said that customer never complained, so he must have liked it. The cook liked to tease her about this honest mistake.

One day Rosie’s boyfriend came over for a visit and he brought along a friend, John Tyrer, who mom remembers seeing at the Café. Their lives would be together for the next 67 years. On July 10, 1948 my mom and dad were married in Winnipeg, in a very small ceremony. The maid of honour was Irene, mom’s sister and the best man was her sister Rosie’s husband, Pete Pidsadny. Two of dad’s sisters were there, Lil and Edith and his dad, Jack.

For their honeymoon, they took a bus back to the farm, to meet the family. Dad could not speak Ukrainian and mom’s mom could not speak English, but they got along great. The ‘Englishman’ was welcomed into the family.

On May 18, 1950 there was a terrible flood in Winnipeg resulting in my dad being laid off from Globe Bedding. Mom and dad packed up what little belongings they had into their 1934 Nash and drove back to the farm. After arriving at the farm my father took the train to Regina on Friday, where he found work at McGavin’s Bakery starting on Sunday. Dad rushed back to the farm, collected his wife, drove back to Regina on Saturday, and started working on Sunday. Where he worked until they closed the building 38 and a half years later.

But I’m getting a head of myself now. The good stuff has to happen before my dad and mom retire. Like the birth of me and my older brother; my brother Ron was born on April 5, 1952. Stop and think here. My brother had his mother for over 70 years. Not too many people can say that about themselves. Including me. I was born on May 20, 1955. My parents only owned 3 houses in their life time, 1441 Empress St, 450 sq ft, 812 MacIntosh St and 2 McCormack Cres, 1,062 sq ft. Each house got a little bigger with new features in them; like indoor plumbing, telephone, television, automatic washing and dryer, self-cleaning oven, and micro wave to name a few. Things we take for granted today, but for mom it was all NEW technology.

Mom enjoyed baking and Ron and I enjoyed eating her; perogies, pies, jam, cinnamon bread, cookies, and poppy buns. Mom was a great cook! And she loved to garden and I guess this comes from her days on the farm. Dirt was met to grow things in. I remember sitting on the back stairs at our house on MacIntosh St with mom, and Ron shelling and eating peas in the hot Aug sun, ‘The Dog Days of Summer’.

During the mid 70’s mom picked up a job at Kaufman’s Department Store to keep busy as her 2 boys were no longer boys but young men on their own. Our family got bigger during

these years. Diane and I got married on May 1, 1976 and Ron married Margo on June 11, 1977.

The Autumn Of Mom’s Life

During this time of mom’s life, she saw the birth of 4 grandchildren; Chris, Karen, Tricia, and Melanie. She loved these grandchildren more then anything. She was so happy to look after them any time she was asked. She watched them in recitals, concerts, and sports. In a way, her life was complete. But there was more coming.

She worked parttime at McGavin’s Bakery and retired with my dad in 1987.

My Mom did not like to travel, but my dad did. They compromised by doing some travelling, going to places like; Hawaii, Las Vegas, the Grand Canyon, and visiting brothers and sisters. Mom still made perogies, pies, jam, cinnamon bread, cookies, and poppy buns. And she still loved her garden.

The Winter of Mom’s Life

In 1998 my mom and dad celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, receiving well wishes from the Prime Minister and Governor General of Canada, Premier and Lieutenant Governor of Saskatchewan and the Mayor of Regina to name a few.

In 1999 mom and dad moved to an apartment on Kleisinger Cres. So, no more gardening for mom. Even with a smaller kitchen and oven, she was still able to bake. Dad even helped out. Mom did stop making cookies then. ‘You can only do so much in a small kitchen’, she said.

In 2008 mom and dad celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary. They received the same well wishes as stated earlier and then the Diamond on the top was from Her Majesty the Queen of England, Elizabeth the second.

During the last 3 seasons of her life mom saw her family grow from two to twenty-one.

My mother was deeply religious, growing up Ukrainian Catholic, and then following the Anglican faith for 67 years, attending St James Anglican Church.

With Life comes death. My mom’s love of her life passed away Nov 12, 2012, after 64 years of marriage.

It was hard on my mom. It was like someone had shut the light off in a room that was so bright for so many years. To keep busy she made more perogies, pies, jam, cinnamon bread, and poppy buns. When inventory got too high, she asked us to give the extra inventory to friends. Some of you here have been recipients of this act. When she turned 90, she said that she was no longer baking. Cold turkey just like that. I’m too old she said. Ron and I looked at each other, “when did mom get old”?

Mom turned 95 last November. Her last birthday. By this time in her life, amnesia/dementia had set in and she was living in a nursing home. She knew no one around her. But we all knew and loved her. Her name was Baba.

I would like to thank my wife Diane for providing all the data in this Eulogy and my son in law’s uncle, Larry Campbell for his help.

And a big thank you to the Regina Lutheran Home for looking after mom during her last few months in their care. Their compassion and love, was greatly appreciated by our family.

Thank you