Sophie Boghean

Relatives and friends were invited to a Prayer Service held at Holy Martyr Peter the Aleut Orthodox Church, 1802 33 Ave S.W., Calgary on Wednesday, September 3, 2025, at 7:00 p.m. The Prayer Service was Livestreamed, and may be viewed with the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/YcdmyqH2UqA

A Funeral Service was held at Holy Martyr Peter the Aleut Orthodox Church, 1802 33 Ave S.W., Calgary on Thursday, September 4, 2025 at 10:00 a.m. Interment will follow at Queen’s Park Cemetery. The Funeral Service was Livestreamed, and may be viewed with the following link: https://www.youtube.com/live/QPGxypiHTZs

Tribute From Dale:

I’m gonna miss you Mom.

From your smile and hugs to the care and understanding you showed. Always there to help out, and you knew there might be trouble lurking around before any of us did. The uncanny knowledge of when things might be going wrong was a Spidee sense you had!

When any of us needed support, in any way, you were there. When I was very young and I needed attention while you were working around the house, mangling the sheets and doing laundry, you set up a classroom in the basement for Sharon and me, made of ceramic crock pots (the ones for making pickled cabbage for cabbage rolls) and sheets of plywood, then setting a lesson plan for us to complete. What an imagination and creativity to use available materials to occupy our developing minds. By the way, who else ever ironed sheets anyway! Anyway, who else had a mangle? Hey, we did start out with a scrub washboard (rippled glass in a frame) and a wringer washer machine that I was always afraid of getting my hands pinched in the rollers!

You spent time with me, and the others I’m sure, cuddling and holding. I remember nearly rubbing the fabric off your silky, smooth pajamas on your thigh as I rest my head on you to go to sleep or while we were on road trips in the car when you wore your velvet pants.

Being there, at hockey or baseball games in the stands, (outdoor Saskatchewan winters!) always having meals made and clean clothes for all of us, all while being Mother and Father while Dad was on the road was incredible and commendable. Taking in and caring for boarders added to the workload and you took it in stride. Things were always “done”. Cooking, cleaning, caring, every day! These actions sure taught work ethic and dedication to our family.

While raising my family you were a strong influence and support. Through Amanda and William’s challenges at their births you were strong and steadfast! Helping physically, emotionally and spiritually. We gave you a break with Ashley!

In later years, I needed more extensive help. You and Dad were there for me and the girls, for nine months! Well, we might as well renovate the house while we are at it! I got a full basement suite!

We had many visits and many long, interesting talks after Dad and Sharon left us. The history you had with Dad was varied, challenging, exciting, hard, disappointing and rewarding. A good mix, maybe biased a bit towards Dad’s side but equitable all the same.

I know the last few years were hard for you to be alone. You always had friends and family around but we could not fill the void full time for you. You were ready to go for a while now, but your tent would just not collapse and release your soul and spirit to be with the others and your Creator. This was difficult but you have overcome that now and have a free spirit to soar as you so deserve.

Good bye Mom! God Bless!

A Tribute From Ron:

Sophie ,”Mom” was granddaughter of Rovim and Anna Ursu, born in 1869 who arrived from Romania at pier 21 of Halifax in 1904, and was the daughter of John Nasia (anglicized to Nasea) born 1894 who, from Romania, arrived in Canada in 1916 and married Anna, daughter of Rovim and Anna.

Mother’s mom Anna was born in Romania August 27, 1894, who was first married to Tudor Dobra with whom she birthed and raised Nick, John, Mary Banda, Rosie Rusu and Joe after which Tudor passed away from the Spanish Flu. A number of years later Anna needed help farming to raise the family and married John Nasia and gave birth to Bill, George, Connie and Sophie.

Sophie was predeceased by infant son Johnny (1950), grandson William (1984), daughter-in-law Debbie (1993), husband of 65 years Dan (2011) and daughter Sharon (2015). She is the last to pass of her siblings and is survived by her sons, Ron (Faith), Dale (Litze) and son-in-law and God child Earl; grandchildren, Dana (Ed), Shannon (Rob), Rene, Denise (Brent), Amy (Jason), Amanda, Ashley, John (Nicola), Thomas (Stephanie), Samantha (Roger); great grandchildren, James (Cassy), Mark, Ciara, Kclynn, Brooklyn, Aspen (Ben), Davis, Lennox, Lily, Audrey, Hallie and Mara as well as thirteen additional God children.

Mom will be greatly missed but her legacy of expressed love, compassion and support for others of all colours and beliefs of this world, the Church and her immediate and extended family will live on and be remembered and manifested in the good will and works of those whom she has touched.

Mother, you were a person of ever-present prayer and, with God’s guidance, you have made a great difference, you have accomplished God’s Will with His Spirit He inserted in your Soul and now that you have accomplished God’s Will, your Soul is released for the body and now with God as your body awaits the second coming of Christ. Rest in peace dear Mother as you now become wrapped in the harms of the Trinity.

There are many stories to Mother’s life involving extreme poverty living on the farm during the drought of the 30’s, sacrifice of her own education to care for family members stricken with polio, the flue, and cases of cancer, struggled with the loss of her father at two years old and her mother at 27 years old, but she perseverance to be the best she could be in doing God’s Will is evident in a few of those stories and sentiments embodied in the testimonies of others, provided herein.

October 27, 1971

Love is an abstract figment of man's imagination, yet our lives are based around this abstraction. Without love our society as we know it would not exist, and it is because of this love; that our society is becoming increasingly better the made right from the ground up or the nucleus of society, child and parents, love is the essence of our being. There is no better illustration of advancement, accomplishment, and achievement of love then there exists between you Mom and Dad. You have pioneered frontiers of failure and success in society, business and child raising, but even through all even but even though as all people are on the thread bearers of failure, you they did not fall into the pit. Especially pertaining to child rearing.

In speaking for all three of us kids, my wife, and my children, we thank you mom and dad because we have been brought up in pride, within the light of God, and in a manner of true belief in ourselves to know that what we want to do, we can do. All of this because of the way us kids saw you both come from near impossible conditions to where you are now, plus because of your ambitions, motivation, integrity and, ingenuity which has rubbed off on us children. These many things that you have done and are has enabled us to become well educated and socially and spiritually equipped to help us in the world ahead. So, when you may say to yourselves, “what have we both accomplished in the last 25 years?”, we children would hope you would think that the ultimate goal and achievement has been us kids in that you have created the most unique piece of creation known to man. A creation that is so complicated, man himself cannot explain it.

Mom and Dad, we thank you because of the opportunity we have in life because of your hard work to be successful in life and in spirit, because of your guidance and mostly because of your love. To try and say something to each of you individually would seem to me to be quite impossible because we cannot vision you as separate persons but more as one unit. One of you would not be complete without the other and the other would not be successful without the other.

To try and sum up what is truly in our hearts is that you both represent to us kids pure LOVE! Thank you mom and dad on your 25th anniversary.

Calgary, Alberta

October 1986

40 years ago, Dan and Sophie became man and wife. They found a life full of happiness and strife.

They have three children, grandchildren, and such. Some people may not think that is much.

They spent their years together also thinking of others. When needed, they helped their sisters and brothers.

I'll never forget how they help me. They looked after my children, and there were three.

They gave them love and wonderful care, when I was ill and couldn't be there.

My children want to thank them for being Father and Mother, when it looked like there would be no other.

They gave their time to the church and many organisations. We need more people like them, in these troubled nations.

The good Lord saw fit to bring them together, whether in good times, or stormy weather.

They weathered each storm with determination, that's why we’re all here for this celebration.

Dan and Sophie we love you!

Your loving sister Loretta and family.

October 30, 1992

To my Parents on the 50th Anniversary

An Anniversary Celebration:

This past summer will remain as one of the most memorable. The time we have spent together has filled me with much love and completeness. You give of yourselves so completely and unselfishly that you make times happy fulfilling experiences.

You are truly two people unlike any others in creation. You are beyond exemplary parents, and you are the best friends a child has had or ever will have.

Your trials have been many yet you remained steadfast and gave your family a pillar of granite to base their lives upon. Your accomplishments are momentous instilling pride and direction in our lives. Your love has been free, giving us belonging, security and the experience of how to love.

May God bless you always Ron

A letter to my Parents

October 1992

Dear Mom and Dad,

As you, together with your loved ones and precious friends, celebrate the 50th anniversary of your marriage, I wish to remind you of just how special you are. When I think of the two of you, I think of love, faithfulness, endurance, strength of character, support, security, help fullness, honesty and caring.

Your love has been strong through the good times and the bad. Over the years there have been many darts thrown your way, but always you pulled together to defend against them and showed that you were sincerely true to your marriage vows. Your children, and our children, have never doubted that we are loved. You have proved it in so many ways: the unselfish an unconditional giving of your time, your counsel, your help physically and financially, your concern and caring, your words of love, praises and encouragement. We know that the door to your home and hearts is always open, and we never hesitate to enter therein.

You have been a glowing example of endurance and strength of character in your personal and business lives; never give up, never say die.

I believe the Lord must be truly pleased with how you have fulfilled your responsibilities in the spiritual aspect of our lives. You have been a living, practicing example of His word: always lending a helping hand, always turning the other cheek, always supporting the church and its works, faithfully attending services, faithfully praying for family and friends. Through your example you have instilled in us an unwavering, undying faith in the Lord.

The Lord is my rock, and my fortress, and my deliverer,

my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge

(the second book of Samuel, chapter 22, verses 2 and 3)

Thank you for setting such a wonderful example for your children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and, through us, for generations to come.

With Love and Appreciation,

Sharon

Dan and Sophie Boghean

65 years of marriage

October 27, 1996

ESSENCE OF DAN AND SOPHIE

A Christian foundation is the principle applied and their approach to life;

Fair play and integrity as relates to work and relationships;

Very strong sense of love, unity and support of family and friends; and,

Dance and travel.

CHRISTIAN FOUNDATION

An absolute belief and trust in God;

Every celebration or problem centres around praise for an prayer to God;

They were an integral part of the founding members who formed a visible parish and built the 1st Romanian Orthodox Church in Calgary; and,

They have held positions in the church since young adults.

FAIRPLAY AND INTEGRITY

Their motto is to use to the fullest all the gifts God has given them to bear the fruits of life dash but never to use those gifts in such a way that their personal gain would come at the expense of another.

LOVE, UNITY AND SUPPORT

Ever forgiving of our misdeeds and allowing us freedom as individuals to follow our instincts and dreams;

Constantly being in touch and always being there whether it was to celebrate, offer understanding and support, and do backbreaking work to help out;

They took in children of other families for extended periods of time during unsettled times of those families; and,

They took in people who immigrated to Canada until they learned English and established themselves in Canada.

DANCE AND TRAVEL

Romanian dancing begin the relationship and continues to be their passion; together with George and Janette Stephen and George and Kay Banda they as a structured group performed traditional Romanian dancing for cultural events and television, unknowingly at the time, this group was the birth of the now world famous Eminescu dancers;

Always on the go from coast to coast with family and friends; and,

Every spring dad was looking for a house or more farmland. Unfortunately for him, his sense of the properties worth was seldom equal to the vendors expectations.