Olga Lawrek

Olga will be lovingly remembered by her daughter Janet and son-in-law Barry Bradshaw, granddaughter Brett (Sloan and Saoirse) and grandson Kyle (Cass, Behric and Vaughn). She was predeceased by her husband Joseph, parents Mike and Annie Stecyk (Bubyn), brother Walter Stecyk, sister Ann Watson and brother-in-law, Allen Watson.

From Olga’s memoirs:

I, Olga, am the second child of Mike Stecyk and Annie Molesky. I was born March 28, 1930 at the farm west of Lipton. The family, including my siblings, Walter and Ann, lived with my Grandma and Grandpa – Peter and Jean Stecyk. We all spoke Ukrainian and were able to read and write the language. I went to Canterbury School until I finished Grade 10 by correspondence, then completed Grade 11 and 12 at Lipton School. The Jack Drozda family lived across the road and we were great friends with Joe and Bernice. We travelled by horse and buggy to school, often dressed in our grandparents’ buffalo coats. There were some hair-raising stories about Walter and Joe racing and upset cutters that I am sure our parents didn’t know about, nor were Bernice, Ann or I able to say anything.

During my young years I had very fond memories of visiting my Didooni and Babooni Molesky. Every time there was a church service at the farm church close to their place, our family always went there for dinner.

After finishing school, I went to work for Simpson’s and stayed at the Sister’s residence with other girls. It was a rewarding time. Later, I went to work for the Bank of Montreal at the corner of Victoria and Albert. I stayed there for four years until I left to get married.

On Oct. 21, 1951 I married Joseph Lawrek of Dysart at the Ukrainian country church. The wedding date was changed three times because of the weather and unfinished harvest. We lived in Dysart for two years with Joe’s mom and spent two summers in the cottage at Sambor School. It was just two rooms but it served the purpose. Our daughter, Janet, was born July 28, 1952. Being the first grandchild, my mother and dad doted on her. Mom sewed her dresses and Dad always kept her supplied with chips – they were a novelty then.

In August of 1953 I was afflicted with polio. I was in Cupar hospital and then transferred to the General Hospital. The doctor told me it would take two months to return to normal. That seemed like a lifetime. I did regain some mobility and continued to farm along with Joe where we set up a yard adjacent to Sambor school. I milked cows and sold cream, raised and sold chickens, planted a huge garden with enough to feed the neighbourhood, stacked bales and picked rocks, and then more rocks. It was a great day when we got the milking machine and later the chicken plucker. Joe and I did a lot of baling and combing together. Some experiments, such as me driving the tractor while baling, quickly ended my baling career. There was always plenty of work to do but we found time to enjoy visiting with our neighbors and playing cards.

In 1983 Janet, Barry and their children, Brett and Kyle, moved to the farm from Victoria. My role changed a lot. I babysat when needed, looked after the garden and chickens, and kept everyone fed and water when Janet was working. To watch the grandchildren grow up was a memorable experience in many ways. Between attending their events, many things come to mind…. the grandchildren helping me make cinnamon buns, planting a garden…. sometimes so deep that the seeds had no hope of every coming up! I once caught two gophers that were wreaking havoc digging up the garden. Kyle and Brett insisted that they have a proper burial and also a marker. Only a Grandma would do that for her grandchildren.

Joe and I stayed on the farm until his passing in November, 2015. Joe always said the only place he was going to move to was one mile south (the cemetery)! In 2016 I moved to Marian Chateau Assisted Living in Regina where I stayed until I needed more care. I moved to the William Booth Special Care home in May 2020.

Her daughter, Janet, recalls:

Sewing and quilting were a passion of hers. Many of you were gifted with a quillow, quilt or cloverleaf blanket that was lovingly produced. Barry gave up long time ago asking me to hem anything for him when taking it next door produced very quick results.

Mom loved gardening and yard work. She would keep on going long after the rest of us were done. Countless trees were planted, acres of grass cut, and so many tree limbs trimmed by hand. Her greenhouse always produced large amounts of bedding plants with plenty to share with the neighbors.

That passion extended to the Ukrainian cemetery a short distance from the farm. When the old yellow truck was gone it was a good chance that she was there planting trees, trimming around the gravestone and generally trying to keep it manicured, all on her hands and knees.

Mom’s faith in God was unwavering despite the many hardships she encountered. She had a hard life with the aftermath of polio and later cancer, but she never complained. She always said “there are people worse off than I am.”

She attended and supported the Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church in Dysart, and was a member of the choir. Working for the church was important to her whether it was cleaning, pressing linens, or making cabbage rolls and peroghies for the many suppers the women used to cater. Any time there was stress or angst in the family, Mom lit a blessed candle: sickness, storms, harvest breakdowns, grandchildren writing exams and more. It’s a tradition that I continue.

She helped me with the endless projects I devised when we moved to the farm. One such project started off relatively simple… pile stones at the edge of the garden where all the water ran to prevent runoff. It looked so good that we just kept on going. 90 feet later we added steps and it is still as sturdy as ever.

Our outing was to pile into the old half ton with our crow bars and go scouting for flat stones.

Mom told me later that on one occasion she had lifted a rock and found a small snake under it. Knowing my severe paranoia of snakes she promptly took him and ripped him apart. Perhaps a bit drastic. She became my master bricklayer for another project that involved building garden paths from reclaimed brick.

Volunteerism was a huge part of her life whether it was with Donor’s Choice, the Dysart and District Historical Society, TOPS, the Golden Years club or the church. She loved socializing and giving back to her community.

Mom and Dad’s house, just a few yards away, was a second home for Kyle and Brett. Like all good grandma’s do, she spoiled them with sleepovers and donuts for after school lunches. She taught them how to plant potatoes, how to drive the garden tractor and how to make buns.

She couldn’t have been happier to have one more grandchild join the family when Cass and Kyle were married and later when the great-grandchildren arrived.

Finally, who could count the endless pots of coffee that Mom made over the years. There was nothing better than having a visit with neighbors and friends over a cup of coffee. Who could forget the intense card games with Mike and Una, Frank and Bunny, Fred and Marlene ….. and who got the most holas or worse, allegations of cheating! These games were always followed by a delicious lunch, regardless of how late the evening went.

Rest in Peace Mom. We love you and will carry you in our hearts forever.

The Funeral Mass was celebrated by Rev. Rick Krofchek on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. in St. John the Baptist Roman Catholic Church in Dysart, Saskatchewan. A private interment followed at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, donations in memorium may be made to St. John the Baptist Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery Fund, c/o Greg Stecyk, Box 205, Dysart, SK. S0G1H0 or The Salvation Army - William Booth Special Care Home, 50 Angus Road, Regina, SK. S4R 8P6.