Kathleen N. Mickalishen

Kay was born on Dominion Day, July 1st 1937, in Bienfait, Saskatchewan, youngest of three and only daughter of Jay Ellis Poage and Margaret Anderson. Kay and her brothers, George and Alfred, grew up on several farms in the Bienfait, Outram and Roche Percee areas. In our opinion, she deserved to be born on a day that would also have fireworks, because she lit up our lives every day!     

Times were difficult growing up in the 30’s and 40’s.  Jay and Margaret sharecropped for several years, and the young family was always conscious of the value of hard work and frugal ways. Kathleen loved being on the farm, with her horse, Belle, spending time with her dad and sampling his homemade waffles.  One of her few physical remembrances of her dad is the cast-iron waffle iron which she cherished to this day.  When Kay was about 10 she was employed as a neighbouring farmer’s home girl, helping with the house chores. Kay attended Brown School, Forest Glen School, Roche Percee schools as the family moved to where work was available.  When Kay was 11, her beloved father, Jay, passed away from cancer. 

After her father died she was determined to continue her education, and at 15 she moved into Estevan with her friend, Yvonne Gunderson, to take schooling at ECI, and Kay never stopped learning or seeking new horizons.  When she was only 16, Kay’s sense of adventure then took her to British Columbia, where she worked in several positions in different locations.   As a young girl of 16 she was in love with the mountains and fresh cool air of the coast.  But, the prairies called her back. If her ticket back to Saskatchewan hadn’t already been purchased, a job opportunity with the BC public service coming the day she was leaving might have made Kay’s history totally different.

Once back in Saskatchewan, Kay had several jobs. But the one that had life-changing impact was the secretarial/bookkeeping job she took with Naka Welding.  It was while she walked to work each day that she passed by the window of Flint Rig where Stan Mickalishen noticed this beautiful, long-haired young lass.  Spurred on by his friend and co-worker, Wilf Thurier, Stan invited Kay to a barn dance in Steelman.  It wasn’t long before they were dating, and Kay actually learned that Stan’s name was “Stan” and not “Mick”.

After a short courtship, Stan proposed to Kay at Easter, and the wedding took place the day before Kay’s 18th birthday.  On June 30th, 1956 at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Yorkton SK (some in English and some in Ukrainian), Kay and Stan were married, attended by matron of honour, Sylvia Kirkness, friend of the bride, and best man, Ed McLashen, brother of the groom.  Mike and Pauline Michalishen welcomed their youngest son’s bride with open arms, and hosted the wedding reception at the farm, even setting up an outdoor platform for a dance floor!  The young couple then moved back to Estevan, and enjoyed the bustling oil city activities. 

The family grew the following year when Sandra was born.  She was joined by Linda, Donald (and their brand new home on McDonald Road), David, Kenneth and Michelle. A baby boy, Joseph, was born but died shortly after birth, and Kay held him close to her heart.  As a busy wife and mom, Kay baked, canned, sewed, ironed (and ironed) and taxied children from place to place. Even though it was a lot of work, Kay never complained about preparing for family vacations, which created cherished memories. Her great desire was to give her children every opportunity for learning, fun, experiences, even if it meant she worked until midnight preparing the household for the next day.  She kept the house in order, while Stan worked several jobs, all so that the family could have access to music, dance, band, hockey, ice skating, soccer, swimming, softball, baseball, basketball, Guides and Scouts, and all of the activities at school.  But she didn’t stop there.  She was a CWL member for many years, a Band Parents’ Association executive member, a canvasser for the Heart & Stroke Foundations and the Canadian Cancer Society.  Kay was also a great neighbour, always with a pot of coffee on.

To follow her artistic side, Kay took several classes in cake decorating (we all loved the Easter Bunny cakes), copper tooling, ceramics, public speaking (Christopher Course), and even sold cosmetics for a short time.  “Heart & Soul” will never sound as good as it did when Mom played the piano.

As the family grew older, Kay ventured back into the work force.  At one point she even filled in for Stan at Braidnor Construction.  She kept the office at Tenold Farm Equipment in order for many years. Starting in 1982, she began the bookkeeping for the family business, the Zippy Mart convenience store in Weyburn.  Many hours were spent manually doing the books for this busy store, which soon expanded into three separate enterprises, the store, a laundromat, and restaurant. Additionally, Kay joined the team as a greeter at the Estevan Wal-Mart. She continued to work and to take care of Stan after his heart surgeries.  Wal-Mart was a job that she loved, as she would see friends every day; families grew up around her as she maintained that job for over 20 years, and would have loved to have worked there for 20 more.  Children would see Kay outside of the store, and put out their hands to get her famous stickers – sometimes even in church!  Her smile and compassion were the catalyst for love by her and towards her by her co-workers and her customers. 

When the grandchildren and great grandchildren came along, Kay was the “best-est”.  This is how she remained young at heart.  She had too many butter tarts and cheese buns to make, too many horsey rides to give, too many walks with the dogs to do.  Whenever possible she would be at recitals and plays.  The video camera that was bought for Kay and Stan was put to good use, as all of their grandkids are comic and dramatic geniuses, the proof is in the many video tapes of the homemade plays that line the shelves!

Things changed substantially when the store and the other businesses were sold.  Kay spent more time in Estevan, again.  Then in 2015, Stan became ill, chemotherapy began, and then, Kay began to experience severe discomfort.  It was in August 2015 that a diagnosis of cancer was made.  This meant radiation and chemotherapy.  We had hopes of success.  Kay even went back to work before Christmas, but it was obvious that things were not well.  Another stay in hospital and it was time to hang up the blue vest.  A re-location to Saskatoon as an interim stay was followed by more hospitalization.  Stan was gathered with his sons and daughters and many grandchildren and some nieces, to say goodbye to his partner of nearly 60 years, at the Royal University Hospital, on Monday, February 8th at approximately 2 p.m.

We thank you for being here, in thoughts and prayers, if not in person.   Kay would have been embracing you all.  Thank you from Stan and all our families.  Your kindness and support are greatly appreciated.  God Bless You All.

The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Rev. Father Brian Meredith at 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 13, at St. John the Baptist Church, 109 - 12th Avenue, Estevan, SK.  Cremation arrangements in care of David Polzen and Carol Wiebe, Mourning Glory Funeral Services, Saskatoon, SK. (306) 978-5200