It's still so hard to believe that Nana is no longer with us. I always loved seeing her warm, genuine smile when she walked into mine and Andrew's home for a family get together. As we move forward, these get togethers will be missing a very special woman.  Like many, I wish I had more time with Nana and there is so much in the future that I wish she could be here for.  Nana will forever be with us in spirit and most importantly in our hearts.

I miss you in the morning...    and when the sun fades away... the ache within my heart just will not go away. My heart fills with love for you when I think how much you cared, and I relive all the happiness and the joy we both shared. You are with me every moment and in every move I make lie the memories I have of you that I never will forsake. Love you forever Dearest Mother..... Blessings as Always...Marlene

Dearest Nana,

I have been struggling for the words that would express how I am feeling for weeks now. I have wanted to call you so many times each day since we lost you, and I cannot believe I am unable to do so. You were such an enormous part of my life, and I miss you dearly. Your love for us all was unconditional, and I am fortunate to carry that love with me for the rest of my life. We were so very blessed to have you for 91 years, I selfishly wish it was for much longer.
You presently arrive in my daily life in so many ways. So many things remind me of you. Each time I am about to throw something away, I think "what could/would Nana do with this?" Each time I consider leaving the house with semi-wet hair, I go back and blow dry it a bit more. Each time I take off my socks, I match them up. I wish I had done that when you were here, to make you proud. I do it now! I know you can see it. Each time I leave the house for errands, I think "how can I make the most of this outing and what is the best way to use this time most efficiently?"
I haven't yet played Skip Bo, but when I do, I'll try to do what you did best - collect and stragetize it so you had all 5 Skip Bo's in your hand. I promise I'll look ahead to the next player and try to keep them from their next move.
I'll never forget our Scrabble game on July 1, 2015 when I got the word "aerials" on my first hand - and the extra 50 points for using all letters. I don't know what made me more proud, using all the letters (without your help mind you, or knowing how to correctly spell aerials).
You are with me, every day, all day. I love you dearly and cannot wait to see you again. I treasure your lessons and memories far beyond what I could express in this beautiful book. You are my angel, who is with me every second of every day. Your loving granddaughter,

I learned so very much from Nadine, or what I typically called her, "Nana." She was one incredible lady!  She got more done in a morning than I could complete in a full day.  She just never stopped!  She gave me many words of wisdom, kept me up on current events, reminded me of what was really important in life, and, on occasion, beat me at scrabble. Okay, more than occasionally--she was an extremely formidable opponent!  Like so many, I miss her dearly.  It still doesn't feel real--that she has truly left us.  I will carry her lessons and her love with me forever.  I thank her for both.

Nadine's impact on the world is everywhere, in her words, her wisdom, her love, and of course her vast array of incredible handicraft she created with a sewing machine, or needle and thread. Nadine's endless talents leave us with a legacy of stunning work, to be beheld and cherished. But truthfully, the most beautiful work she had ever composed, was in fact not something that she had created with her strong, determined hands, but with her powerful, loving heart. And it is the gift that she has bestowed upon us all, and it is here with us right now, and each one of us is a part of it. What I see before me here is not a mere collective of Nadine's beloved family and friends, but I can literally see her masterpiece. Hard work, resourcefulness, generosity, love of heritage, but mainly her family and her friends... these are the threads that she had woven together to comprise the tapestry of her life. 

Family. The thread of family was so intriquately woven into her very being that there was never a word she had said or a task she had done, that was not at it's root, motivated by her care, concern and protection of her family. This surely was the smooth, silky yet strong material she wove, creating an impenetrable composure to her life's fabric. She was devout in her attendance of all family events, regardless of where on the globe they took her, or which obstacles she had to overcome to be there. She was the tie that bound, the common thread, and in every possible sense of the term, the heartbeat of our family. 

Friends. The thread of friendship was deeply entrenched in her soul, and it is nothing short of the truth to say that if you were a friend of Nadine's, you were never alone. The thread of her friendship was the brilliantly colourful embroidery upon her life tapestry, the images of flowers she had sewn with great patience and meticulous care. In Nadine's own words, friends are like flowers: you can never have enough. At any given time, if she were not physically right at your side, she was a simple phone call away. At most times, a very long phone call it would be. But every moment she spent alongside, or on the phone with her dear friends, you cannot help but have felt warm, and loved. The genuine interest she held in those she held close to her heart, whether you had met her seven days ago or seventy-five years ago, her glow of friendship never faded. 

Work ethic. The thread of hard work was surely a thick and bold one, the strong and hearty edging sewn around the perimeter of the her life's fabric, that tied together all loose ends, and protected the precious contents inside. Nadine had a true vision of how something should be done, and it very rarely (if ever) was the easier road commonly taken by most. A quote she would always mention, which has always resonated with me and is so very true, is a stitch in time saves nine. That was her way of saying work smarter, and she always did. Her intrepid work ethic is one that was admired by all, and served as an infinite source of inspiration. Her hands were evidence of this. Her industrious hands could tell you the most incredible, fascinating stories you could imagine. Her hands had woven every stitch, gardened every plant, knitted every garment, sewn every thread, pinched each perogy, written every letter, placed every Scrabble tile, and performed each task she had ever undertaken without compromise. 

Nadine was undoubtedly Ukrainian, and she took deep pride and joy in every moment of it. She had a keen respect for not only those around her but also those who came before her, and the spirit of her culture was a permanent song in her heart. Through the language spoken, to the colourful dance, to the hearty and delicious borscht, cabbage rolls and perogies that were ever in her kitchen, to the beautiful costume, she was Ukraine at its best. She was proud to speak for and represent her culture across generations, having visited schools of her daughters and more recently her granddaughter, providing living education to young students of all ages. She had a dream to visit her homeland, yet another accomplishment she was able to achieve in her lifetime. 

We truly are all blessed to have not only had someone as true, loving, genuine, resourceful and special as Nadine in our lives, but to have had Nadine herself. Live her legacy: continue to love, and care for one another. Stay in touch, communicate, speak to and hold a genuine care and interest in one another. Envision her life masterpiece, her tapestry, and hold it close to your heart. Let it keep you warm, safe, valued, and loved every bit as much as it always had. With that, Nadine will continue to live, and forever touch all of those who were fortunate enough to have had her in their life. In her words, blessings as always.

To the family of Nadine,
I wish to give you all my sympathy on the sad passing of Nadine.  I only met her once when she came to Australia in 1997 and stayed with my Mum, Natalie, her Australian penfriend.  I know she was a very caring and family orientated lady through her correspondence and you will all miss her so very much.
Love from Rosslyn, Clive and family.

I am Debra , the youngest of Nadine's three daughters and will try my best to speak about my Mom who was a "Nana to so many". So please bear with me! "In the End, it is not the years in your life that count.

It's the life in the years." My Mom was SO fortunate as she had both! Not only was she blessed with 91 healthy and vibrant years she also had SO much life in those years!

Life is never perfect and the hardest thing my Mom ever had to do was bury her daughter Karen 10 days before her 40th birthday as NO Mother ever wants to bury their child. My Mom was very happy and very busy. Busy made her happy. She enjoyed adventures and we had SO much fun together!! Living through the Edmonton winters she often watched the Rose Bowl Parade with all the fresh beautiful flowers and wanted to see it. So, off Glenn, Mark, Nana and I went on a road trip to Pasadena where the wonderful Marchuk family made this a reality! She LOVED it! Last year on her 91st birthday we went on a European tour of the Las Vegas Strip. Nana had not been there for 25 years and it had changed a lot! We stayed in Rome at Caesar's, went to The Bellagio where she enjoyed Lake Como and the Dancing Waters, was in awe of the COLORFUL blown glass flower ceilings, crossed the street to Paris where she saw the Eiffel Tower and Arch de Triumph and then walked two long blocks to the Venetian where she marveled at the canals and gondoliers. On her birthday night we went to the Donnie and Marie show where we were escorted RIGHT to the front of the theatre and Marie acknowledged her with a warm touch. She had her first pedicure at 91 and since the polish was still on her toes she was going to go back to jokingly complain and I said you better not as they probably would charge her extra for it lasting so long! Even though she was afraid of water from her early Lily Lake days we managed to get

her in the hot tub in Palm Desert where Glenn and her enjoyed apricot brandy under the night stars! A couple of years ago we went to Edmonton and she was giddy with excitement to find the house she was born in. The owners kindly invited us in for a look, but she was unable to remember the actual corner in which she was born. We also found the Fedorah Hall where she was married and her old schoolhouse. She pointed out the window she frequently would daydream out of - for which she was regularly scolded! She LOVED visiting the family farm in Legal and was so pleased how the Ozipko boys and their growing family continued its growth and success. She said her brother Paul would be so proud and would be amazed at all the modern farming technology. Once during a visit to the farm we went with her sister Anne to tour Lakeside Dairy to see an automated dairy milking production plant which she called "robot milkers". Mom and Aunty Anne could NOT believe their eyes and marveled at all the changes in 80 years! Mom loved to dance! We went to many Mission Dance Recitals where she loved to watch the young children ( never say KIDS- she hated that word because children are NOT BABY GOATS)and it reminded her of her younger days. Danielle and Phyllis and many other of her "children" would join her at the Ukrainian dinner/dance and watch her dance all night grabbing anyone as she did not want to miss one song. Her beloved sister Sally's family are celebrating a wedding this evening in Calgary and were unable to attend but I reassured them that Mom would like nothing more for them to dance the night away! Good luck! We could never keep up! Mom had an Australian pen pal Natalie that she corresponded with for 75 years and would of been in the World Guiness Book of Records but unfortunately neither one had kept the original letter. Mom made a world wind Australian trip to visit Natalie and her family which she enjoyed and then her daughter Heather came to Canada and they continued the loving correspondence and became included in Nana's "extended" family. My Mom was a PEOPLE -PERSON! My Mom connected with people OF ALL AGES and it always amazed me how she GENUINELY CARED and was so interested in their stories and

loved to share her stories. A friend fondly remembers Nana's story about her clothing as each was sewn with a unique history. Mom used to travel on the Greyhound bus that Connelly renamed the "Nana Bus" to visit family and friends. When she was in Calgary she would always take the time to PHONE my friends and I would have to ask her for their updates! AND she remembered them all! On her 75th birthday she took my sister Marlene and I to Mazatlán to celebrate this special milestone. One day we went on the local bus to visit a resort I had previously stayed at. Marlene and I shopped " on the beach" and my Mom was left on her own and within minutes was happily chatting with "new friends" she had met. We were busy looking at silver jewelry and table clothes and did not realize how late and dark it was getting AND there was NO more bus service. I thought we were stranded BUT NOT A PROBLEM FOR MY MOM! Her "new" friends from Ontario KINDLY offered to drive us all the way back to our hotel BUT my Mom made them PROMISE they would come and stay at her place in Richmond on their way home which they did and became friends. My mom loved talking to people and it is a trait that I have inherited from her. She loved to chat on the phone and it was very important to her. These are her phone books. ( show) She used old used cut up scribblers because she would NOT waste anything. They have no logical organization in her scratchy writing but I am sure you are all in here and she could easily find you ! She would phone our home at least 2 times a day ( before 8:30 and then again after Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune) and maybe more ( usually 5 times to Mark's disbelief) so now it is very difficult to hear that phone ring! After having all daughters she enjoyed all her son-in-laws and in the end Mark became her FAVOURITE ! -Mark swears it was only by the process of elimination or " THE LAST MAN STANDING" ! Over the years Mom appreciated and loved Mark and he became her "ROCK" as does Glenn. Mark has been there for Glenn through this whole tragic ordeal and Glenn depends on him like a son!

Nana cherished her grandchildren and they cherished her. Nana was so excited to visit Leanne's classroom this past May ( as she had done in my classroom many times before ) and demonstrated to the Kindergarten children how to make pyrogies . She was proud of her Ukrainian heritage and came all dressed in her Ukrainian outfit and so she became " Nana" to more admirers. Nana was happy about Andrew and Courtney's engagement and was hoping this was her ticket to great- grandchildren.

Mom loved to keep in touch with her Grandchildren and loved to receive phone calls from them. Karalene who was in Australia was able to speak to Nana after the accident and Nana said "Thank-you for calling dear. It is so nice to hear your voice". Mekenna and Connelly were there next and Mekenna said " I love you Nana" and Nana replied " I love you too dear. And I love you all!" And those were her last words.

Glenn adored Nana and they looked after each other. He always said these last 20 years were the happiest of his life. He especially admired her gorgeous hair and was always proud to be companion. On Thursday when Marlene, Leanne and I were visiting Glenn at Deltaview he looked over at me and gave me the ULTIMATE COMPLIMENT !! He said to me " You remind me SO much of your Mother You are SO much like her!"

I wrote this Mother's Day message to her, two years ago and I am touched that she saved it. It is still SO relevant! " You Have An Amazing Capacity For Love And Caring...

You Need To Know How Much We All Love You And Need You In Our Lives...

Thank -you For Doing SO Much For Us All For SO Many Years.

We All Love You SO Very Much!

First off, I would like to thank you all for taking the time to attend and expressing the support and love you all shared for my grandmother. My name is Connelly Boyle, I'm the youngest and unquestionably the best looking of Nadine's grandchildren.
Throughout the years of my Nana's life she has been many things to many people. She has been a daughter, mother, neighbour, friend, grandmother but most importantly to me, she has been the nicest human being I have ever met. She always cared more about other people than she cared about herself. For example, her first priority was always others and she made sure everybody had a dinner plate before she sat down to enjoy her own meal. Not to mention she would always add more food to your plate, whether you protested it or not.
I think I can speak for everyone in my family when I say that she was the first person we talked to in the morning, she felt the need to call as she could not understand that a phone could double as an alarm clock. You could also always be sure that when your voicemail notification went off there was a 99% chance it was Nana leaving you an undoubtedly lovely, albeit lengthy message. The familiar messages, often filling my inbox, always ended with her saying by the way this is Nana, as if we didn't know from the first second. I can't express to you how much I will miss those messages filling up my inbox.
She was a very hard working woman and was never afraid to get her hands dirty. She was never idle and her philosophy was the amount of work she put into something was directly proportionate to the amount of love she hoped to express. For example, she always made us homemade birthday cards because she believed that it was more thoughtful to make her own card than to buy one, meaning she had to put her love into every single card she made. Of course my sisters can better contest to this because they have received many more birthday cards than I have, because I am so much younger.  
Her home was always open and she was willing to extend a warm invitation to anyone. There was no better example of this than the start of her companionship with her partner Glenn Brown. He entered her life as a tenant in her Kelowna basement suite and soon became her lifelong partner. She was also gracious enough to take our family in as roommates, she was the best roommate as we ended each day with feasts for the whole family to enjoy.
My favourite memories of Nana were up in Hemlock, a ski resort we visit every year. I have great memories of our whole family bundled up and playing board games and we would frequently accuse her of cheating, like those sneaky two letter Scrabble words which surely can't be real words. Our family would always fight about who had to sleep in Nana's room, but not because we didn't want to be close to her but because we wanted to be as far from her infamous snoring as possible. Nana enjoyed her time in Hemlock because she was always content to fall asleep in the middle of a crowded room filled with family. One of the things I will always treasure are the photos of my family lined up on the stairwell with our stockings in hand. In addition, I will also always remember how my mother tried to limit my Nana's involvement in the Christmas dinner because Nana had a tendency to never waste anything, which sometimes meant she tried to use ingredients which were the same age as she was. Also, later that Christmas evening she would be impossible to please with her presents unless you got her a Scrabble Word Dictionary, cleaning supplies or some equally practical gift. The best gifts for her were not material things, but were actions, it's the same logic I use when I get my siblings a hug instead of anything of value, sorry but I'm poor. Nana on the other hand, would much rather have you do a chore, or her favourite thing of all, go to the annual big Ukrainian dance festival. Which, if we are being honest, none of us wanted to go to initially, but we always enjoyed it in the end. Nana was always sure to force you onto the dance floor but she would always put a smile on your face. I will always miss that smile and I will love you forever.

My sincere sympathy to Nadine's family. She was a long time friend to my mother Alice Hudema who passed away June 2014.Her zest for life is something that I remember. I had the pleasure to have a many a visit at my Mom's place with her and at her home in Richmond. May time help to ease the loss. 
Sending warmest sympathy- Eloise O'Ball
Burnaby, BC

To the family of Nadine ,
On behalf of my mother and vey good friend of your Nother , we would like to extend our deepest sympathy on the passing of your mom. She was a whirlwind of constant energy and accomplishments. A very happy person with great concern and love for her family and friends.
My mother has many great memories of their fun times together - as the old days still remain clear.
May the many manories of your mom keep her spirit alive.
With sympathy, Elaine, Sharon and Ron Stackniak

Aunty Nade was such an amazing person. We always looked forward to her calls and visits. We shall miss her dearly.

Nana, 

I was not ready for you to go. Our family depended on you for so much and you sacrificed so much of yourself for our happiness. We felt your love and it was like no other love that a Nana could give to their family. I still need you here with me as there are so many things that you did that I cannot do for myself. I never learned how to French braid my hair as you always did it so beautifully. Although, I can learn how to make your soups and pierogies, they will never taste as good as if you had made them. I never bothered to learn how to sew as I depended on you as my seamstress. These are only a few examples of why I am not ready to let you go. I am grateful and happy for the time we shared and the list of memories is a lengthy one but it is a list that I wish could have kept on growing. 

I will try my hardest not to waste. I will unwrap all gifts carefully to save paper and keep each envelope for future use. I cannot promise I will save each piece of burnt toast as no matter how much butter you put on it, it still tastes like charcoal.

I will not underestimate the importance behind a hand written card. Your letters were special to so many and a symbol of your love and care for the people who received them. Your hand written birthday cards are gifts in itself that I will treasure forever.

I will remember to be grateful for what I have. Your constant reminder to appreciate what I have in life will not be forgotten. You were right  I am very fortunate compared to so many. You should know that your efforts are a big reason behind my privileged life. 

I will remember to thank my parents as they truly are as "wonderful" as you described them to be.

You taught me the importance of having fun. Every card and board game and dance will never be the same without you as a opponent and a partner. I refuse to learn the two letter words in scramble as they are unfair and unknown by many to be real. 

I never understood your need to hold up objects in photos. You loved your action shots as you found pictures of cleaning, gardening and making pierogies much more entertaining than a generic pose. But did you really need to hold up that rolling pin? As if people could not tell you were baking with all the ingredients surrounding you. I will smile every time I see a photo with you holding up a needless object.

No matter how many times you corrected me, I did learn how to pinch pierogies properly. You were amazed each time when they never opened in the boiling water. I still have pierogies left over from our last batch we made together. I will think of you when I am enjoying them.

Why did you always make it so difficult for us to get you a gift? No typical gift of a scarf or blouse would do. You liked receiving cleaning supplies or trimming of hedges that would often result in a chore. You were such a hard worker and knew how to put in a good day's work. 

You lit up the room when you walked in. It is probably because you always looked so beautiful, not a hair out of place. Each article of clothing you wore had a wonderful story behind it, whether it was Karen's wedding dress or Grandma Boyle's special lace you turned into a beautiful outfit. You cherished each piece and looked after every item with due care. 

You never let me leave your home empty handed. You were so generous. Am I going to have to buy my own onions now?

I only had an answering machine so I could receive your messages. Every time I cleared my inbox you managed to fill it within a few short days. You ended each message with this is nana by the way as if I could not already tell it was you. How much I miss those messages that use to fill my inbox. 

Your family and friends made up the fabric of your life. You genuinely cared for people and spent much of your time staying connected to your countless friends and listening to their stories and sharing yours. You were a dear sweet nana to so many. 

I want to thank-you for all the love you gave to me. You played the role of Nana like no other could. 

I love you. I miss you.

Our sincere sympathy to all Nadine's family and friends. We are so thankful to have so many precious memories of Nadine. Nadine & my mother corresponded for 75 years, an amazing effort in this day & age. Nadine was a beautiful lady, with a beautiful heart and soul. She was so vibrant and creative. With such a positive attitude and was well loved by all who knew her. I feel privileged to have known Nadine. So sorry to have lost such a dear friend. With Love from all her Australian Family xx

I will miss Nadine at our monthly Red Hat luncheons - she was such a sweet delight! She was close to the age of my Mom and we shared stories of prairie life. My condolences to her family and friends - she will be missed by many!  May she rest in peace.

Our Condolences to the Boyle family from the Kjarsgaard family.

Will be very sorry to miss Auntie Nade. She always called down south to see what we were doing and to check on when we were coming home. She had drive and spirit and knew what was going on. Susan and I will miss her and we are sorry for your loss.

I met Nadine at scrabble and I have enjoyed our many scrabble games and lunches over the years. She was an inspiration to all and I will miss her.I have  one of her designer  shoe bags and also have mementos of her handiwork around my home .She loved her family dearly and my sincere condolences to all.Her passing leaves a void in our hearts and having known her has been a true pleasure.She was such a wonderful lady!May she rest in peace!

Sorry for the loss of your mother William and Natalka Zurawell Edmonton

Fondly remembering Nadine's kindness and friendship. She displayed such an incredible zest for life and unwavering love for her family,sharing frequent stories with us of how proud she was of you all.
Offering our love,thoughts and much strength to you all at this time.
Inge Corbach and family. Kelowna B.C.

I write these words on behalf of my mother Adeline Dudar who was a long time friend of Nadine. They corresponded by phone several times a year; the last time being six weeks ago when the conversation was shorter than normal because Nadine was getting ready for visitors.  I spoke with Adeline this afternoon and she reminisced about how my father (Bill) and Walter had met and become fast friends while attending Normal School in Brandon.  How the two couples bumped into each other and hit it off immediately at the July 12 feast day picnic in Ethelbert Manitoba when the four of the them were young teachers just starting their lives. The two couples visited back and forth several times over the years and I remember Nadine as a warm generous woman who was a fabulous cook. Mom had many stories full of warm memories too numerous to mention here so I'll end by offering our deep condolences on the passing of your mom who was a true friend to our mom.

Lawrence Dudar - Saskatoon
Cynthia Gabrush - Saskatoon
Andrea Krause - Kelowna
Livia McCabe - Calgary

When we first met Nana, it was love at first sight and always looked forward to her visits here in Palm Desert. She was always the life of the gatherings at Debra and Mark's house and we so enjoyed her stories.  She did live a long life but we wanted so much more of her.  Bob and I feel so sad for her beautiful family and hope soon the happy memories of Nana will ease this terrible grief.  All our love.

Your mom had a good life and outlived family and many friends.  My mother Alice Hudema (deceased Jun/14) was one of them.  I knew Nadine's generosity and cooking/fruit.  She was a nice lady and I offer my deepest sympathy

You were the heartbeat of our family as your grandson once so fondly said, and your granddaughter wears your tatoo signature on her ankle ... Blessings as Always dearest Mother and Nana...grief and pain beyond words but love and remembrance everlasting. We love you and miss you ..... Marlene, Leanne and Andrew

Nana was a lovely,  kind nurturing woman who I came to know while making perogies with Mekenna years ago. Her kindness is reflected through,  and will live on through Mekennas mom and Mekenna herself. With condolences,

Marlene, Debbie and family.  Our deepest sympathy in the loss of our dear Auntie Nade.  She lived life to the fullest and will be missed.

Nadine was always such a pleasure to visit with - she brought her smiles and upbeat attitude with her whether in person or on the phone.  Our condolences to the family!

Dearest Nadine...Bon Voyage...I will miss your sweet kind company at our Thursday Scrabble games.  You were a great friend to me and I shall always treasure the gifts you gave me along with the memories of our many family conversations.  You were one of a kind and I shall hold you in my heart.  Lovingly...Jennifer.

AVIS DE DÉCÈS

Nadine Fick

27 janvier 1924 – 2 septembre 2015

Victory Memorial Park & Funeral Centre

Montrez votre soutien

Envoyez Vos
Condoléances

Partager
L'avis De Décès

Obtenir les mises à jour

Prestations de Service