Anne Majuk
March, 17, 1926 – August, 8, 2018
Anne(Yarotski) Majuk, a native of Canada and resident of Sacramento, CA for the past sixty-three years, passed away peacefully on August 8, 2018. She was surrounded by her family and loved ones. Born to Harry and Jean (Sawicki) Yarotski on March 17, 1926 in the small town of Garland, Manitoba, Canada, Anne was the youngest daughter of five children that included her older sisters Stella (Mike) Kotyluk and Helen Brenner, older brother Ewhen Yarotski, and younger brother Orest Yarotski. Anne was preceded in death by her siblings and the love of her life and husband of 47 years, Steve Majuk. She is survived by her four children, five grandchildren, six great-grandchildren, brother-in-law, George Brenner, and sister-in-law, Lillian Yarotski, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Anne married Steve on September 16, 1949 and was blessed with four children; three sons, Leonard (Terry), Larry (Kathy), Garry, and one daughter, Stephanie (Rob). Anne, lovingly known as Bobi, was blessed with five grandchildren; Jason (Elizabeth), Jenna (Astrit), Jeananne (Tom), Christopher (Briana) and Justin, and six wonderful great-grandchildren; Adelina, Katie Anne, Sinan, Olivia, Stevie and was anxiously awaiting the arrival of a sixth.
Anne grew up on a farm in the small town of Garland and attended the Gonta school district. On the farm it was her job to help with the cows and separate the milk before the long walk to school. After completing her education, she set off with her best friend and cousin, Nelly, to Winnipeg to stay with her Aunt Mary and find work for the cold winter months. The way Anne would describe their adventures together sounded a lot like Lucy and Ethel of “I Love Lucy.” The two of them found work in various places like a shoe factory, garment factory and chocolate factory. Whenever one found a job the other would soon be hired. If one left a job, the other was not far behind. Of all the odd-jobs, the one she enjoyed the most was working as a cook for a group of young seminarians. Though it was the way she would describe her time at the chocolate factory conveyer belt where the “I Love Lucy” description really stood out.
However, no matter the job, during the summers, Anne always traveled home to help on the farm – bee keeping, planting, harvesting, and tending to the livestock. It was during one of these trips home in the summer of 1949 when Anne was introduced to Steve. Anne met this young man while tagging along on a date with her older brother, Ewhen who was dating Steve’s younger sister, Lillian. At the time Steve was working in New York with his cousin and older brother, but was home for his vacation staying with family. Anne and Steve became engaged on August 12, 1949 and were married on September 16, 1949. They had a small ceremony at the Greek Orthodox Church in Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada followed by a small reception given by Anne’s family in the Garland Hall. Three days after leaving Garland, Anne and Steve arrived in New York, New York, USA on November 3, 1949. They moved into a small apartment at 511 East 148th Street, where they paid $15 a month for rent. The apartment, a one room flat would be their new home for the next six years. It was in New York that their first 3 children were born: Leonard, Larry and Garry.
While in New York, Anne and Steve saved whatever money they could. In October 1955 they packed up their brand new Ford Fairlane, which they purchased for $2,149, with all their belongings and headed west. After a brief visit in Canada, Steve and Anne, the three boys, and Anne’s parents headed for California. Anne’s sister had told her how beautiful California was; and on her recommendation, they set out for Sacramento to stay with Helen and George. On his first day in Sacramento Steve got a full-time job with “Victory Building Maintenance,” working as a window washer. They decided to set roots in Sacramento and bought their lifelong home. The money they saved over the years served as a down payment for a modern three-bedroom house for $17,500. Not long after settling in Sacramento, their daughter Stephanie was born in July 1958.
In September of 1961, Anne got her first permanent job. Anne was so excited to be working as a salesperson for Weinstocks, Lubin, and Co. She worked twenty years in the same “junior’s” department until she retired. She was extremely proud of being named employee of the month. In September of 1975, while working part-time for Weinstocks, Anne went into business with her eldest sister, Stella. The two opened a yarn and knitting machine store. Anne mastered the knitting machine and created many custom designs. Anne passed that knowledge along and taught her new skills to the customers. Whether she was selling you a dress or teaching you how to knit one, Anne was a people person and loved helping them find what they needed. In March of 1984, Anne left the shop, but never gave up knitting. As a hobby, she knitted many specialty items and created her own custom designs often modeled on her children and grandchildren.
In 1986 Anne took on her most important role as “Bobi,” a Ukrainian term for grandmother. Caring for her grandchildren was the job she loved the most. She enjoyed spoiling them and taking them on marathon shopping trips to her favorite department store – Weinstocks, which eventually became Macy’s. Once her grandchildren became school age, Bobi, shuttled the grandkids to and from school and tutored them on a daily basis. It wasn’t long after the kids started kindergarten that Bobi decided to become a volunteer at Our Lady of the Assumption (OLA) school, where she found a niche in the school library. Checking books in and out, re-shelving, and mastering the Dewey decimal system, she found a place she was meant to be. It wasn’t long after that she became “Bobi” to an entire school of children. In the library, she tackled new technology to modernize the book inventory and was behind the register for most book fairs for the next fifteen years – well after the last of her grandchildren graduated from OLA. Children, teachers, and parents across OLA knew who Bobi was and could always count on seeing her on library day.
Bobi loved sporting events and was a huge Kings fan watching every game on TV. However, as much as she loved the Kings, she loved attending her own children and grandchildren’s sporting events even more. Bobi was always the biggest and most loyal fan attending as many sporting events as possible. If there was a game, whether it was softball, baseball, basketball or soccer for any one of her kids or grandkids – or the Kings – she was watching and cheering. As she was fond of saying, “I’m no couch potato.”
In addition to knitting and crocheting, Bobi had many hobbies. Crafting everything from feathered flowers, resin grapes and pineapple statues, to beaded Ming trees. Most of all she loved gardening. Her home always had fresh vegetables for borscht and any kind of flowers she could find a spot to plant. Once her grandkids had become adults, she filled her days enjoying her many hobbies, especially knitting and crocheting countless baby blankets and spoiling, Lucy, her furry adopted grandchild.
As age crept in and it became more difficult to do the things she loved she would enjoy the simple joy of sitting outside soaking up the sun, surveying the flowers, and watching the birds – especially the humming birds – hover over the flowers and eat out of the feeders. She looked forward to greeting and chatting with the neighbors as they walked by. She called it watching the world go by.
Once her great-grandkids came along, Bobi was ready. After all she had lots of practice. Even with age making things more difficult, she would do whatever she could to see and spend time with her great-grandchildren. Watching them play at her feet replaced the knitting and the flowers as she stepped into her great grandparent role that she knew so well. She loved them dearly and had very special bonds with each of them.
Bobi was the heart of her family. She loved seeing everyone and hosted as many dinners and as many family members at her house as possible. There would be many a Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner with more family packed into her three bedroom house than it was designed to hold. It was at these family events with her two sisters’ families where family bonds flourished. She enjoyed seeing and visiting with everyone – especially after more than a few toasts with orange juice and vodka slushies. It wasn’t uncommon for a Thanksgiving dinner or family dinner to extend late into the evening with long conversations, dancing, doing the limbo or playing a lively card game of King Peter or Canasta.
In addition to her family, Bobi developed many friendships over the years creating lifelong friends with her neighbors, co-workers, knitting pals, library volunteers, and other OLA parishioners. These life-long relationships lasted throughout the years. Some days it may take a bit longer and a few more questions, but she always remembered and wanted to know how you are doing and what you have been up to.
“Celebrate my life and the time we had together. Always remember I love you more – because I’m older!”
-Love Always,
Bobi
SHARE OBITUARY
v.1.8.18