It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our dear sister and Auntie on September 20, 2024. With family by her side, Anne passed away after a short, but courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
Anne was predeceased by her husband, Fred Zachar, her mother and father, Alojzia and Sylvester Bielik, her sister, Mary Horechny, her brother, Joe Bielik and her brothers-in-law, Joe Horechny, Jack Shindak and John Cran.
Anne is survived by her sisters, Jolana Shindak, Emily Bielik-Cran, Betty Huebner (Klaus), Frances Brasko (Joe) and Josie Landry (Phil), her brothers, Ed Bielik and Tony Bielik and sister-in-law, Jean Bielik, 10 nieces and nephews, 10 grand nieces and nephews, three great-grand nieces and nephews, as well as in-laws in the Zachar family and Slovak relatives.
Anne was born in Pobedim, Czechoslovakia. She immigrated to Canada in 1937 with her parents, Alojzia and Sylvester Bielik and her two younger siblings, Mary and Jolana. They travelled by train from Pobedim to Prague and then to Bremen and Hamburg Germany where they boarded a ship named the Berlin and sailed to Nova Scotia, Canada. From there, they went by train to Mayerthorpe, Alberta but after a few months, decided to settle in Rosewood, Manitoba. A few years later, they moved to the Bielik Family Farm in Arondale, near Dufresne, Manitoba. That is where Anne grew up and went to school, the oldest of 10 children. Anne was much help on the farm often taking care of younger siblings, doing chores in the home, milking cows and feeding the farm animals.
As an adult, Anne worked at Eaton’s and then the Grain Exchange as a comptometer operator in the office. She married Fred Zachar from Beausejour, Manitoba in 1962. Anne and Fred lived in their house in Windsor Park for many years, often going to Beausejour to lend a hand on the Zachar family farm.
When Anne’s mother and father retired from farming in 1977, Anne and Fred bought the Bielik farm and exchanged homes with them. Anne’s husband, Fred, passed away in 1980 but she kept farming along with her brother, Joe. Anne loved the farm life and worked hard growing grain, vegetables and flowers while maintaining the yard and house, preparing meals and baking her delicious roški, koláče and cinnamon buns. She thoroughly enjoyed working alongside her brother, Joe and nephew, Robert. Anne attended St. Michael’s Church in Arondale assisting with church events. She made many friends while living there.
In 1998 when her mother passed away, Anne moved back to her former house in Windsor Park, where she lived out the rest of her life, while her brother Joe took over the farm.
Anne loved gardening, cooking, and baking! Her garden always flourished and her cooking and baking were delicious! If you visited Anne, you were always welcomed with coffee and delicious dainties, which she always insisted you had more of. Her home-made soups were a feast in themselves which no one could duplicate. Anne was also an avid CJOB listener. Her knowledge of local and world events was amazing and her memory of them was fantastic, remembering even the smallest details, proving us wrong many times.
Anne’s macular degeneration slowly caused her to become legally blind, but we were astonished of how well she could manage in her familiar home, which, by the way, was immaculately kept, Anne doing all the cooking and cleaning herself. She was independent practically up to the end of her life.
Anne started having health problems a couple of years ago, but it was the diagnosis of pancreatic cancer this July that quickly took her life at the age of 90.
Our family was so very grateful that we were able to celebrate her 90th. Birthday along with her on July 22nd. That was the last time we were able to get together as a group. Anne especially enjoyed being together with her brother, Joe for the last time. She was so thankful for being able to make it to the party.
Anne’s family would like to express our thanks to the dedicated staff at St. Boniface and Misericordia Hospitals and especially at Jocelyn House Hospice for the kindness, care and compassion they showed Anne in her final days on Earth.
Anne was a good person who loved, worried and cared for all her family very much. We are all heart broken over her passing, but she told us she was “ready to go.” We will miss her dearly but will always hold her in our hearts and remember what she taught us. (We sure will miss those roški, koláče and cinnamon buns.)
Anne, you fought a hard fight! You were with us for 90 wonderful years, and we are truly thankful for that. We know your strong Roman Catholic faith has united you with the Lord, our God, in his glory. You are in his house now, free from pain with full sight along with all our deceased relatives. Your life’s work is complete, and your next glorious life has begun.
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we lived.
It is what differences we made to the lives of others.
That will determine the significance of the life we lived.”
Anne, you made a difference in our lives.
May you be at peace.
In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to CNIB or Cancer Care Manitoba.
A funeral service will be held, with viewing prior to the mass, at St. Bernadette’s Parish 820 Cottonwood Rd. Wpg. on Oct. 1, 2024 at 11:00 A.M. Interment to follow at Green Acres Funeral Home with lunch served afterwards.
