Bertha Chomyshyn
Bertha Johanna Chomyshyn, 85, of Atikokan, Ontario passed away peacefully on Thursday, September 17, 2009 at the Atikokan General Hospital.
Bertha was born on February 22, 1924 in Alvus, Finland, to the late Eino and Maria Ranta. The family moved to Canada when Bertha was still a baby. She was united in marriage with Fred Chomyshyn and they settled in Atikokan to start a life together. She was employed with Caland Ore from its beginning to its end; retiring after it stopped operations in 1980. Bertha was a faithful member of the Faith Lutheran Church and enjoyed fishing with Fred, sewing and traveling. She was very family orientated and especially close with her sister Violet and her family. While the majority of her nieces and nephews lived in other provinces, she kept in touch by phone and looked forward to their visits.
She was predeceased by her husband Fred on January 14, 1985; parents Eino and Maria Ranta; nephews Cal and Chuck Fulford.
Bertha leaves behind her sister Violet Fulford of Thunder Bay, sister-in-law Jenny, niece Renee Russell of Calgary, and her family, nephew Ken (Shelly) Fulford of Alder Flats, Alberta, and their family as well as many other close relatives.
A memorial service was held Friday, September 25, at Faith Lutheran Church in Atikokan, with Pastor Gerry Andersen officiating.
Cremation has taken place at the Rainy River Crematory Services in International Falls, MN and a private interment was held at Little Falls Cemetery in Atikokan.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that in memoriam donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or the Faith Lutheran Church. Online condolences may be made in care of www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com
Olga Beyak
On Tuesday, September 22, 2009, at the Atikokan General Hospital, Olga Beyak, 92, passed away peacefully with her family at her side.
Olga was born on February 22, 1917, in Zhoda, Manitoba to Wasyl and Sophia Danylchuk. She was a baptized member of the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church. Her family resided at Sandilands, Manitoba, where they operated a general store. She moved to Winnipeg as each of her siblings had done to further her education. She graduated from the Manitoba Normal School in 1936.
Her first teaching position was at Franko School in Zhoda, Manitoba, where she taught 48 children for $35 a month. After teaching two years in Badger, Manitoba, she met and married William Beyak in September 1939. They lived on a farm in Rainy River, Ontario, where they were blessed with their two children, Vera and Walter. They eventually moved to Shevlin, Manitoba, where Ollie resumed teaching. In 1949, they returned to the Rainy River District, to reside in Atikokan. As Atikokan grew into the boom town of the 50s, she worked with brother-in-law Walt and Millie at Walt’s Dry Goods to promote that new endeavour. She and Bill opened their home to many within their families to support them as they came to Atikokan or to provide numerous fishing experiences for visiting family. For 24 years, she worked as a devoted primary teacher, enabling hundreds of Atikokan students to read, as well as collaborating with her colleagues to enhance the teaching systems they developed. She retired from teaching with the Atikokan Board of Education in 1982.
Olga was one of the founding members of St. Michael’s Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church, supporting the Church Choir, Ukrainian School, Sunday School and the Ladies group until its closure. Her Christian faith led her to become an affiliate member of Faith Lutheran Church in Atikokan. One of her favourite celebrations was Ukrainian Christmas. At that time she would prepare and present the 12 traditional dishes to friends as well as the Beyak and Danylchuk families in the area. She will be missed dearly by her family and friends.
Olga is survived by her son, Walter William ‘Max’ Beyak and wife Sharon of Atikokan, her daughter, Vera and husband Art Rousseau of Calgary, five grandchildren, Tim Beyak (Debra), Brad Beyak (Tammy), Guy Rousseau (Treena), Susan (Gerald) Pilot, and Simone Rousseau (Pablo Galvez), nine great grandchildren, Brittany, Joshua, Naomi, Katelyn, Jackson, Capri, Carmen, Cole and Ella, one brother, Bud Danylchuk (Flora) of Fort Frances, Ontario, numerous nieces and nephews and many members of her husband Bill’s family.
She was predeceased by parents, her husband, William Beyak, sisters, Elizabeth (Walter) Bilych, Mary (Theo) Eliuk, Michalena (John) Popowich, and Katrina (who died in infancy) and one brother, Alexander (Paula) Danylchuk, all of their spouses, as well as numerous Beyak family relatives.
Funeral services were held Saturday, September 26, at Faith Lutheran Church in Atikokan. Pastor Gerry Andersen officiated with interment in Little Falls Cemetery in Atikokan, Ontario.
Visitation was held Friday evening at Green Visitation Chapel in Atikokan. Active Pallbearers were: Tim, Brad and Josh Beyak, Guy Rousseau, Simone Rousseau, and Gerald Pilot. Honourary pallbearers were the Brown Bag Bible Study Group; Ida Stewart, Myrtle Main, Hilda Shmyr, Elsa Kosola and Verna King.
Should family and friends so desire in memoriam donations may be made to either the Faith Lutheran Church Memorial Fund, Box 266, Atikokan, ON, P0T 1C0, or the Atikokan General Hospital Extended Care Wing, 120 Dorothy St., Atikokan, ON, P0T 1C0. Online condolences may be made in care of www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com.
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