THELMA WAWRYK

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

THELMA WAWRYK

How many people spend their last days in the exact same spot where they were born a hundred years earlier? Well, Mom managed to do that, being born in the old Selkirk General Hospital on August 22, 1921 and passing on November 22, 2020 in what is now Red River Place, after being cared for there since the middle of October of this year.
She was the first born of Jack and Winnie Taylor, and came home to a farm alongside what was to become Highway 9 in Netley. Siblings, Roy, Tim, Bill, Doris and Harold followed, all born at home on the farm and, to her great regret, all predeceasing her. First to come, last to go. Having just celebrated 50 years of marriage the year before, Dad passed in October 1994. She has also had to bid farewell to sister-in-law Frances and Doris's David Veitch. Dad's siblings, John, Marion, Nick, Paul, Steve and Walter, and baby William, have all gone their way. Four sisters-in-law survive her, Irene, Liz and Rita, and one from Dad's side, his dear sister Jo Swirski.
She is also survived by her two "boys" - Ivan (Isabel Gibson) and Wade (Lynda); and by grandchildren, Vince (Danielle) and Tanya (Scott) Clarke; and their mother Lorraine; and great-grandchildren, Kaleigh and Cassandra Clarke, and Griffin and Ella Wawryk.
When recently reminiscing about the simple, hardworking farm and family life that they knew, and the seasonal yard games that the siblings would play, she related "it was never said, but there was love". Her grandest adventure as a youngster was to take the train with Grandma into Winnipeg once a year for the Eaton Tea.
Away from home she worked as a nanny/housekeeper for a family in Winnipeg, as an elevator operator in a hospital, and in an electrical assembly business in Toronto. Back home, she met and married a local boy on her birthday in 1943, having gone to school with his siblings. She and Peter settled in Netley on 80 acres, sandwiched between brothers and families on both sides. She was busy making a new homelife for them, but made certain that she found the time to write to her and his brothers who were overseas. She was the successor to her mother as the secretary of the local ladies' guild, and sent packages to local men taking part in the war effort.
Ivan was their firstborn in 1946, predating the arrival of electricity to the farm. Wade arrived at the end of 1950. We were handful and mouthful enough, so it ended there. Life on the farm was nothing but work for Mom, laundry, gardening, raising chickens and pigs, laundry, cooking, cleaning, did we say laundry, until the odd weekend evening socializing with family and friends. She catalogued much of the families' lives in diaries, photo albums and in scrapbooks.
Again, apart from those burdens, she continued her community involvement, committing with Grandma to running the canteen in the second generation of the Selkirk Hospital one day a week, canvassing for the Red Cross, and in various church guilds and activities.
She began to work outside the home, never abandoning any duties, with her sister Doris at the Wagon Inn in Petersfield, followed by some time at Sarbit's IGA, and then Southview Pharmacy in Selkirk.
She loved geography and travel - working in Toronto, honeymooning in Kenora, and taking many other trips with Dad. In later years, she took many bus tours to most of North America and many parts of Europe with her gang. Special trips were to the UK and Churchill with Wade, and to Yellowknife with Lorraine to visit Vince. All memories were comprehensively captured on film. She also enjoyed frequent visits with Wade and Lynda at the lake, and travelled to various locations where Ivan and his family were posted.
In addition to travel in retirement, she was an enthusiastic participant in the Gordon Howard Centre activities, and the "Over 60" Club at the Selkirk Legion. She danced, played cards, attended concerts and plays, and bit down firmly on life.
She particularly enjoyed making many cherished memories with her grandchildren, including wiener and marshmallow roasts and teaching them to play cribbage, and visiting or hosting them at any opportunity. She grew especially close to Tanya during her university time in Winnipeg. During Vince's postings to Winnipeg, she proudly enjoyed attending Remembrance Day ceremonies and the Legion with her grandson serving in the RCAF. Later in life, she relished baking cinnamon buns and making up the rules to board games with her great grandchildren.
The family would like to take this opportunity to give thanks for the great care and support by the staff at Red River Place in Selkirk. They made her last six weeks on earth infinitely safer and better. She also spent several days in the Gimli Hospital where the very generous staff cared for her. Previously the staff at Provincial Home Care in Selkirk shepherded Mom along while still in assisted living at Woodlands Court. The management and staff at that facility all embraced Mom over the last four years.
There will be no funeral service at present; her ashes will be buried when the time is right in the St. George's Wakefield Anglican Church cemetery alongside Pete and his baby brother. That ceremony will be officiated by Archdeacon Godfrey Mawejje of the Diocese. Mom was a lifelong member there until moving to Selkirk in 1968, when she became a member of St. Clements Anglican Church in Mapleton. Family members will be invited. God and Gilbarts have her now.
Donations in her memory may be made to either church. The former is at Box 219 Clandeboye, MB R0C 0P0, and the latter at 1178 River Road, St. Andrews, MB R1A 4A1.

Condolences may be left on her tribute wall at www.gilbartfuneralhome.com

Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk
in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 28, 2020