It is with profound sadness that we have had to say goodbye to our « Baba. » She has finally found peace. She passed away at St. Joseph’s Auxiliary Hospital in Edmonton on October 27, 2018.
Mom’s life journey began July 21, 1933. She was born in Filipovac, Croatia and lived eleven happy carefree years with her parents Magdelena and Alexander Feltrini, younger brother Johnny and older sister Carolina.
World War Two found them escaping the then Yugoslavia to a new life in Canada, working in the sugar beet fields at Nobleford, Alberta. The five years spent in refugee camps robbed her of childhood joys and opportunity for formal education.
Mom met a young Croatian farmer, George Perin, and the two married in 1952. To this marriage were born three daughters: Sylvia, Linda and Diane. In this small community of Barnwell and Taber, she made many friends, many of whom are still dear to her today. She and George made a home and livelihood on their modest farm. Mom has always felt herself a « farmer » and enjoyed farm tasks and her gardens.
After many months of kidney disease, George required dialysis, available then only in Edmonton at the University Hospital. Thus, in the spring of 1965, the family moved to Edmonton. George received dialysis for four years, surviving four more years after a kidney transplant, and passed away in February 1973.
Mom found employment at the Charles Camsell Hospital in the housekeeping, kitchen and laundry departments. She always recognized that the most valuable cultural currency she had not had been able to access was education. Her fulfillment came in seeing all three daughters and all six grandchildren convocate from university in diverse professions.
After George passed away, Mom found another companion in widower Steve Serediak. They married in August 1982. They both continued to work at the Charles Camsell Hospital and enjoyed their new home in St. Albert. After they both retired, they made their home at Brookside Estates. While Steve became the unofficial « fix it » man in the estates, Mom became a core part of the social and activity life. Steve succumbed to his heart and asthma conditions in June 2012.
When George passed away, the girls were 20, 19 and 15 years old and so Mom was not alone at home. When Steve died, she found herself living in a « too big » house. Her health too had become compromised, and so she moved to her condominium at Devonshire in May 2017. New health issues emerged with the fatal diagnosis of pancreatic cancer in July 2018.
Living and working « on the farm » was one of her greatest recollections, and she was able to have one last week at Sylvia and Derek’s farm before being admitted into palliative care at St. Joseph’s Hospital in August 2018. There, she truly received compassionate care in the final days of her life journey.
Fiercely independent, Mom’s wishes for no funeral were respectfully followed. Her urn will be interred at Holy Cross Cemetery, next to George.
The Feltrini family history now resides with the only surviving member, Mom’s sister Carolina Jurcevic. Left with the abundance of love Mom had for family are Sylvia and Derek Burden and their sons Shane and Anthony; Linda and Ian Fraser and their daughters Carol-Anne and Katherine; and Diane and Ted Szumlas and their daughters Georgina and Alexandra.
A special place in her heart was for her three great grand-daughters – Willa, Anna and Evie.
Zbogom Baba. Go with God.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Anne Perin-Serediak of Edmonton
Oct 27 2018..
Décès pour la Ville: Edmonton, Province: Alberta