OBITUARY
Viola Domanski
23 January , 1923 – 5 April , 2018
Our beloved mother, Viola Domanski, passed away peacefully on Thursday, April 5th at Rainycrest in Fort Frances at the age of 95.
Mom was born in Axvall, Sweden on January 13, 1923 to Carl and Emma Anderson. In 1930, with high hopes, the family, including 6-year old Lola, as Mom was called as a little girl, 3-year-old Birget and baby Gus, boarded a ship called the Drottingholm headed for Halifax. After a brief stay in Winnipeg, they settled on a farm just outside Fort Frances. As for most immigrants, times were difficult for many years as the family struggled to make their dreams of prosperity and happiness come true. A baby sister, Joyce, was born when Mom was 13.
In her teens, Mom met Carl Domanski at the Fort Frances arena skating rink. He was a dashing and dynamic young man of Polish and Ukrainian origin. They married when Mom was only 17 years old, in 1940, a wedding precipitated by the war. Mom followed Dad to Souris, Manitoba where he was in training and when he left for Europe, she moved in with his parents in Port Arthur where the family ran a hotel along with Dad’s brother, Eddie and his wife Claudia. There began a lifelong friendship between Mom and Aunty Clodie and a closeness between the two families that we all cherish dearly.
The families flourished with the birth of Gary our cousin in 1947, Julie in 1949 and then Jamie in 1955. The decision was made in 1956, just before Karen was born, to move back to Fort Frances and purchase the Rainy Lake Hotel.
Nothing was more important to Mom than her family. She and Dad also had a close group of so many wonderful friends who seemed like family to us kids. Mom learned to cook the Ukrainian dishes we all loved, while making sure we got some Swedish pancakes every once in a while! She loved reading, decorating her home, playing bridge with her friends and entertaining. She was an intrepid traveller, ready to take off whenever she had the chance to attend our children’s births, babysit and visit with her widespread family. She instilled in us love of lifelong learning that we value deeply.
We would like to thank the staff at Rainycrest for taking such good care of Mom. We appreciate their many kindnesses to Mom and to us. Mom was very happy there.
Mom is survived by her sister, Joyce Soboleski, and three children : Julie Mowery (Blair), Jamie (Bev) and Karen Oudin (Philippe). Grandchildren : John Mowery (Allison), Beth McGrath (Sean), Craig and Kevin Domanski, Madeleine and Nicolas (Su Yi) Oudin. Great-grandchildren : Caroline, Ray, Chloe and Eloise. Nieces and nephews : Barry (Pat) Anderson, Brian (Nancy) Anderson, Maureen (Jim) Gartshore, Carla (Dale) Hallquist, Mary Beth Soboleski, Wally Golab, Georgianne and Andrea Domanski.
If friends so desire in memoriam donations may be made to the Rainycrest Auxillary, 550 Osborne Street, Fort Frances, ON, P9A 3T2 or the Friends of the Library, 601 Reid Avenue, Fort Frances, Ontario, P9A 0A2.
Online condolences may be made in care of www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com.
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Viola Domanski 2018.source
Décès pour la Ville: fort-frances, Province: Ontario