Helen was born in Hudson Bay, SK to parents Arthur and Anna Nice, the oldest of eight children. She was raised on the farm in the Veillardville district, and always spoke fondly of a childhood filled with memories of close family and great friends. Stories of her grandmother’s house filled to the rafters with the ample garden harvest, her sisters’ alternate words to the Helen Polka (you know what you said), gathering and preserving wild strawberries to sustain the family through the winter, memories of Fairhaven School and the remedy for bullies in those days, and thousands of other such stories were told and retold throughout the decades and even as recently as the past few weeks.
After graduating high school at age 16, Helen was sent to supervise students studying provincial curriculum at a one-room schoolhouse in Archerwill, where she also took great pride in teaching the little children to read (since she was there anyway). She really took pride in the strength and independence it took to be there and to be successful.
Following that assignment, Grandma returned to the Veillardville district and married her sweetie, Frank Krajci, who handily lived just down the road (a convenience that later led to Helen’s sister Yvonne marrying Frank’s brother Jack).
Frank and Helen were married on August 11, 1951. To them were born Cathy, Doreen, Ernie and Glen. Helen was immeasurably proud of these kids of hers and their many achievements, and she bragged about them throughout her lifetime. Cathy, Doreen and Ernie were born during the early farming years, and Glen was born in Edmonton where they later relocated for Frank to work at Swift’s. While in Edmonton, Helen achieved a business college diploma, which provided a set of skills that benefited her throughout her life – such things as typing, accounting and general organization. She revealed a few years ago that she had never told anyone but she “happened to be” the top graduate in that program, a fact which surprises no one.
Helen worked for the public library system in Edmonton, and then on the family farm when they returned to Hudson Bay. Although she enjoyed Edmonton and filled those years with many successful projects, Helen was truly happy to be back to Hudson Bay where most of her family was. After they moved into town, Helen worked providing home care services in the community, and she and Frank volunteered for Meals on Wheels for years as well. Also during that time, Helen was on the committee for, and instrumental as a typist in the creation of, the Valley Echoes history book.
Helen had too many passions to mention, but there are two that will forever remain in everyone’s memories – her family and her garden, and one frankly would not have existed without the other. Helen saw it as her duty in life to provide nutritional meals and wonderful treats to her children, and their children, and their children’s children. We believe she “may have been” the original author of Canada’s Food Guide, because no meal was ever served without one to three selections from each of its categories. (It was later discovered that each of her sisters is equally rigorous, by the way). She achieved this worthy goal by producing her own (excessively successful) garden, including preserving and storing (and sharing) items for use throughout the year. As a result, all of Helen’s descendants are excellent cooks and bakers, although we don’t all garden at her level. History will show that Helen made the best of many food items, but some that stand out are dill pickles, raspberry jam, and of course the world-famous gingersnaps.
Helen was also the world’s most dedicated grandmother – she attended countless school pageants and programs (sometimes two the same night), knitted countless sets of her signature mittens (and in emergencies had them in the mail for next day delivery), provided countless nights of afterschool and overnight babysitting, and boisterously cheered her grandchildren and great grandchildren on in every hobby, sport, 4-H, drama, music, and academic pursuit. She also heavily promoted her love of literacy with all of us. No one will ever out-grandmother her. And although she adored her role as mother-in-law nearly as much as grandmother, Helen remained wary of birthday cakes for most of her life for some reason.
Helen took great care of Frank throughout their adult lives and deeply mourned his passing in 2015. She (and he) also loved all pets but especially their many cats named Ting, their final cat Sunshine and their dogs Dakota and Hobo. She also adored her many granddogs and great granddogs, especially the “tiny” ones.
Helen was predeceased by her husband Frank Krajci, grandson Jeffrey Tessier, son-in-law Jack Kirby, nephews David Krajci, Keith Brown and Joe Kress, and niece Karen Fast. On the Nice side, Helen was also predeceased by parents Arthur and Anna Nice, brother Donald Nice, and brothers-in-law Terry Brown, Bill Lloyd, Erwin Moore and Joe Ukrainetz. On the Krajci side, Helen was predeceased by father-in-law and mother-in-law Jacob and Katrina Krajci, and sisters-in-law and brothers-in-law Margaret and Rupert Fast, Emily and Duncan Simmonds, and Rose and Kim Wheeling.
Helen is survived by her children Cathy McKenzie, Doreen Kirby, Ernie Krajci, and Glen (Stacey) Krajci; her grandchildren Tim (Sharla) Herrod and Angela Hosni (and their father Jerry Herrod), Amanda Krajci (Troy) and Dustin Krajci (Jeanine) (and their mother Shelley Krajci), Darian Krajci and Kennedy Krajci; her great grandchildren Jasmine (Mark) Dozlaw, Kaeden Herrod, Asher Herrod, Gabby Herrod, Sophie Herrod, Bradford Loewen, Reda Hosni and Samy Hosni, and her great-great granddaughter Nikova Loewen. She is also survived by her siblings Jenny Brown, Elsie Moore, Yvonne (Jack) Krajci, Raymond (Charlotte) Nice, Phyllis Ukrainetz, and Karen (Jerry) Bondarchuk. Helen is also survived by many special nieces and nephews who remained near and dear to her heart to the very end, as well as many important extended family members and very good friends, too many to list here but you know who you are.
Helen’s family wishes to thank the excellent nursing staff at the Hospice at Glengarda for the love and care provided to Helen in her final weeks. She loved and appreciated you all, but especially Rose.
A memorial service will be held in Hudson Bay in the summer of 2023, and it will be announced closer to that time for all of those wishing to attend.
For those wishing to make memorial donations, please do so to:
Hospice at Glengarda
301 Hilliard Street East
Saskatoon, SK
S7J 0E5
(306) 844-4330
1933 2022
Nous offrons nos plus sincères condoléances à la famille et aux amis de Helen
Elsie
Krajci 1933 2022 et espérons que leur souvenir pourra être une source de réconfort pendant cette période difficile. Vos pensées et vos mots aimables sont grandement appréciés.
Décès pour la Ville:Melfort, Province: Saskatchewan