Leona passed away very suddenly but peacefully, at home, in the early morning of Saturday, September 24, 2022 at the age of 83.
She was born Leona Grywacheski on September 18th, 1936, on the family farm 7 miles south of Norquay, Saskatchewan,. Her parents were John Grywacheski and Elsie Lozinski. She was the fourth girl in the family preceded by Sylvia, Adeline, and Angeline, with Geraldine and Patricia to follow. Leona was part of a large extended family with grandparents, uncles, aunts, and cousins, many living nearby.
In 1947, Leona started school in South Willowgrove, a typical one room country school with grades 1-8. That fall John and Elsie decided to rent out the farm and move to Kamsack where john started working for the Canadian National Railway. Leona was then enrolled in Victoria Elementary School followed by Kamsack Collegiate Institute. It was in elementary school that Leona showed and interest and talent for art that was to continue for the rest of her life.
When Leona was in grade 11 a family moved in next door. There was a boy, Bob Donnan, in the family and that Leona in time got to know and by the end of grade 12 she invited him to be her escort for graduation. Both Leona and Bob went to study in Saskatoon, Leona to St. Paul’s for nursing and Bob to the University of Saskatchewan. In 1962 they were married in St. Paul’s Cathedral in Saskatoon with Fr. Bob Ogle as celebrant. Fr. Bob was to become a life-long friend until his death from cancer in 1998. During the first year of their marriage Leona continued to work as a nurse at the Saskatoon Tuberculosis Sanatorium and Bob went back to university. The flowing Spring Fr. Bob persuaded Leona to come and work as receptionist and Liberian at the new Catholic Inquiry Centre he was setting up in Saskatoon. Bob was offered a position of teaching the new PSSC Physics program at St. Paul’s High School and also a part time Lay Co-Ordinator of Inquiry Services at this same center.
The following summer the now pregnant Leona and Bob moved to the village of Young where Bob taught mathematics, and science, and Leona started a career as home maker and mother. Son, John was born September 14th, 1964, followed by daughter, Mary Ellen on November 3rd, 1965 and son, Richard June 29th, 1969.
In the summer of 1969 the family moved to Tisdale. For the next few years Leona kept up with nursing by working during the summer. Bob carried on teaching at the Tisdale Unit Composite School. In the mid 1970s Leona returned to nursing when she was offered a job at Sasko Park Lodge, a senior’s care home. Leona was community volunteer in a number of church and community organizations including 16 years on the local board of the Saskatchewan Housing Authority. After retirement Leona and Bob remained in Tisdale. Leona was involved with the Tisdale Visual Artists and was a long time member of the reading group.
Leona was predeceased by her parents John and Elsie, Sisters Geraldine, Sylvia, and Angeline.
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Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Leona Donnan Saturday September 24th 2022..
Décès pour la Ville: TISDALE, Province: Saskatchewan