Obituary of Violet (Vi) Marie Ternoway
March 4, 1928 – June 30, 2019
Violet Ternoway passed away peacefully on Sunday, June 30, 2019 in Grande Prairie, Alberta at the age of 91 years.
Born in Lithuania in 1928, Vi arrived at Pier 21in Halifax by ship at the age of six with her mother Nancy. A cross-Canada train voyage reunited them with husband and father Bruno, who had come to Canada some years previously and established a homestead in the Ksituan district, northwest of Spirit River. Vi’s sister Anne was born two years later, and elder sister Adela joined the family from Lithuania in 1939.
Life was extremely hard on the homestead. Vi carried her shoes both ways to school so they would last longer, and every Saturday walked 17 miles each way to Spirit River to meet the train and get the mail. The family lived in a one-room shack, subsisting on potatoes and scrambled eggs all winter, and on whatever the garden could produce in the summer.
At the age of 12 Vi moved to Thorsby, Alberta to live with Adela and husband. She met John Ternoway, the love of her life, in 1945, and they were married two years later. Son Ron was born in 1951, daughters Diane and Joanne in 1953 and 1959. Vi returned to her Spirit River roots in 1953 when the family purchased K’s Store from George Kosowan.
Vi worked tirelessly alongside her husband in Ternoway’s Super A until John’s death in 2000. They both loved to travel, and traveled the world. Once daughter Joanne took the helm, they regularly spent part of the winter in Mazatlan, Mexico. Vi moved to Grande Prairie in 2014.
Vi is survived by son *Ron (Sandy) Halifax NS and their children Sarah von Riedmann (Dominic) and their son Erik, Heather Taylor Ternoway (Jamie) and their children Helen and Marshall daughters *Diane Dika (Greg) Rycroft AB and son Garett Dika (Caitlin) and their children Sullivan and Elliott, Chase Dika (Jennifer) and their children Bennett and Isabella, *Joanne Shmyr, Grande Prairie AB ( Randy Nikolaychuk) Kristi Isele (Darren) and their son Jensen, Blake Shmyr (Fharon) and daughters Pyper and Eberly, Kelsey Urban (Jared) son Uriah and daughter Reet, Cordell Shmyr (Megan) and daughter Sade.
Vi was predeceased by husband John in 2000 and her two sisters Anne and Adela.
Funeral service for Vi is on Friday July 5, 11am at Spirit of Peace United Church in Spirit River, AB., with reception to follow.
Thank you to Dr. Maxwell and the nursing staff at the Grande Prairie Care Centre for their compassionate care
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Vi’s memory may be made to Grande Prairie Regional Hospital Foundation, 10409 98 St. Grande Prairie AB T8V 2E8 Pediatric Ward.
Care entrusted to Bear Creek Funeral Home (780) 830-7742 www.bearcreekfuneral.com
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Violet Vi Marie Ternoway 2019..
Death notice for the town of: Grande-Prairie, Province: Alberta