It is with heavy hearts that we say goodbye to Lucy Marie Sydor our beloved Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother, Sister, Auntie and friend after her passing on January 7, 2020 at the Misericordia Hospital in Edmonton, Alberta. Lucy was a strong, devoted born again Christian woman in faith, who is now in Heaven eternally with her Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. John 3:3.
Lucy was the middle daughter to Paul and Anna Sotkowski, who came from the Czech Republic to settle in the Beaumont area, southeast of Edmonton. She was born in 1933 and would grow up during wartime and have a work ethic rarely seen today.
Lucy met and married William (Bill) Sydor and they would go on to have 7 children starting their family in 1954 with Christine, Colleen, Paul, Lorraine (Ray), Kathleen, William Jr. and Susan (Leo). Lucy was a loving Grandma to her grandchildren – Tennille (Lyndon), Nicole, Candace (Bill), Suzanne (Shane), Aliesha (Winston), Kyle, Troy (Rene), Sasha, Luke, Chloe and Katie May. Great grandchildren are Chelsea, Kennedy, Christian, Jazmyn, Haleigh, Anna, Bronwyn, Hayden, Charlie, Lyla and Finn.
The large family would make it necessary for Mom to work and she was very adept at being involved in the hospitality industry. She was a great cook and she enjoyed it immensely.
Her first foray into business was at Brookeville Service on Highway 16, east of Ardrossan Alberta in 1969-70 which was quite successful. The next business opportunity presented itself in Chipman Alberta, where the Chipman Hotel was purchased and managed from 1972-73.
The family was moved to Hardisty, Alberta and the Hardisty Hotel was her next challenge. From 1974 she would own, manage and run all the operations, as well as renovate and modernize the business and structure. Mom was recognized by the Alberta Government as being a trailblazer in the business community for being a woman of vision and ability. Her family always came first and she would provide for them, as well as enthusiastically motivate them to participate in the family business. This instilled a great work ethic in all the kids and grandchildren too. Mom would manage the now renamed Hardisty Inn until 1983 when she sold it and moved to Edmonton.
She could not stay away from the business for long though and she purchased another project in 1985. The new business was named ‘Generations’ and would continue to be run as a family first operation. Mom, the children and grandkids would find work there. Her great food and home away from home outlook ensured the business was another in a long line of successes.
Mom would finally retire in 1999. Did she stop?
No, she would go on to keep herself busy with the Catholic Women’s League at Annunciation Church in West Edmonton, along with being amazing at designing and sewing beautiful patchwork quilts that she would lovingly distribute to all her children and grandchildren. Her garden at her home was forever changing and always new and bountiful. She loved to be outside and the kids would be surprised at the amount of landscaping she could achieve by herself. Truly!
Mom was always an independent woman. She enjoyed ‘gallivanting’ and taking her children for a holiday to ‘Pocahontas’ in Jasper. One of her favourite places anywhere and she made sure all her children and grandchildren could experience it too.
Mom lived her life the way she wanted and left us on January 7, 2020, surrounded by love and warmth of her family. Lucy was predeceased by her parents, Paul and Anna Sotkowski, Bill Sydor, her stepchildren Diane and Gary Sydor, nieces Sylvia Boychuk and Rochelle Melnyk, and her loving sister, Irene Melnyk.
A Funeral Service will be held on Tuesday, January 14th at 11:00 am at the Annunciation Catholic Church at 9420-163 street, Edmonton. There will be a full Catholic Women’s Honour Guard with a luncheon to follow.
The family would like to thank the staff at the Misericordia Hospital for the great care, empathy and attention that they showed our Mother.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Lucy Marie Sydor nee Sotkowski January 7 2020..
Death notice for the town of: Edmonton, Province: Alberta