Rosie’s Obituary
Rosie Agnes Kwasny passed away suddenly at the Helping Hands Care Home in Grenfell, SK, on the evening of August 9, 2021, at the age of 79 – 18 days short of her 80th birthday.
Rosie was born on a farm between Okla and Invermay, SK, on August 27, 1941, and attended nearby Silver Springs School for 7 years. It was at that school she acquired many memories from the games they played including “Auntie I Over.” This is a game that would have students gather on either side of the school and someone would kick a ball over to the other side. Unfortunately, one time, Rosie was unprepared, and the ball landed on her face giving her a bloody nose. She split her time between the classroom and helping on the farm. Something always needed to be done on the farm and she could run any tractor.
Rosie married Emil Happy in 1957. They were blessed with 5 sons and 1 daughter. Rosie kept busy on the family farm and had an enormous garden every year. Her Ukrainian Christmas meals made with love were delicious. Poppyseed perogies were unforgettable! She was always sewing her children clothing or making curtains. She collected stamps and enjoyed rewriting song lyrics and recipes. Rosie was extremely artistic and could draw amazing creations from memory – a skill she passed down to all of her children.
After leaving the farm, Rosie lived in Regina for a time and then moved to Canora, where she soon became involved with the Women’s Auxiliary at Sts. Peter and Paul’s Ukrainian Catholic Church. When she wasn’t pinching perogies at the hall, she was the town seamstress, mending, hemming, creating and patching; her sewing skills were perfect, near immaculate. Some of her major accomplishments were sewing and crocheting baptism gowns and suits for her grandchildren, a wedding dress for her oldest granddaughter, a hockey jersey quilt for her grandson, and a cross stitched wall hanging of the Last Supper along with numerous warm winter sweaters. One time a granddaughter left behind her cherished football pullover hoodie after visiting. When she returned to get it, Rosie had helpfully installed a zipper up the front for her so she would not have to pull it over her head anymore. The zipper ran right through the team logo. Another time, her son dropped off a bag of old worn jeans to cut up and create a patchwork quilt. When he returned, she had mended every single jean so they could be worn again.
Rosie especially enjoyed spending time with her brothers and sisters. Because they lived so far away and didn’t visit often, she once confused Cliff and Sandy for Wilf and Arlene. Wilf was quite proud of making miles without leaving Alberta!
Attending pilgrimages at the Rama Grotto was the highlight of Rosie’s summers, as were church services, especially Prazniks, at her local as well as neighboring parishes where she knew many, MANY people and who they were related to and they knew her!
Rosie always had a smile on her face. Her laughter was infectious, and she tried to find the humour in everything.
In January 2020, Rosie moved to Helping Hands Care Home in Grenfell after being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. It was especially hard for her to accept that she was slowly losing her short-term memory, making it impossible to knit or crochet anymore, but she still managed to keep busy whether it was showing the staff how to make borscht or working on word search puzzles. She did not like to sit still.
Rosie loved all her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren but was particularly close with Martin and Linda. She relied heavily on Martin in the last few years. She taught each of her children a strong dedicated work ethic. “If you lay in bed too long you will get a horse head,” she would say. There was always something to be done. No time to watch tv or sit idly.
She will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her.
Rosie was predeceased by her parents, Paul (2002) and Mary (Matsalla) (1993) Kwasny; her sister, Jean Kwasny (1942); her son, Donald Happy (2018); grandson, Michael Happy (1984); her brothers-in-law, Raymond Stefanyshyn (2017), Paul Kashuba (2013) and Billy Prestie (1987).
Rosie is survived by her children: Martin Happy of Wolseley, Allan (Deb) Happy of Preeceville, Gene (Holly Franklin) Happy of Viking, AB, Linda (Shannon) Wahl of Regina, Wayne (Lor lei Urban) Happy of Yorkton, and daughter-in-law, Marie Happy of Good Spirit Lake; her grandchildren: Stephen (Naomi van de Cappelle) Happy, Cristal (Ed) Ockochinski, Tiffany (Dustin) Hanson, Alicia (Chris) Smith, Megan Yagelniski, Justin, Cole, Kadence, Haylee and Billie Happy, Rhylynn and Rhyler Wahl, and Chance, Trinity and Treyse Happy; her great-grandchildren: Alex and Lily Happy, Nash Metz, Leland and Emma Ockochiniski, Madison and Hunter Hanson, Lane Smith and Scarlet Karcha; and her siblings: Wilfred (Arlene) Kwasny, Mary Kashuba, Stefania Stefanyshyn, Lorne (Donna) Kwasny, Clifford (Sandy) Kwasny, Mildred Prestie, Paul (Stephanie) Kwasny, Verna (Brian) Murray and Henry (Lois) Kwasny, along with numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.
Rosie’s daughter Linda wrote her this tribute which captures her spirit:
Today my mom went through heavens door,
She finished every stitch and every single chore.
Her knitting, crocheting and embroidery all complete,
Her garden was all harvested, every potato and every beet.
The cows were all milked and left out in the pasture,
All the sewing machines, she learned and she mastered.
The eggs were collected from the chicken coop,
The grain was all shovelled, every last scoop.
The words all found in all her word search books,
No more recipes left to simmer and cook.
The rocks were all picked and the bales in a stack,
Time moves forward, there’s no looking back.
The wood is all chopped and piled in a row,
Ready to heat the house at the first sight of snow.
The baking and canning was done for the season,
She left so suddenly without needing a reason.
Though we weren’t ready for her to depart,
Her memories will forever remain in our heart.
Her parents and son are waiting for her above the clouds,
Up in a place where we are not yet allowed.
Today my mom went through heavens door,
She finished every stitch and every last chore…
A Public Visitation will be held from 6:00 – 8:00 p.m., Sunday, August 15, 2021, from the Chapel of Leson’s Funeral Home, Canora, SK. A Private Funeral Liturgy will be celebrated on Monday, August 16, 2021, from Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, Canora, SK, with Very Rev. Fr. Joakim Rac, as Celebrant. Rite of Committal will follow in the Canora Cemetery, Canora, SK. Those wishing to make expressions of sympathy may make donations to Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church Building Fund, as tokens of remembrance, in memory of Rosie Kwasny.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Rosie Kwasny 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Canora, Province: Saskatchewan