Verna’s Obituary
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of our mom, Veronka Francis (Sopel) Sunduk. It was a beautiful warm Sunday morning on October 3, 2021, when Mom was welcomed into heaven to be with our Dad, the love of her life.
Mom entered this world on December 15, 1925, to parents Peter and Mary (Serkis) Sopel. Mom was predeceased by her loving husband Nick, her father, mother, and her siblings, Rose and Stanley at birth, Mary, Nellie, Sophie, Frank, Joe, Ladik, Brunis, Lloyd, Mike, and Rudy, as well as many brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces and nephews. She will be lovingly missed by her sisters, Elvina Stasiuk and Annie Yagelniski.
Mom was raised on the family farm in the Stenen district and attended Goldbank School. She shared endless stories of her life growing up surrounded with many older and younger siblings, always commenting on how hard they worked and how happy they were. Their home was filled with love and laughter, and her dad loved to sing. By the mid 1940’s, she was swept off her feet by the dashing Nick Sunduk, and they were married on November 2, 1947, in Canora.
They spent a short time living with Dad’s parents, Alex and Sophie (Seminuk) Sunduk, north of Danbury; shortly thereafter, they moved to the house Dad had built in Danbury.
Mom and Dad were very involved in the community and cherished their many friendships. Her early years with Dad were filled with dances, sports days, picnics and fishing. They truly enjoyed their time socializing with friends, playing cards, ice fishing, camping, and their social events were abundant. Mom enjoyed playing bingo in neighbouring towns and looked forward to not only the game, but also the journey to and from the bingo hall chatting with her friends.
She was always helping in any way she could as a volunteer for catering weddings and community events. Mom enjoyed an active community life and was a member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and Danbury Community Hall and was a critical part of the Danbury Ladies Club. After Dad’s passing, she joined the Ukrainian Catholic Church community and enjoyed it with her two sisters.
She was blessed with and will be forever missed by her children, Adrian (Jeanette) and their children: Rene (Tom), Shaun (Katarina), Nathan (Laura Lee) and Elya; and her second child, Sally (Rob) and their daughter, Nicole (Brendan). Baba was also blessed and will be forever missed by her ten great grandchildren Marcus, Lily, Ruby, Ethan, Ashton, Sydney, Elyse, Jonan, Kaylum and Jakob.
Mom continued to live in her Danbury home after losing Dad in 1987. She spent winters with her family, always returning to her home in time to start her plants for her passion, which was gardening.
She welcomed the opportunity to be very involved in helping to raise her grandchildren and then reprise her role with her great-grandchildren. Baba was everyone’s favorite babysitter and I’m sure all the grandchildren got a snack as they played during bath time.
Mom was an avid knitter, and we will all continue to appreciate the hundreds of dishcloths she crafted so carefully. She also enjoyed crocheting and as a bonus she created some of the most beautiful quilts, which we will always cherish.
Mom and Dad both loved the outdoors. Mom was an avid bird watcher and an even more enthusiastic gardener. She maintained a large garden well into her 90’s, something we all benefitted from. Mom showed her love through food, cooking was always a passion for her, whether it was for a wedding, a family dinner, or a grandchild’s birthday party, mom was able to turn any meal into a feast with her love and skill.
She enjoyed traveling and took several trips to Vancouver and Kelowna, and even one to Disney World in Florida. She loved her time at Sally’s cottage spending hours watching the birds and the water. Mom adored her grand children and the new generation of great grandchildren. She enjoyed her time in Kelowna with Adrian’s family, watching the geese on the golf course, many family get togethers and wiener roasts, which she loved.
Mom held our hands for a while, and she will hold our hearts forever.
A Private Family Funeral Service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Saturday, October 9, 2021, from the Chapel of Leson’s Funeral Home, Canora, SK, with Very Rev. Fr. Joakim Rac as celebrant. Rite of Committal will follow at the Canora Cemetery, Canora, SK. Those wishing to make expressions of sympathy may make donations to the Kinsmen Telemiracle Foundation, as tokens of remembrance, in memory of Verna Sunduk.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Verna Sunduk 2021..
Death notice for the town of: Canora, Province: Saskatchewan