Anna Trotz

Notes:

1946 - Anna’s parents were shipped to Siberia never to be seen or heard from again.

Anna was born August 1, 1907 in the village Sishno, Region Radehiv in Western Ukraine. She attended school and worked in fields hoeing potatoes and tying grain into sheaves. Her father sold a cow and bought a Singer sewing machine. Anna learned to sew and did a lot of sewing.

Her uncle, John Trotz, had earlier immigrated to Canada. He was Anna's sponsor at a cost of $152.00. He made all the arrangements. At the end of the journey, there was two dollars left with which Anna bought a pair of shoes.

Anna left Ukraine on March 3, 1926 and arrived in Gilbert Plains on April 2, 1926. Her ship set sail from Danzig, then under Polish control. They docked in Halifax and she continued her journey by train.

Her father, Theodore, and Sam Shmon has been acquainted in Ukraine. Sam now resided in Gilbert Plains. The station agent took her to Sam’s, who in turn contacted her uncle John. She was picked up by her uncle where she was required by law to remain for a year. She worked alongside the family. (John’s homestead was located one half mile north of the Drifting River Church, east side of the road.)

In May of 1927, Anna left Trotz’s and caught a ride to Gilbert Plains where she went to see Sam Shmon. Sam helped Anna find employment at a farmers, Bill Smith, in Grandview. Bill's wife was not a well person so Anna stayed until fall doing household duties as well as milking cows and churning butter. Bill sold the butter and used the money to pay her wages of $12.00 monthly. Bill and his wife went to England so Anna was no longer employed.

A store owner in Grandview, Mr. Knazan, hired Anna as a house keeper and paid a wage of $15.00 monthly. Anna has been acquainted with William (Wasyl) Sydor when she lived with her uncle in the drifting river area. He was constructing a garage for his brother-in-law Martin Hubchuk in Grandview. Wasyl and Anna had their first date - a movie.

They were married on July 15, 1928. Kanzan being very fond of Anna, could not attend the ceremony, but came beforehand with his mother who was from Winnipeg. She sang wedding songs and they presented Anna with a gift of two towels, six bowls and spoons.

Wasyl and Anna resided with his parents, Sam and Eva, until 1934. They moved across the road where they built a small house, years later adding to it as money became available. They slowly purchased machinery and more land. They resided here till Wasyl's passing.

She moved to Gilbert Plains where she remained until her passing.

Anna married Wasyl (Bill) William Sydor on 15 Jul 1928 in St. John's Ukraine Greek Orthodox Church, Drifting River, Manitoba, Canada. Wasyl (son of Samen Sydor and Eva (Ewka) Musiy (Musij)) was born on 13 Mar 1898 in Bldg 51, Spasiv, Sokal Raion, Lviv Oblast, Ukraine; died on 19 Feb 1963 in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, Canada; was buried on 22 Feb 1963 in St. John's Ukraine Greek Orthodox cemetery, Drifting River, Manitoba, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

With tears we mourn her passing; yet with smiles we remember her always.

Peacefully, on Sunday, November 5, 2017, Irene Maksymetz passed away at St. Boniface Hospital at the age of 87 years.

Irene was born July 5, 1930 to William and Anna Sydor. She attended Tartakiw and Kolomyja public schools and Grandview High School. In 1949, she left for Toronto where she was employed for one year in a sportswear sewing factory. Irene married Walter J. Maksymetz on July 27th, 1950 in Gilbert Plains. They then returned to Toronto for a brief period. In 1951, Irene and Walter bought their first family farm in the Gilbert Plains Municipality. Their successful grain farming career spanned over 40 years taking them to retirement in 1991 and their move to Dauphin, Manitoba. After Walter's passing, Irene remained in her home in Dauphin until the spring of 2017, when she moved to Winnipeg to be closer to her family.

Nothing made Mom/Baba more proud than to see her children and grandchildren learn and succeed through hard work and determination. Her greatest joy were her grandchildren and great-grandson and she beamed with pride and happiness during their visits.

Irene served on the boards of the Veselka Dance Club in Gilbert Plains and St. Michael's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Venlaw, and was a member of the Ukrainian Catholic Women's League. She was avid bowler and enjoyed curling. She keenly enjoyed watching baseball and curling as armchair sports.

The circle of family and friends extended near and far. Irene and Walter were host to many great gatherings at the farm. Entertaining was also a pleasure in her retirement years and the door was always open to happily share her wonderful baking, cooking, preserves and of course her home-made Kubasa. Irene enjoyed gardening, sewing, knitting, crafting, picking wild mushrooms - pidpenky, a friendly game of cards, keeping up with current events and sharing a joke.

During retirement, Irene and Walter traveled to England, Cuba, Bahamas, Australia, New Zealand, Alaska, Ukraine and from coast to coast in North America. The trips to Ukraine were especially memorable having being able to strengthen the ties and visit with family.

Left to cherish her memory are her daughters, Brenda (Fr. Gregory Mielnik) and Cheryl (Kevin Nichols); her nine grandchildren Kathryn (Thomas Siozos), Pam (Morgan Lekstrom), Matthew and Jessica Johnson, Danylo and Jacob Mielnik, Blake, Eric and Lauren Nichols: and great-grandson Alexander Siozos; and son-in-law Terry Johnson. She is also survived by her sisters: Shirley (the late William Choma), Donna (Orest Romaniuk)and Jeanette (Gordon Clyde) and sister-in-law Adeline (Mike Solypa) and as well as many nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. Irene was predeceased by her loving husband Walter J. (2003), daughter Connie (2011), parents William and Anna Sydor, sister Walda and brother Walter.

Donations in memory of Irene may be made to a charity of one's choice.

If Roses grow in Heaven
Lord, please pick a bunch for me.
Place them in my Mother's arms
and tell her they're from me.

Tell her that I love her and miss her,
and when she turns to smile,
place a kiss upon her cheek
and hold her for awhile.

Because remembering her is easy,
I do it every day,
but there's an ache within my heart
that will never go away.



Vichnaya Pamyat - Memory Eternal!

Irene married Walter Maksymetz on 27 Jul 1950 in St. Pauls United Church, Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Walter married A. Kereliuk [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

S.A. married W. Choma [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

D. married O. Romaniuk [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

J. married G. Clyde [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Connie JOHNSON Obituary
Published by Vancouver Sun and/or The Province from Dec. 24 to Dec. 26, 2011.
JOHNSON, Connie Louise May 30, 1952 - December 19, 2011 A loving and devoted wife of 34 years, Connie Johnson died at VGH on December 19, 2011. Survived by her beloved husband Terry, children Kathryn, Pamela, Matthew and Jessica, mother Irene and sisters Brenda (Greg Mielnik) and Cheryl (Kevin Nichols). Numerous other relatives and friends will also share their loss. Connie will be joining her father Walter, who passed into heaven in 2003. Connie, eldest daughter of Walter and Irene (nee Sydor) Maksymetz, was born in Gilbert Plains, Manitoba, where she received her schooling. In 1970 she enrolled in the Business Administration program at Winnipeg's Red River College. After college, Connie left for Edmonton in 1972 and eventually worked for First City Trust and was relocated in July 1975 to Vancouver. After joining BC Gas in 1978, she was employed in various capacities over twenty years and obtained her CMA designation in 1986. In 1998 Connie joined her husband Terry in his CA public practice in Richmond, to her death. Connie was married to Terry in the Gilbert Plains United Church on July 9, 1977. Connie enjoyed curling in the winter, spending time with friends and being an education advocate, especially during her four years as PAC president at Richmond Secondary. Above all, she was devoted to her family, demonstrated by the fact that she was joined at the hip with her husband, and as her children grew, Connie was always there to cheer them on at every sports event, help with homework and query how their days were. The Johnson children could not have asked for a set of more devoted, loving parents, who were proud that all four children are university graduates. When the children were off at university, they could always depend on her for a daily phone call, motherly advice in an email, knowing that they were truly loved by her. Connie had a great sense of humour, a gift for the gab and a smile for everyone. She will be greatly missed and forever in our hearts. All are welcomed to remember Connie on Wednesday December 28th at 1pm at Brighouse United Church, 8151 Bennett Road in Richmond, with a gathering in celebration of Connie's life that evening between 6pm and 9pm at the Richmond Curling Club, open to all friends and family. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the BC Heart and Stroke Foundation. 604-275-7755

Constance married T. Johnson [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: G. Mielnik. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: K. Nichols. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

DARIA JANE SYDOR Daria Jane Sydor beloved daughter of Adeline (nee Kereliuk) and the late Walter Sydor, peacefully fell asleep on February 11, 2000 at the age of 32 years. Prayer service will be held February 18 at 7:30 p.m. at Sneath Strilchuk Funeral Home, Dauphin. Funeral service will be held February 19 at 10:00 a.m. at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. George, Dauphin, Man. Flowers gratefully declined, if friends and relatives so desire, a donation in her memory can be made to The Deer Lodge Centre, 2109 Portage Avenue, Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Michaels, 110 Disraeli St., Winnipeg, or charity of ones choice.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 13, 2000

Family/Spouse: C. Yury. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

J.W. married H. Kempthorne [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

B.G. married M. Maybe [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

S.J. married C. Dvorak [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

S.J. married E. Hurd [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Family/Spouse: R. Johnson. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]