MARIA (MARY) BEREZIUK (NATURKACH)

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MARIA (MARY) BEREZIUK (nee NATURKACH) September 16, 1920 - March 16, 2013 Peacefully after a long and happy life, Mom (Baba) passed away at the age of 92 on March 16, 2013. Her strong faith in God made it possible for her to be comfortable with the prospect of passing...and to do so surrounded by her loved ones was a special blessing. As a daughter, sister, mother, grandmother, great- grandmother and friend, Mom was an amazing role-model always putting the needs of others before hers. Mother was predeceased by her siblings Annie, Jack, Wilma, Nettie, Mike, Nick and Billie, daughter Patricia (1985) and husband Joseph (1979). She will be lovingly remembered by her children Sonia (Ed) Metzlaff, son-in-law Kent Bilton, Joyce (John) Persowich, Joanne (Johann) Sigurdson, Amelia Cooper (Mark Bestland), as well as her grandchildren Shannon (Rudi) Dewey, Monika Metzlaff (Les Hodi), Roxanne Persowich, Maria Metzlaff (Karl Schifke), Natasha Bilton (Chris Park), Robyn Cooper, Johann (JJ) Sigurdson and sister Dorothy Davidiuk. Born September 16, 1920 in Sundown, MB to immigrant parents from Ukraine (Peter and Tikinia Naturkach), as a beautiful young woman Mom worked in Winnipeg as a family care giver to elderly clients. She often returned to her home town to visit her family, and on one of these visits re-connected with an old school acquaintance Joseph (Joe) Bereziuk. They married in 1943, and settled on a tract of farmland adjacent to the town provided to them by Joe's father Peter, who owned the primary store in the town of Sundown. Here Mary lived for the majority of her life, tending cheerfully to her children, farm animals, gardens and various other creatures that surrounded life on the Bereziuk farm. As Joe was not really a farmer at heart, working at various other entrepreneurial ventures throughout his life, Mary took over much of the responsibility of the farm. Rising early every day she never tired of creating a comfortable home for her husband, children, extended family and farm flock and cooking for the farm help. The household became the place where people knew they were always welcome. While Joseph hoped for at least one son to assist on the farm and carry his name forward, Mary and he had five daughters together. The household of girls with sports, fashion, singing, baking, and emotional dramas, was something that Mom took in stride always wanting only the best for her daughters. In fact, Mom truly lived for her children and later her grand-children which she considered to be all part of her "brood" she happily watched over. She loved them equally and their pains were her pains and even in her elderly years she could not rest if someone had some issue they were dealing with. All this and she still found time to be involved in her daughters' school activities, her Church and the Women's League, the Conservative Party, as well as a 4H Leader in sewing and gardening. Her signature bouquet of ever-present fresh kitchen flowers (sometimes including ornamental garden weeds) is something her daughters still carry on in their own kitchens. Ten years after Joe died, Mary moved to Red Oak Drive in Winnipeg where she resided for 20 years enjoying her home, gardens, reading, attending church activities, and being the safe haven for any family members who needed her support over all those years. Here she also presided over the large annual Ukrainian Christmas dinner with all family members gathered round for the feast, which often included visiting distant cousins or any other lonely person Mom could find who needed a good home-cooked meal. Although Mom stayed mostly close to home she did enjoy a few trips including visiting her daughter Patricia and sister Wilma in Eastern Canada with her daughters Joyce and Amy, and with Sonia and Ed visiting her sister-in-law Amelia in Victoria (who she remained close with all her life). One special trip with her daughter Joanne, husband Johann and his Mother Helga, to the Wine Country of California and then on to Mexico over Mother's Day was very memorable for her. Her love of family also kept her very close to her brothers and sisters and they visited as often as they could. Her numerous nieces and nephews loved and visited her too. In the spring of 2008, Mom moved to an apartment in a Seniors residence in Teulon and in August of 2012 to the Red River Place in Selkirk where she resided until her passing. Overcoming many illnesses throughout her life (not the least of which was a major battle with breast cancer in 1977), Mom's strength of spirit carried her through these with a positive attitude. She often took pride in being a cancer survivor! If Mom's life was to be summed up in totality it would be that she was one of the kindest, most generous, cheerfully optimistic, and loving people one could meet...and it is this positive nature, combined with her strong belief in God, that gave her the strength each day to face the many challenges she met. She was an inspiration to people and her family teachings will now carry on through her children, grand-children, great-grand-children and beyond! She remained dedicated to her faith and her church throughout her life and was very proud of her deep roots in the beautiful little town of Sundown. As per her wishes, a family celebration of her life will be held on Mother's Day, May 12 at family Ridgeland Cemetery, and a commemorative bench will be erected in her honour at the Ukrainian Catholic Church in Sundown. Funeral Services will be held at 10:00 o'clock on March 21, 2013 at St. Anne's Catholic Church, 35 Marcia St. (off Gilmore) Winnipeg, with the Very Reverend Father Mark Gnutel officiating. Pallbearers Ed Metzlaff, John Persowich, Johann Sigurdson, Johann Joseph (JJ) Sigurdson, Mark Bestland, and Rudi Dewey. Honorary pallbearers Myron Naturkach, Les Hodi, Karl Schife, Kent Bilton. In lieu of flowers donations can be made to the St. Anne's Catholic Church which Mom supported until her passing. MACKENZIE FUNERAL CHAPEL STONEWALL (204) 467-2525 mackhome@mts.net

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 19, 2013