NETTIE DOLLY BLASKO (STRAZA)

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NETTIE DOLLY BLASKO
(nee STRAZA)

Nettie passed away peacefully on September 22, 2019, at the age of 100.
Nettie is survived by children, Gordon and Don; grandchildren, Jay (Natalia) and Chris; and great-grandchildren, Payton and Kallysta, and many cousins, nephews, nieces and friends.
Mom was born in Wood Mountain, Saskatchewan to her Romanian parents, John Eli Straza and Mary Straza. She was the fourth of 11 children. The family moved to the Manitoba Interlake in 1937 and returned to Saskatchewan in 1938 because they would have to clear the land, but Mom stayed in Manitoba where she met John Blasko and got married on August 12, 1940.
They lived in a two storey uninsulated shack near Lac du Bonnet. This was where she brought up her two boys without running water or any modern services. She baked her own bread, made sauerkraut in 45 gallon wooden barrels, and bought sugar and flour by the 100 pound sacks. Mom made all kinds of preserves from fish, chicken, fruit, and vegetables. They bought a quarter section of land east of Beausejour where they would have a large garden of fruit and vegetables which they sold on the highway. Mom also helped with cutting firewood and chopping Christmas trees to sell in the city. Mom was famous for her homemade chokecherry wine. Mom loved to crotchet. She could crotchet without looking down and watched T.V. at the same time. She also knitted a lot. We still have the slippers she used to knit.
When Dad passed away in 1986 Mom had to sell the farm, and then she did some travelling on bus tours to the East Coast and her brother's ranch in Saskatchewan. Mom broke her hip in the winter of 2006 and stayed at Seven Oaks Hospital until a place was available at Poseidon Care Home where she stayed for over a year. In 2007 she moved into River Park Gardens Care Home. She helped in the kitchen for a few years making perogies and cabbage rolls. Mom was a fairly good writer and she would write letters to the Canadian Armed Forces overseas.
The family would like to thank River Park Gardens staff for their compassionate and professional care of Nettie and for our family over her long stay.
A private interment was held at Glen Eden Cemetery.

Family and friends may sign a Book of
Condolence at www.glenedenmemorial.ca

Glen Eden Funeral Home
204-338-7111

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 28, 2019