JOSEPHINE SIMONE LOUISE ORZECHOWSKI

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SIMONE ORZECHOWSKI

March 1, 1947 - August 19, 2023

With heavy hearts, we announce the death of Simone Orzechowski (nee Guertin) after a prolonged illness of heart failure. She died on August 19, 2023, at the Grace General Hospital after being admitted on August 1, 2023.
Simone was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba on March 1, 1947. She was the eldest of five children born to Marie Louise (Cote) and Antoine (Tony) Guertin.
She is survived by her siblings, Tony (Marjorie), Phil (Lori), Charlie (Deborah) and Michelle Hekle (Wayne).
Simone married her best friend Jim Orzechowski on September 2, 1967, and was happily married until his death on November 12, 2003. Soon after their marriage, they started their family and had three children Demion, Kristina and Lasha.
Jim and Simone’s son Demion died in 1998. While she missed her husband and son immeasurably, she remained strong and optimistic and continued to look forward.
Simone had incredible work ethic and was not afraid to try new things. When her children were young, she returned to the workforce as an account representative for Lakeview Properties. In 1983, she obtained her Canadian Securities License and began a 24-year career as a stockbroker/investment advisor. It was a demanding and then male-dominated industry. However, she loved the challenge, excelled at her job, and made many life-long friends with colleagues and clients.
She believed in giving back to her community and was driven by a desire to make a difference. She was a generous donor and volunteer member on several local boards and an active fundraiser for various initiatives and organizations that were important to her.
After retiring, she spent several years travelling with family and dear friends. Her travels took her to India, New Zealand, Hawaii, Egypt, Mexico, Bermuda, France, Italy, Spain, England, Florida, and across Canada. She collected mementos along the way to share with her family.
She was a talented and creative woman. She was an incredible cook, raised a large menagerie of loved pets, tended huge vegetable and ornamental gardens, planted trees, collected art, made pottery, sewed, knitted, and wrote heartfelt notes. She made every place she spent time in more beautiful than it was before she was there. She and Jim built a spectacular home and property together that was the heart and soul of our family gatherings.
She had style, courage, faith, a quick wit, and immense curiosity. She was exceptionally kind, trustworthy, thoughtful, fair, open-minded, worldly, well-read, and was the most gracious host. She always told us to work to live, accumulate experiences, forgive and forget, laugh often, ask questions, and keep learning. She was a wise woman.
She was generous in every way. She was the first person to reach out in hard times. She happily hosted loved ones when they needed her. She had the biggest heart.
Above all, she was a mother who worked hard to build a beautiful home for her children. She gave them a good education and many wonderful life experiences full of adventure, camping, hiking, skiing, sailing, and world-travelling together.
She adored and was so proud of her four grandchildren - Joanna, Adrian, Kya, and Maden, who were the absolute joys of her life. She looked forward to talking to them about their activities, she was proud of them and enjoyed watching them grow.
She was an inspiration. Life wasn’t always easy, but she looked for the good and positive in everything. She taught us that we can rely on ourselves but should always seek good company from family and friends.
Her daughters Kristina and Lasha, sons-in-law Jeff Braun and Ken Zorniak, and grandchildren, Joanna, Adrian, Kya, and Maden will miss her immensely, but are privileged to have had her as our Mom and Grams. We love you.
Pallbearers are Jeff Braun, Ken Zorniak, Adrian Braun, Maden Zorniak, Tony Guertin, Phil Guertin, Charlie Guertin and Michelle Hekle.
In lieu of flowers, please plant a tree in memory of Simone and her love of nature.
A service and burial for her family will be held on September 2, 2023.

For those who wish to sign the online Guest Book please visit www.chapellawn.ca

Chapel Lawn Funeral Home
204-885-9715

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 26, 2023