Obituary of Leona Mary TRACH

TRACH, Leona In Remembrance It is with profound love and joy for the life of Leona Trach, wife, mom, grandma, great-grandma, sister, aunt, friend, boss, and mentor, that we mourn her passing. She was born Leona Mary Kuziw on November 30, 1938 in Elk Point, Alberta, and passed away from cancer with loved ones at her side on November 14, 2013 at Strathmore Hospital at the age of 74 years. Leona was the eldest of three children born to Morris and Agnes Kuziw, along with her brother Bob, and her sister Theresa (Versluys). Her father, Morris, ran a John Deere Dealership in Heinsburg, Alberta, and her mother, Agnes, taught school at Frog Lake Reservation. They later homesteaded on a farm where Leona’s grandparents lived, five miles southwest of Heinsburg. In addition to attending Ellsworth School one mile away, and getting into mischief with her brother, Leona became the farm cook at twelve years of age, during her mom’s brief illness. She continued to hone this skill her whole life… with delicious results. In fact, Leona met her husband Peter when Morris’s truck got stuck on the roadside. Leona showed her appreciation with homemade cookies, which Peter thoroughly enjoyed; enough to marry her in 1957. What a Blessing it was to celebrate their 56th Anniversary this year. Time was kind to Peter and Leona with steady work for each of them at Canadian Pacific Railway, where Leona was a boxcar cook. Their love also brought four children: Shannon Lee in 1957, Linda Marie in 1960, Keith Anthony in 1963, and Tammy Lynn in 1966. Peter and Leona operated and owned hotels in Champion, Beiseker, Standard, Milk River, and Medicine Hat. Leona had impeccable taste, especially when it came to fashion or her family and friends. She shared her well-timed sense of humour, liked things neat and tidy, and always welcomed company with a beverage or a meal. It seemed only natural that the cooking channel was her first priority, next to Heartland, and books by Danielle Steele. Family dinners and community or street dances, snowmobile rallies, crochet, swimming, and card games of Rummoli, Canasta, and especially Bridge tested her superb wit. Peter and Leona traveled extensively; within the U.S.A. and North America to Arizona and Mexico; managing to lose her glasses the first time in Hawaii, and hoping to find them there on each of ten subsequent visits. They also cruised the Caribbean from St. Thomas, to St. Martinique, to Aruba, and finally the Panama Canal; in addition to Cuba, Jamaica, the Bahamas, and Dominican Republic twice. Leona also discovered her family’s homeland of Ukraine in Europe. Still, she always loved the summers spent yearly in Fairmont, or trips to visit family in Alberta’s North. Success continued into Leona and Peter’s retirement, with abundant friendships in and around the Kelowna and Strathmore areas as well as most points in between the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. The dignity, care and kindness that Leona received from the phenomenal staff at the Strathmore Hospital Palliative Care Unit is life’s greatest gift. Leona has woven pink and yellow ribbons of Hope and Dignity into the lives of those she leaves behind: her husband Peter; her four children Shannon (Doug) Savard, Linda Jensen, Keith Trach, Tammy Abernethy; nine grandchildren Jeremy (Elyse) Jensen, Lindsay (Kyle) Anderson, Alissa Jensen, Kristen Jensen, Chelsey (Travis) Chevrier, Lyndon Trach, Justin (Brittany) Abernethy, Kyle Trach, and Garrett Jensen; seven great-grandchildren Jayden Jensen, Nicholas Jensen, Carter Jensen, Porter Anderson, Kinley Jensen, Alexis Jensen, and Bowie Anderson; numerous nieces and nephews, extended family, and a host of friends. Leona’s funeral service will take place on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at Hope Community Church (245 Brent Blvd., Strathmore, AB) at 3:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers donations can be made directly to Strathmore District Health Services Palliative Care Unit (200 Brent Blvd Strathmore, AB T1P 1J9). Send Condolences