Ksenia Kapelus

Ksenia Kapelus

Peacefully, with her family by her side, at the St. Claude Hospital on Thursday, September 6, 2007, Mrs. Ksenia Kapelus of St. Claude, Manitoba passed away at the age of 89 years.

After 70 years of marriage, she leaves to mourn her loving husband Josaphat (Joe) Kapelus, of St. Claude; one son Nestor (Terry) of Winnipeg; three daughters: Mary (Louis) Dubé of Spruce Grove, Alta, Adeline (Alex) Cox of Stephenfield and Lillian (Reg) Bernard of Winnipeg; 15 grandchildren: Linda (Paul) Champagne, Diane (Troy) Legault, Victor (Renée) Kapelus, Joanne Kapelus, Carol (Darcy) Harris, Ed Dubé, Keith (Suzanne) Dubé, Kevin Dubé, Tina (Kellan) Eckstein, Jeff Cox, Stan Cox, Lorne (Jodie) Cox, Daniel Bernard, Jacquie Bernard and Nikki Bernard; eight great-grandchildren: Kaitlin Harris, Courtney and Britney Champagne, Brooke and Carson Legault, Easton and Abby Kapelus and Rylie Cox. She also leaves one sister Zosia Hydamaha of the Ukraine, and numerous nieces and nephews, relatives and friends in Canada and Ukraine.

Ksenia was born in Budynin, Ukraine in the region of Sokal, on January 7th, 1918. She immigrated to Canada with her husband Josaphat in 1937 as a young bride only 2 short weeks after she was married.  Leaving her homeland of Ukraine was a very difficult and sad time.  Ksenia realized that she may never see her loving parents, four sisters and one brother again.  Ksenia embarked on a new journey, and endured the many hardships of early Canadian pioneers when she and Joe settled south of St. Claude where they made their homestead for the last 70 years.  Her early years in Canada were hard times, enduring harsh Canadian winters and heavy spring rains.  Much time was spent helping Josaphat clear acres of bush, mostly by axe and breaker plough.  Ksenia and Josaphat were determined to make the best of their new life in Canada and persevered by clearing more land.  Ksenia worked very hard on the farm everyday, while raising a family of 4 children at the same time. Over her many years on the farm, Ksenia's days were spent in the garden which she dearly loved, preserving fruits and vegetables, baking bread, maintaining the farm house, milking cows, and working in the field with Joe. Ksenia's evenings were spent writing letters to her loved ones in the Ukraine, in the earlier years by a lantern.  Ksenia's generous and caring nature was very evident when she assembled the many parcels of food and clothing that were shipped to her family in Ukraine throughout the years.  She cherished fond memories of her homeland and maintained strong family connections with her siblings in Ukraine and with her own children.  She was the best example of a caring, compassionate and giving person.  Her love for her family was demonstrated on a daily basis and she lived for her children, and by her example, showed them the importance of loving others.

Ksenia was an excellent cook and always had the many Ukrainian favorites ready for guests and family at a moment's notice.  She loved to make holubsti, perogies, borscht, and often completed the meal with a home baked pie. In latter years, when her family was grown, she spent her leisure time doing needlepoint and made sure there was a piece of her handcrafted work left to each of her children and grandchildren.  Ksenia enjoyed many social outings that she shared with friends and neighbours during her retirement years.  She was a very kind and gentle person who loved to be with other people and was happy to have so many good friends and neigbours.

Ksenia left her homeland 70 years ago, never to return, and felt proud and fortunate to be a Canadian.  In the last few years when her health began to decline, Ksenia often looked back and reflected on her life, she would be filled with mixed emotions, some were sad and many were happy. She has left a tremendous legacy to her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  She lived a long, fulfilling life and she will be always be remembered as a devoted wife, loving mother, wonderful Baba, and much more.

Prayers and visitation will be held at Adam’s Funeral Home on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 at 8 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated in the St. Claude Catholic Church on Wednesday, September 12, 2007 at 2 p.m. with Father Michael Tkachyk and Deacon Michael Strilec officiating. Interment to follow in the St. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Cemetery.

The family would like to thank the doctors and staff of the St. Claude Health Centre for their kind and compassionate care Mom has received over the past year. Also special thanks to the Home Care Workers for their care and compassion that was provided while she was at home on the farm. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the St. Claude Health Centre, St. Claude, Mb.

Adam’s Funeral Home of Notre Dame, Manitoba in care of arrangements. Phone 248-2201 or 1-888-400-2326.

Vichna Pamyat