Nellie Bilokreli (Demkiw). The family of Nellie Bilokreli sadly announce her peaceful passing on Friday, April 14, 2017 in Saskatoon just shy of her 93rd birthday. Nellie was born on the family farm in Ethelbert, MB on April 24, 1924 to Paul and Mary Demkiw (Syrnyk). She enjoyed a happy childhood growing up in rural Saskatchewan and with her father employed by the C.P.R. as a section foreman, the family lived in several rural communities including Watson, Leroy, Denzil, Floral and Jansen. Nellie often shared the wonderful memories she had of growing up in Jansen and in later years enjoyed stopping in to drive through the town in which she grew up. In 1941 the family relocated to Theodore where Nellie completed her final year of high school. Immediately after completing high school she and her sister, Annie, left to attend Normal School in Regina. Because of the war, there was a teacher shortage and Nellie had only three weeks of training before she was sent out to teach at her first school. Nellie's first teaching position was in Aaron, a small community in northern Saskatchewan. Following that post, she taught at several single room schools which included Kozbar (near Benito), Waldron and Stoneyview as well as an underground school in the Kamsack area. However, a certain young man named Murray Bilokreli, whom she had met in her last year of high school, drew her back to Theodore. In 1951 Nellie and Murray were married and together began building their new life. Nellie put her teaching career on hold to start a family but resumed teaching in Theodore in 1956 and continued until her retirement in 1979. Nellie was a dedicated and conscientious teacher. She loved her job and always had interesting and active classrooms. Nellie was an enthusiastic traveller who, when her family was young, coordinated annual summer vacations across Canada and the United States. There was often an educational aspect to the holidays she planned with the family going to Custer's Last Stand, Barkerville - the home of the gold rush, the Plains of Abraham as well as the Maritimes where great explorers first landed. These family vacations eventually evolved and expanded to include the grandchildren and vacations to British Columbia, Disneyland in California, Disney World in Florida and Hawaii. Nellie also visited several countries abroad including England, France, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain and a trip with Murray to the Ukraine in 1991 to visit Bilokreli ancestors. Murray and Nellie also enjoyed trips to Las Vegas, where Nellie was usually quite successful playing the slots. Murray and Nellie had a wide circle of friends and very much enjoyed being in the company of others. They enjoyed playing canasta and troika games with the Polowicks, Sookochoffs, Derows, Hooges, Lysaks and the Leibrechts. When she was not entertaining or attending a social event, she spent her time gardening, knitting, crocheting and doing crossword and other word puzzles. She was an avid reader, a passion she passed on to her children, even going as far as ordering books from the Regina Library and having them sent to Theodore for Bryan and Charlene to read. She was a member of the Theodore United Church and taught Sunday school for many years. Nellie also volunteered as the secretary of the Whitesand Regional Park for a number of years. Nellie resided at the Parkridge Centre in Saskatoon for the past ten years where she received outstanding care and was treated with love, care, compassion, dignity,and respect. Always the teacher, Nellie would often correct the staff on their grammar. She enjoyed and took part in many activities in her new home such as the musical performances at Parkridge as well as the Christmas outings to the Festival of Trees and the Noon Hour Choir Festival. She especially enjoyed watching the school age children perform and of course never missed the excursions for ice cream. Nellie's birthdays, Mother's Day and Christmas always included family suppers. Nellie is survived by her son, Bryan (Donna) Bilokreli of Saskatoon and grandchildren, Melanie (Jason) Wagar of Saskatoon and Mandy (Jonny) Bast of Saskatoon; Charlene (George) Ferguson of Saskatoon and grandchildren, Braden Ferguson of Saskatoon, Erin Ferguson of Saskatoon, Jennifer (Jag) Dhanjal of Saskatoon and Brett (Jennifer) Ferguson of Saskatoon and seven great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Marge (Bruce) Mihalcea of Regina, brother-in-law, Jim Bilokreli and sisters-in-law, Edith and Dorcas Bilokreli. Nellie was predeceased by her husband, Murray, her parents, Paul and Mary Demkiw, her sister, Annie, her parents-in-law, Nickolas and Frances Bilokreli, brothers-in-law, John, Edward, Walter, Mike, Rudy and sisters-in-law, Helen and Eunice Bilokreli. Friends and family wishing to make a donation in Nellie's memory may do so to the Theodore United Church or the Alzheimer's Society. A Service to Celebrate the Life of Nellie Bilokreli was held on Wednesday, April 19, 2017 from Theodore United Church in Theodore, SK with Reverend Calin Lau officiating. The scriptures were read by Lorraine Lysak and Jason Wagar. Words of tribute were shared by Donna Bilokreli and grandchildren's memories were shared by Melanie Wagar and Mandy Bast. The organist, Carla Madsen and members of the Theodore United Church Choir led the congregation in the singing of the hymns, "Nearer My God to Thee" and "What a Friend We Have in Jesus". The Choir Anthem was "Just a Closer Walk With Thee". The Interment Service followed in the Theodore Village Cemetery with Braden Ferguson, Brett Ferguson, Jagdeep Dhanjal, Jason Wagar, Jonny Bast and Jim Bilokreli serving as the casket bearers. Friends so wishing may forward their condolences to the family by visiting www.christiesfuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Christie's Funeral Home & Crematorium, Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
