Ollie Kopec, late of Weyburn, passed away May 28, 2014, at the age of 83 years. Ollie was predeceased by her parents: Michael and Barbara Baranowski; husband Val Kopec; son Cliff Kopec; as well as six brothers and two sisters. Ollie is survived by her daughter Barbara Kopec (Ron McLeod), Weyburn; grandsons: Anthony (Bryn) Kopec, Weyburn, and their children [Dayton and Grayson], Nathan Kopec, Weyburn; three sisters: Stella (Bob) Zadworny, Saskatoon, Maryann Barlow, Vancouver, BC, Sylvia (Eugene) Lozinsky, Saskatoon; as well as numerous nieces and nephews. As we held Mom's hands in love and prayer during the last hours of her life, I looked, really looked, at her hands and thought "if these hands could talk..." Little Olga's hands were born on the homestead farm NW of Krydor, SK to Michael and Barbara Baranowsky. She was the eleventh of 12 children. Growing up, Mom's hands played guitar and mandolin. She and younger sister Sylvia won second at an amateur talent hour. Mom loved school - her hands took grade 9 and 10 by correspondence and at 16 she moved to Prince Albert to complete grade 11 and 12. Mom's hands learned typing and shorthand at a business college in Prince Albert. Mom moved to Regina and her hands worked in an office at the downtown Simpson Sears store. Mom relocated to Weyburn. She completed a dental assistant course and her hands worked with Dr. Roston. When a dental program was started in public schools, she travelled with a dentist to schools in Weyburn area providing student check-ups. Mom's hands got an office job at the Weyburn Health Region. It was during this time Ollie met Val at a church dance. Their hands were joined in marriage February 20, 1954. A year later they moved to the farm one mile north of Cedoux. Mom's hands held her babies Barbara and Clifford. Mom's hands belonged to the Cedoux Ladies Altar Society. One summer in the late 60s Mom's hands cooked three meals a day for a crew of about 25 men who were building Highway 35. Mom loved the farm. Her hands helped Dad to harvest, raised chickens and geese, weeded gardens and milked cows. Her hands made jams, baked buns, made thousands of pyrohy, and cooked many meals for family and friends. Mom worked as a waitress at the El Rancho and then the newly built Weyburn Inn. She loved this job. Mom's hands served many people, she enjoyed the people she met and made their dining out the best evening it could be. Mom's hands welcomed grandsons Anthony and Nathan. In 1985, Mom's hands held her tear-filled tissues as she suffered the loss of Cliff. After this tragedy, Anthony and Nathan gave my parents a purpose in life. During the boys' school lives, grandma Ollie's hands tied skates, clapped for them at all their sports events, shopped for them and hugged them all the time. When Grandpa Val taught the boys to drive at a very early age, Grandma Ollie's hands held on to the dash when they took her out for a moonlight drive. Mom's hands opened the door to her home to many people. Mom and Dad loved people and could make friends with people of all ages. Barbara's dates quite often would end up spending the evening watching hockey with Cliff and visiting with Val and Ollie. Even her grandsons loved to bring their friends to the farm. Mom and Dad retired from farming in 1994. Mom's hands wholeheartedly tended to her farmyard - the garden got a little smaller - she planted more flowers, cut more grass and cleaned more trees. Ollie held out her hands and welcomed son-in-law Ron McLeod to our family in 1997. When Anthony decided to marry, Grandma's hands embraced Bryn to our family in 2005. Mom's hands lovingly held great granddaughter Dayton in 2006. Dayton called her Baba. Ollie's hands folded in prayer and got a little weaker when she had to say goodbye to Val in June 2008. Great-grandson Grayson first felt the love of Baba's hands in November 2008. Mom's hands loved shopping, fashion, home decorating and crocheting...all done with love and perfection. My fondest memory is Mom's hands inside of Dad's hands as they danced together in our kitchen or at a hall somewhere. Once again Mom and Dad are together dancing. Ollie's hands are once again embracing all those who have gone before her. A special thank you to Dr. Phillip Fong, the nurses and caregivers of House 7 of Tatagwa View for the kind and wonderful care given to Mom over the past two and a half years. Prayers for Ollie were held on Sunday, June 1, at 7:00 p.m. from St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church, Weyburn. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on Monday, June 2, at 10:30 a.m. from St. Vincent de Paul Roman Catholic Church, with Father Gerry Bauche, celebrant. Interment followed at Cedoux Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers were all in attendance. For family and friends so wishing, donations in memory of Ollie may be made to Tatagwa View, Box 2003, 808 Souris Valley Road, Weyburn, SK, S4H 2Z9. Arrangements were entrusted to RD Family Funeral Chapel & Crematorium, Weyburn, (848-0333, 1-888-848-0333). Expressions of sympathy to the family may be sent to our website at www.rdfamilymemorialchapel.com. "Our family serving your family"
