ELIZABETH CONSTANCE FEDUN (MALOFIE)

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ELIZABETH CONSTANCE FEDUN (nee MALOFIE) July 14, 1919 - October 18, 2005 It is with sadness and deep respect that we announce the passing of the much beloved Elizabeth (Betty) Fedun. She will be lovingly remembered by her sister Dorothy Pukesh, sister-in-law Mary Kowalyk (nee Fedun), daughters Alexandra (Richard) Hoffman, Constance (Edward) Boychuk, and sons, Stephen (fiance Rachel Laurin), Michael, Peter and partner Michel Forest, grandchildren, Melanie, Mark, Steven, Leslie, Amanda, Tracy, Rebecca, Michael, Stacey and Hudson, great-grandchildren, nieces Theresa Falconer and her daughter, Cathy (Jim) Smith and their children, nephew John (Jacqueline) Pukesh and their daughters. Elizabeth was predeceased by her husband Ilia (Alec) Fedun (1965), her daughters Margaret (1947) and Theresa (2005), her parents Alexander (1977) and Malania Malofie (nee Harmatiuk) (1991). Elizabeth, born and raised in Winnipeg, attended St. Nicholas School and was an active member of St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church where she met Alec Fedun through the youth group. Elizabeth and Alec married in 1941 and started a family. After the birth of Alexandra and Constance and while expecting a third child (Theresa), they bought a home on Magnus Ave. large enough for their growing family. In 1947, their fourth daughter, Margaret, passed away from pneumonia at nine months of age. Undaunted, Alec and Elizabeth's devotion to each other produced three sons and the family expanded to six children. Sadly, tragedy struck again in 1965 when Alec was taken from us after a lengthy battle with cancer leaving Elizabeth three boys aged 14, 11 and 7 to raise on her own. With her deep and abiding faith and the loving assistance of her parents, her mother-in-law, Katherine and her sister-in-law Mary, Elizabeth persevered and gave her sons the best that she could provide. In 1967, Elizabeth had to close Fedun's Hardware on Selkirk Ave., which Alec had owned and operated for 11 years and take a job filling orders at National Drugs Ltd. where she made close friends with many, if not all, of her co-workers. In 1982, Elizabeth and her mother moved to Vancouver where her sister Dorothy had been living since her marriage and where her youngest son Peter had moved to the year before. In 2004, Elizabeth began making extended stays in Winnipeg to be near her daughter Theresa who passed away in March of 2005. After losing a child for the second time in her life, 85 year old Elizabeth, who had been in remission with Lymphoma since 1990, decided that it was time to move back home so she could be close to her family once again. Sadly, the trauma of losing Theresa took it's toll on her already fragile health and her return into the loving fold of her family was far briefer than anyone expected. Elizabeth made the well-being of her children, 10 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren the central focus of her life. She possessed the uncanny ability to sense when something was wrong and would immediately call to offer emotional or financial help. She enjoyed family gatherings, never missed birthdays, holidays or anniversaries and kept all the traditions of her Ukrainian heritage alive in her family. She proudly celebrated everyone's accomplishments and shared their difficulties with unconditional love. She was a patient and attentive councillor and if there was anything she could do to help in any situation, it was done without question or judgement. Elizabeth was a great lover of the arts, a trait she passed on to her children, and she regularly attended Symphonies, Art Exhibitions of all kinds and Broadway musicals, but her favourite was Opera which she learned to appreciate in school. Elizabeth's love of the journey took her across the country regularly to visit her family in Winnipeg and Montreal where her son Peter is living. Given the opportunity, she would have travelled to the furthest corners of the world and treated the simplest trips as great adventures. There was little that would not draw the attention of her curiosity and she continued to increase her understanding of the world throughout her entire life. Elizabeth will be greatly missed by all who had the good fortune to know her and we take comfort in the knowledge that she has been reunited with Alec, Margaret, Theresa, Alexander and Malania. The family wishes to thank all the doctors and nursing staff of unit GD4 at the Health Sciences Centre for their kindness, care and compassion. Prayers will be held on Sunday, Oct. 23 at 7 p.m. at Korban Funeral Chapel, 907 Main Street, phone 956-2193. A funeral service will be held on Monday, Oct. 24 at 10 a.m. at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church, 737 Bannerman. In lieu of flowers, donations in Elizabeth's name may be made to CancerCare Manitoba, ON1160 - 675 McDermot Ave., Wpg., MB R3E 0V9.

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As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 22, 2005