ANASTASIA (NELLIE) KOROL

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ANASTASIA (NELLIE) KOROL On August 2, 2008, at Misericordia Place, Nellie Korol, 97 years, passed away peacefully. She was predeceased by her husband, John Ambrose Korol, in 1988. She will be sadly missed by her daughter Katherine and her husband John Selwood; by grandsons, James Ross McLennan and Paul Robert McLennan, and by their father, Ross McLennan. Nellie was born in Winnipeg on March 1, 1911, of parents, Giorgi and Daria Zaparaniuk. She was the youngest of five children. She grew up on Barber Street in Winnipeg's Point Douglas district and attended Norquay School. She was a member of St. Michael's Ukrainian Orthodox Church on Disraeli Street, where she sang in the church choir for many years. It was there that she first learned the Russian language, as the music liturgy was in Russian. Music was a very important part of her life, and, in later years, she passed on her love of music to her daughter and grandsons. Nellie left school after completing grade eight, as, at fifteen, she was expected to find work and contribute to the family income. Her first job was as a receptionist for Dr. Dyma, where her knowledge of the Ukrainian language was needed for the Ukrainian clientele. During her two and a half years there, she attended night school at Success Business College and qualified as a stenographer. In 1929, Nellie took a job with the Winnipeg Church Goods Company where she was in charge of Ukrainian and Russian correspondence. She very much enjoyed the accounting part of the job and her skill in that area became evident. In 1933, Nellie and John were married by Rev. Mutchmore in John's home on Henderson Highway, at that time, very much a house in the country. Soon after, Nellie joined the Federation of Russian Canadians where she acted in plays, sang in the choir and played guitar in the orchestra. During her sixty odd years as a member of the FRC, she participated in all cultural activities, served on the Executive Council as secretary and treasurer and, during the 1980s, was instrumental in creating the Seniors' Association. When Nellie's only child, Katherine, was born in 1945, Nellie became a devoted and expert mother, ensuring that her daughter was nurtured well in all ways. She was equally caring of her two grandsons, James (1972) and Paul (1973). They have been her pride and joy over the past thirty-six years. In 1950, Nellie and John moved to the Wolseley area where they spent their remaining years together. However, they took many trips, to both eastern and western Canada, and to the USSR. From 1972 to 1983, Nellie worked part time for a legal firm. She translated documents pertaining to estate settlements involving USSR and Canadian clients. Again, her knowledge of Ukrainian and Russian and her understanding of money matters were valuable skills. However, her greatest assets were her warmth and her ability to communicate. She had a wonderful way with people. Nellie left her home and friends on Wolseley Avenue in 1995 and spent five years in her own seniors' apartment in Kiwanis Chateau. She was well liked there and made new friends easily. Nellie was an extremely resourceful person. As a homemaker, she kept a magnificent garden, canned each year's supply of vegetables, baked bread, made superb borscht, sewed her own and her daughter's clothes, maintained a spotless home and kept meticulous household accounts. A woman with a strong social conscience, Nellie maintained an awareness of the political and social climate of the times. She followed events of the world and nation with great interest and had well-considered opinions on government policies and action. She supported all endeavours to fight social injustice. Although she, herself, suffered many illnesses during her life, Nellie was a wonderful caregiver. She had wanted to be a nurse, had she had the opportunity, and her nursing skills were obvious. She looked after many family members and friends when they were ill, giving so much of her time and energy. She was especially attentive and helpful to the elderly. Nellie was known for her extremely generous nature. She loved to give more than to receive and enjoyed surprising family, neighbours and friends with thoughtful, creative gifts. She was generous with her time and always there for those in need of emotional support. Her memory will be dearly cherished by all who knew her. The family wishes to thank the staff at Misericordia Place Personal Care Home for their kindness to Nellie during her last six years. She was both comfortable and content under their expert care. A memorial service will be held at Thomson Funeral Home on Thursday, August 7 at 2:00 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Osteoporosis Canada, 4-353 Provencher Blvd., Winnipeg, MB, R2H 0G8 or to a charity of your choice. THOMSON FUNERAL HOME 669 BROADWAY, WINNIPEG, MB R3C 0X4 783-7211 Send expressions of sympathy at www.mem.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 05, 2008