LYNA YAKIMISCHAK

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LYNA YAKIMISCHAK It is with profound sadness that the family of Lyna Yakimischak must at this time announce her passing. Lyna was born to William and Anastasia Kuzyk and was the middle child of a very large family in the Grifton district, northeast of Grandview Manitoba in the province's Parkland region. It was here during her formative years where she learned many of life's lessons tempered with a Christian ethic that sustained her until the end. Though she was very much a product of her environment, she was inspired to travel and discover after having seen for the very first time at the age of nine, the town of Grandview and its electrically lit store-front windows. Back at the homestead where there was no car, nor in-door plumbing, nor telephone, nor electricity, one can only muse and smile over what must have been a vision of sheer delight and wonderment for an impressionable child. Upon graduating from Yorkton Saskatchewan's Sacred Heart Academy, Lyna made it her mission to get to know the people and places of her home province by becoming a school teacher and travelling from town to town while boarding with the families of the area in which she taught. After having left Oakburn and Gross Isle she moved to Vita where she met the family of her husband-to-be, Paul. He too had an adventurous spirit and together they lived and worked in such diverse places as Hay River, NWT and Riverton, Manitoba, finally settling in Winnipeg after a short time in Grand Rapids, Manitoba. Although her address changed many times, her resolve never wavered. She always seemed to finish whatever she started, never for fame of fortune but merely because she believed she could make a positive difference to whichever endeavour she was committed. Over the years, she met and had dealings with many people and often reminded me that the world was essentially good, as evidenced by examples from her experiences with wonderful people. Even on those rare occasions when someone was giving her grief, she wouldn't reveal their name or divulge details as to the nature of the problem. She bore no malice and was quick to forgive. She had an inexhaustible energy for work and council but little for chat and gossip. And although her generosity was laudable, her successes numerous and worthy of mention, that which best defined my sincere and patient mother was her loving example of how to live each day through simple acts of kindness and purpose. Lyna is survived by her sisters Mary and Nellie as well as her son Greg. She was laid to rest --- something she rarely did and probably should have been buried upright --- on November 24, 2009 at All Saints Cemetery near Winnipeg. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 2 Timothy 4, 7:

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 12, 2009