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HELEN MARIAN GULBRANDSEN
Date of Passing: Jul 30, 2011
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryHELEN MARIAN GULBRANDSEN Our dear, loving mother Helen Marian Gulbrandsen passed away on July 30, 2011. Helen was welcomed into this world as one of 12 children of Albina and Andrew Yakubowski of San Clara, Manitoba. The large family lived in a small farmhouse with no electricity or running water. These tough beginnings taught Helen to be a stronger person later in life and allowed her to appreciate modern conveniences. After leaving the farm, she remained close to family, living with a few of her sisters in her adult life. The sisters worked together at the Devon Café in Winnipeg. It was here she met a Norwegian, new to Canada, named Bjarne Gulbrandsen. Bjarne's English was limited, yet Helen - who was used to speaking Ukrainian at home - was comfortable with this language barrier and their relationship blossomed. They fell in love and knew they wanted their lives to be with each other. Together, they hitchhiked across Canada to Vancouver in the early 1950s - a time when they were both young and carefree. They returned to Winnipeg and their first two girls Mai and Cynthia arrived. They then moved to Norway and had two more children, Tove and Bjorn. With four children in tow, it was decided that Canada was where their heart was and they returned to Winnipeg. The 1960s and 1970s were spent raising their children with the combination of hard work and many vacations. They loved to travel and with their four children road trips were abundant. Helen also loved to spend time in her garden and her efforts in the kitchen included homemade breads, perogies, and preserves. In 1987, Helen and Bjarne suffered a tragic loss of their daughter Cynthia while she was traveling in India. Bjarne and Helen had just celebrated 50 years of marriage when Bjarne abruptly passed in 2005. Helen is survived by her three children, Mai (John), Tove, and Bjorn (Kate), and her grandchildren, Ayla, Thor, Halle, Daniel, Spencer, Athena, and great-grandchildren, Dakota and Logan. Helen is also survived by two sisters Jessie and Francis. Helen often spoke of her close friends and neighbours in Winnipeg that she missed after relocating to Vancouver. A celebration of life is planned in Vancouver, her home since 2005. Helen will be laid to rest beside her love, Bjarne, at Chapel Lawn Memorial Gardens, Winnipeg.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 06, 2011
Condolences & Memories (2 entries)
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My husband Andy and I bought a house on Vimy Road in St James, Assiniboa, Winnipeg. Our next door neighbours were Helen and Bjarni and their teenage children. They were our neighbours and close friends. I still remember Helen in the garden, I have so many memories of those years, approx. nine years. Andy was in the Air Force, in 1979 we got posted to Germany, to my delight. Being British I was back in Europe where my soul will always be. We moved again after that, back to Canada. Belleville -Montreal and then to Oakville when Andy retired. After 54 years of marriage Andy passed away at home on Christmas Morning 2019. Rachelle lives in Quebec, she has 3 daughters and 3 grandchildren. Andrea lives in Toronto and has two sons in their twenties, one a chef and one a lawyer. Oakville is close to Toronto. I remember when Helen and Bjorne came to visit us in Germany, also Tove it would be lovely to see one of you again, how quickly the years passed by. I have precious memories of your family, If you are ever in Toronto give us a call, I look just the same, haven’t aged a bit, ha ha Margaret. - Posted by: Margaret Marsan (Neighbour and dear friend in Winnipeg) on: Oct 29, 2024
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Friend of my mother and father in Winnipeg and Norway - Posted by: Sonja Uscinski Klarén, Norway (Friend of my mother and father in Winnipeg and Norway) on: Feb 09, 2013