JEAN EDNA GALKA

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JEAN EDNA GALKA
1934 - 2019

Jean was born on August 9, 1934, the only child of Edna and John Hudson, at Swift Current, Saskatchewan and was raised nearby on the family farm. After her education at Elmwood School and Central High School in Swift Current, Jean began work with the Government of Saskatchewan in the Ministry of Education where she worked with film distribution. A few years later she met Walter (Wally) Galka, who had recently started a career as an air traffic controller. Jean and Wally married, settled in Regina, and soon started to raise a family. The boys, Brian and Mark, were born 15 months apart and kept young Jean very busy at home while their father was at work. In 1966 the young family moved to Winnipeg. They settled in the new suburb of Westwood, where the boys started school. In 1970, the family moved back to Regina and would remain there for the next 13 years. In 1972, we acquired a new family member, by the name of Max; a beautiful basset hound pup who would be an integral part of the family for the next 12 years. During the summer months through the 1970s, the family would head out on road trips across North America. An exciting change for Jean occurred in 1974, when she landed a retail job selling jewellery at Simpson's Department Store. While in Regina, she became good friends with her neighbours and kept in contact with the neighbourhood wives for many years after she and Wally moved back to Winnipeg in 1983. In the 1980s, Jean once again worked in jewellery sales; this time at Appelt Jewellers at St. Vital Shopping Centre. Once their sons were established in careers, Jean and Wally would drive to visit Mark in Scarborough each fall, and make the occasional trip out to Saskatoon to visit Brian. Together they covered much of central and western North America by car.
Jean was predeceased by her parents, Edna and John, and Walter, her husband of 54 years. She will be lovingly remembered by her sons, Mark and Brian, friends at Riverwood Square, the congregation and pastors at Fort Garry Mennonite Brethren Church, friends, Kathy and Grant Price, Anna and Pat Mann, and Shirley Bryksaw.
Special thanks to the staff of floor 3 East at Poseidon Long Term Care for their attention to Jean, and to the caregivers from church who provided 24 hour care for Jean during her final days.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 06, 2019