CHERYL LYNN HAUGHTON (KUZMINSKI)

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CHERYL LYNN HAUGHTON
(KUZMINSKI)
June 5, 1976 – May 11, 2022

It is with great sadness and broken hearts, we announce that Cheryl Lynn Haughton (Kuzminski) peacefully passed away on May 11, 2022, while surrounded by her family and loved ones.
Forever missing her beautiful smile, laughter and love is her husband Tom, and children, Sophie (12), Mikayla (Kaylee) (10) and Thomas (9). Cheryl loved to make memories and created an incredible amount of them in her short 45 years on this earth and our children will continue to cherish them for their entire lives.
Cheryl leaves behind her loving mom Sharon Kuzminski and her brother Jason (Nicole), nephew Rylan and niece Thea and her grandma Sophie Ruptash. Cheryl was so loved and will be missed by Cheryl's mother-in-law Elizebeth, sister-in-law Maryanne (Kris) Thorkelson, nieces, Elly, Johanna, Lily and Katrina, sister-in-law Correna (Steve) Peck, nephew Jordan and nieces, Sidney and Madison and sister-in-law Sue (Colin) Angus and nephews, William, Alexander, and Sam.
Cheryl will always hold a place in the hearts of her aunts and uncles, Linda (Wayne) Jasper, Nadine Ruptash (Bob), Johnny (Doreen) Kuzminski, Verna Wojcik and Denise Kuzminski.
Missing Cheryl are her cousins, Leanna (Randy) and their children, Avia and Katelyn, Michael (Leslie) and their son Carter, Jamie (Chris) and their children, Aliyah, Lauren and Isla, Justin (Marlee and baby to be), Kyle, Alicia, Peter, Paul, Blair, and Cody.
Welcoming Cheryl into Heaven with open arms are her father Jim, father-in-law Tom (Opa), grandpa Tony, uncle Bradley, uncle Lloyd, grandpa John, Elsie, and Jean.
Cheryl was born in Selkirk, Manitoba and spent her younger years there. She was a fighter from an early age of four months, having survived an aggressive childhood cancer. She was a strong child who was not afraid of doctors, nurses, or needles. She loved going to Children's CancerCare to play with the toys and create beautiful crafts in the play area.
As Cheryl began school, she was involved with Brownies and Girl Guides, earning badges, selling cookies, and going on camping trips. In Junior High School, Cheryl joined the Selkirk Youth Pride Group. There she made so many lifelong friendships as they spent a lot of time together at meetings and attended conferences to encourage and educate youth to have fun...drug free!
Cheryl loved her part time job at A&W. Even though she always smelled like an onion when she came home from work, she always said she made the best onion rings. Dressing up as the A&W Root Bear for the Selkirk Parades was the highlight of her job. Cheryl loved volunteering at Lower Fort Gary where she worked in the bake house making bread and enjoyed dressing up in the period costumes. She loved meeting visitors from all over the country. And so began her love of history, antiques, and family treasures. Cheryl also made time each September to do the Terry Fox run with her family and would wear the red shirt with pride.
After completing Grade 12 at the Lord Selkirk High School, Cheryl continued her education at the University of Winnipeg, Robertson College to become a Dental Assistant and finally at the University of Manitoba and graduated in the Dental Hygiene Program. Cheryl was voted the Senior Stick to represent her whole class and continued to make amazing friends through school.
Once Cheryl finished school, she went to work as a dental assistant in Brandon, Manitoba. While living there, she met Tom Haughton in 1998 and her life would never be the same. Together they have lived life to the fullest, laughing along the way and dancing up a storm wherever they went.
After Brandon, Cheryl enjoyed working at a variety of dental offices in Winnipeg and even worked at a dental office in Barbados. This was shortly after getting married to Tom in 2006. Barbados was a special place for Cheryl because she made an amazing amount of Barbadian and international friends, joined the Barbados Hash House Harriers running group, and enjoyed everything the island had to offer. It was truly an island paradise!
Upon returning home six years later, she continued to travel every chance she had, and we went on many adventures with her family making amazing memories every time. Cheryl loved travelling by car, by airplane, by cruise ship or in our motorhome.
Cheryl also loved travelling to our cottage in Gimli, Manitoba. Its only a short 45-minute drive but has amazing beaches to relax on, wonderful friends and neighbours to visit with and so many shops and restaurants to enjoy. She enjoyed sitting back listening to the birds, going for walks, kayaking on the lake or hanging on the beach with Tom and her kids. It truly was her local tropical paradise!
Cheryl was actively involved in the St. Theresa's Parish in West St. Paul where she became friends with two amazing priests and so many other wonderful parish friends. Cheryl taught grade 2 catechism for six years and her students loved her style and fun experiments. Cheryl also was a proud member of the Catholic Women's League.
Cheryl also loved running her own businesses. She enjoyed selling Mary Kay for a couple of years and then sold Stella and Dot. Then Cheryl set out to establish Lake Escape Cottage rentals based in Gimli. Her goal was to give renters a small taste of our amazing lake life and treating them as a 5-star guest. She received so many amazing reviews of her service and had even more repeat renters each year.
Cheryl loved making new friends and reconnecting with old ones. Because of her daughter Sophie, she met five new mom friends in 2015 and continued to enjoy their friendship since. These mom friends later earned the name "Moms Gone Wild" where they would get together, enjoy a nice meal, and laugh about life. These friends especially helped carry Cheryl over her two-year battle with cancer and they continue to show their support to her family. Cheryl was also blessed with so many other friends through our kids' schools, through our church and where our kids Ukrainian dance and do gymnastics.
We especially want to thank Father David, Father Michael, Father John all from Winnipeg and Father Ralph from Houston for your love, prayers, and guidance over this trying journey. Many special thanks also to Dr. Blaes from Minneapolis, Dr. Majd from Houston and all the other doctors, nurses and support staff that assisted with Cheryl's care. Dr. Derrek, Nurse Practitioner Cynthia, Nurse Naomi, Nurse Jean, and Nurse Nicole: Words cannot express how grateful we are for your love, compassion, and care. Also special thanks to all the Home Care staff who made Cheryl's final month at our home a comfortable and heart-warming experience. We are forever so grateful. We also appreciate support of the Never Alone Cancer Foundation.
Also, a huge thanks to all my Prayer Posse's located across Canada and the USA and our "Texan Family" who always gave us incredible love and support. Your prayers carried us through this trying journey. God Bless you all!
Finally, the greatest thank you to my amazing sisters, Maryanne, Correna, Sue, and ALL of their families for their incredible and unending support including driving to Texas with us and visiting multiple times while there. Thank you, Elly, Jess, Katrina and Sam, for this special time in Texas. Also, thanks to Andrew, Jodi, Max, Leo and Adi for the adventures in Houston with us! A huge thank you to Sharon for all of her love and support over the years but especially the past three months while living with us and to Jason for taking care of moms home. Also a huge thank you to my mom Liz for her powerful and unending prayers. We are so blessed and thankful! THANK YOU EVERYONE!
Here are a few messages from our beautiful children:
Dear Mom, my greatest memory is when you would always go water sliding or skiing with us while away on our vacations. We would always laugh so hard. You taught me how to brush my teeth well, to do a teddy bear stand and to always be nice. I love you Mom and I will forever remember and miss you. Love Sophie xoxoxo
Dear Mommy, you are the strongest woman ever! Do not worry, you are still the best cook because Dad burns everything. I miss your perogies and your hugs. I will always remember your GFG saying (Go for it Girl). We are sad but we know you are running and dancing in heaven. Love You, Mikayla xoxoxo
Dear Mommy, thanks for teaching me all the tricks and always making me laugh about your funny stories. Like the time you sent me off to make licorice muffins and I said it sounded yucky. My greatest memory is when you would cuddle with me because it would make me feel amazing. I love you Mommy and God Bless you. Love Thomas xoxoxo
We are heartbroken to have lost the shining light that was always there for us. We are comforted knowing that Cheryl's legacy of her beauty and kindness will continue to glow through all the lives that she touched.
Cheryl, you will never be forgotten, and I will love you forever my beautiful and amazing wife! My heart will forever be broken until we meet again. God Bless you always! Love Tom and Ranger xoxoxo
In lieu of flowers, Cheryl would love for you to donate to the St. Theresa's Church Building fund because this church was her home away from home. You can also choose to donate to Cancer or Diabetes Society. Thank you and God Bless!
Prayers will be held on Thursday, May 26, 2022 at 7:00 p.m. in the St. Theresa's Roman Catholic Church in Middlechurch, Manitoba. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Friday, May 27, 2022 at 3:00 p.m. also in the Church, Mass will be livestreamed via her obituary at www.gilbartfuneralhome.com. Interment will follow in the Holy Family Cemetery. The celebration will continue following the interment at the family home.

Condolences may be left on her tribute wall at www.gilbartfuneralhome.com.
Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 21, 2022