ELIZABETH HARGOT

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ELIZABETH HARGOT It is with greatest sorrow we announce the passing of our mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Elizabeth Hargot on November 14, 2004. Elizabeth was born December 16, 1930 in Winnipeg to Nicholas and Katherine Koroll (Klym). She was predeceased by her father on September 28, 1969 and her mother on Mothers Day, May 9, 1982. One of Elizabeths greatest pleasures in life was listening to opera. At age 15 she fell in love with it after hearing Bizets Carmen. La Boheme later became her favourite but she also loved Madame Butterfly, Die Fledermaus, Tristine and Isolde, La Traviata and Tosca. She also enjoyed ballroom dancing and had a passion for Viennese Waltzes attending Canadas New Years Day Salute to Vienna Concert annually. Later, she instilled in her children, a love for the Great Caruso, Mario Lanza, Nelson Eddy and Jeannette MacDonald operettas (her favourite being Maytime) and others, such as The Merry Widow and The Mikado, and numerous Hollywood classics including Doctor Zhivago, Camelot, My Fair Lady, Brigadoon, and The King and I. She had an insatiable appetite for literature mainly of the mystery/espionage and the sci-fi/fantasy genres. Favourite authors included Ian Fleming, John LeCarre, Alistair MacLean, and Robert Lynn Asprin. Elizabeth also displayed a talent for sewing, knitting and needlepoint, which she passed on to her daughters. As a young woman, Elizabeth worked in Montreal as a keypunch operator and served as a Radar Technician with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Sometime after returning to Winnipeg, she met her future husband Edward James Hargot. Together they established a small company, Able Construction. Both were avid bridge players, and also enjoyed travelling and fishing. Tragically the marriage was short-lived with Edwards sudden passing July 5, 1964. Left to raise her three children, Elizabeth worked in a variety of occupations including keypunch operator, encyclopaedia salesperson and Winnipeg taxi driver. During this time, she took courses in the field of electronics at Red River College and became competent in fixing her own T.V. However, her childrens happiness always came first. At the height of their popularity, drive-ins were a favourite venue for her to share with her children. Laying down the back seat of the station wagon, she would lay out blankets and pillows for them so if they wished they could fall asleep. She also took on the non-traditional role of taking the children fishing and camping, teaching her son to drive and taking him to football games. As a family, they would travel several times to North and South Dakota for holidays. On one such trip, Elizabeth even invited her longtime babysitter, Christine, to accompany them on a trip to the Black Hills and the Reptile Gardens. Elizabeths last vacation away from home was with her youngest daughter to Disney World, Florida. However, Elizabeths dream had always been to visit Viennas world-renowned opera houses. Elizabeth also had no problem driving a carload of children to movies, picnics and organized events. Distance was never a concern and nothing was ever expected in return. Her home was always open to those in need of shelter and it was never a problem for her childrens friends to live with the family for months on end. During this period there was never any requirement for payment of rent or groceries. Elizabeth was a resourceful, resilient, caring and loving person who was never known to have uttered an unkind word about anyone (except perhaps CFL officials, but then who hasnt?). During the last few years, Elizabeth resided with her eldest daughter sharing special moments with grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She leaves to mourn her son James Nicholas Hargot and wife Darlene, her daughter Kimberley Elizabeth Hargot, and daughter Natalie Edwina Yurkowski and husband Peter. She also leaves to mourn her grandchildren, Courtney, Candace, Dawn and Robyn; and great-grandchildren, Kodie, Tristine, Trista, Ricardo and twins, Dante and Francesca. A private family service was held. In lieu of flowers and in remembrance of Elizabeth and her love of animals, donations may be made to the Winnipeg Humane Society. CROPO FUNERAL CHAPEL 586-8044

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 20, 2004