JEAN SIRTONSKI (LESHYSON),

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JEAN SIRTONSKI (nee LESHYSON), peacefully at the age of 88 years on March 10, 2005 at the Lake of the Woods District Hospital in Kenora, ON. Jean was born October 2, 1916 in Teulon, MB. She is survived by her sister Lena Gendre, step-sons, Micheal Sirtonski and Garry Stewart, as well as her nephew Paul Anderson. Jean was predeceased by her husband Stan, sister Nettie Anderson, nephew Allan Anderson and brother-in-law Ed Gendre. Jean was very independent person with a good heart and a terrific sense of humour. She loved to collect and tell jokes. She also loved people, travel, driving faster than the posted speed limit, fishing, hunting game birds, music (especially Daniel O'Donnell), dancing and bowling. She continued to bowl right into her 88th year and won many trophies. Jean was also a great fan of both the Toronto Blue Jays and the Maple Leafs and a faithful member of the Royal Canadian Legion. A shy child, Jean mustered her courage and left the family home in Teulon for big city life in Toronto. Long before Women's Lib, Jean bought her own car and drove the 1500 miles all by herself. She loved to tell how she headed the Mercury South to Minnesota and turned East only to discover, as she drove into the sunset, that she was going the wrong way. (She also enjoyed recounting all the speeding tickets she had fought and the few she had beaten). Arriving in Toronto, Jean found work in one of the largest restaurants in Canada: the Royal York Hotel. She soon overcame her shyness and came to love the meeting of people that went with the waitressing profession. Moving back to Manitoba, Jean opened a restaurant with her sister Nettie in the town of Morris. Later, Jean and her husband, Stan expanded the business to include a gas station and relocated it three miles north of Morris as the Valley Drive-In Truck Stop (at the time the only 24 hour restaurant/service station in Manitoba). After selling their business, Stan and Jean moved to Kenora, ON where Jean worked as a waitress in the Holiday Inn and then at the famous Greek restaurant, Dino's where she became very close to the Papaionou family and their staff. Her husband Stan died in 1997 and Jean lived out a quiet, full life with her many close friends and relatives. Remaining vital and independent until the end, she often drove her bright red neon to Winnipeg to visit her beloved sister Lena. Heartfelt thanks to the staff at Lake of the Woods District Hospital for their compassion and care. A memorial service will be held at the Brown Funeral Home Cremation Centre on March 20 at 1:00 p.m with Rev Robert Wittmeier officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Canadian Cancer Society.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Mar 14, 2005