Mary Derkatch (nee Maria Hrycak). September 7, 1924 to April 4, 2014. Mary was born at home on the family farm near Oakburn, MB, the third youngest of fourteen children born to Oleksa and Maria Hrycak. Mary attended school in Oakburn, completing grades 1 - 12 as an above average student. After graduating from high school, Mary began her teaching career. Because there was a shortage of teachers during WW ll, Mary took a 6-week teacher training program and at age seventeen taught grades 1 - 8 at her very first school in Culross, MB. After this Mary completed a year of Normal School in Winnipeg, MB and later took university classes through correspondence and summer school. During the summer of 1945, Mary met her future husband, Mike Derkatch, in Mikado, SK while she was helping out her sister, Margaret, who owned the local hotel. Mary and Mike were married on October 27, 1945. They resided in Mikado where they owned a grocery store. They had three children: Myra, Jim, and Gaylene. Unfortunately, Gaylene was killed in a car accident in 1974. Once her children were older, Mary resumed her teaching career first with the Canora School Unit, then the Yorkdale School Unit, and finally the Kamsack School Unit. She retired from teaching in 1983. Mary was a devoted and caring primary teacher and she always claimed that there wasn't a child that she could not teach how to read. Mary felt really special when her former students remembered her, stopped to chat and gave her a hug. 1958 was a year of change for Mary and Mike. Their daughter, Gaylene, was born, they built a cottage at Madge Lake, and they moved from Mikado to Yorkton. In 1969, they moved to Kamsack and opened Mike's Dari-Dip. After retirement in 1983, Mary and Mike moved back to Yorkton where they were active in community and church affairs. Always the organizer, Mary was instrumental in planning family reunions and compiling family history books for both the Hrycak and Derkatch families Mary travelled with her husband to countries such as Ukraine, England, Italy, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Holland, France, Israel, and the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. They also traveled extensively throughout Canada and spent many winters as snowbirds in Arizona. Mary enjoyed playing the organ, curling, bowling, playing cards, fishing, gardening and reading. Mary was adept at many crafts such as knitting, crocheting, and cross-stitching. She was also a talented artist and an accomplished decorator of Ukrainian Easter eggs. Mary loved to have her hands in flour: her family boasted with pride that no one made pies, doughnuts and cinnamon buns as tasty as baba's! Unfortunately, the onset of Alzheimer's, a very debilitating disease, eventually prevented Mary from continuing with the hobbies and interests that were so much a part of her daily life. Mary will be sadly missed by her daughter, Myra Hiebert (Richard); and son, Jim (Dorothy); grand-daughters Jennifer Hiebert (Dr. Frank Wilhelm), Jill Cucheron (Kevin), Kirsten Clarke (Devin), and Dr. Colleen Derkatch (Nathan Whitford); great grandchildren Aiden and Joshua Clarke and Isla Whitford as well as extended family members and friends. Mary was predeceased by her daughter, Gaylene and her husband, Mike. Mary's family would like to express their sincere appreciation and gratitude to the staff of the Skinner Unit at the Yorkton & District Nursing Home who so lovingly and compassionately cared for Mary throughout her residency and final days. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to THE HEALTH FOUNDATION, for use in the Skinner Unit at the Yorkton and District Nursing Home, in care of Christie's Funeral Home, 121 Palliser Way, Yorkton, SK, S3N 4C6. Funeral Services were held on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 from the Chapel of Christie's Funeral Home in Yorkton, SK with Kathy Novak serving as the Funeral Celebrant. Mary's daughter, Myra Hiebert shared words of tribute and eulogy. The pianist, Carla Laycock, shared three special pieces of music, "Ave Maria", "Morning Has Broken" and "Sentimental Journey". The Interment Service followed in the Yorkton City Cemetery, Yorkton, SK. The honourary pallbearers were all of Mary's grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Jennifer Hiebert, Jill Cucheron, Kirsten Clarke, Dr. Colleen Derkatch, Aiden Clarke, Josh Clarke and Isla Whitford. Friends so wishing may forward their condolences to the family by visiting www.christiesfuneralhome.com. Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Christie's Funeral Home & Crematorium, Yorkton, Saskatchewan.
