At the age of 104 years, Lena Mandzuk went to be with her Lord and Saviour. With her family by her side, she peacefully passed away at the Canora Gateway Lodge on Friday, May 29, 2015. Lena (Wowk) Mandzuk was born on October 19, 1910, the fourth daughter of ten children born to George and Stella (Kurkowski) Wowk of the Veregin District, SK. She attended Cedric School. In November 1925, at the age of fifteen, Lena was united in marriage to John Mandzuk. Together, they were blessed with six children. John worked away from home and retired in 1982. Until his passing in November 1987, they lived in Gorlitz. Lena then moved to Canora for the next two years. In 1989, following her first knee replacement, she moved in with her daughter, Sally (Richard). She lived there until February 19, 2013, when she relocated to the Canora Gateway Lodge, where she continued to reside until her passing. Lena drove a car from the age of twenty-five until she was ninety-three. She thanked God for never enduring one ticket or accident! She prepared delicious meals for weddings, parties and church functions for over twenty-five years. She also cooked for a construction camp for six years, a Ukrainian cafe for three years and worked for a moving company for two years. Lena also shared her incredible talents as she enjoyed quilting, gardening, sewing and painting Easter eggs. She will be sadly missed but lovingly remembered by all who had the blessing of knowing her. Lena was predeceased by her parents, George and Stella; her husband, John; son, Al; grandchildren: Tracey Heshka and Wade Mandzuk and by all eight of her sisters as well as her brother, Mike. She is survived by her children: Peter (Jeannie) of Chilliwack, BC, Dave (Norma) of Yorkton, SK, Tony (Irene) of North Vancouver, BC, Phyllis (Dave) of Canora, SK and Sally (Richard) of Pelly, SK; daughter-in-law, Bernice of Theodore, SK; her eighteen grandchildren; twenty-six great-grandchildren and her nine great-great-grandchildren. She visited them all and she loved each and every one of them. In Lena's honour, Funeral Services were held on Monday, June 1, 2015, at 9:30 am from the Chapel of Leson's Funeral Home, Canora with Pastors Rick Harwood and Liviu Tilihoi officiating. Interment followed in Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery, Gorlitz, SK. Those wishing to make expressions of sympathy may make donations to the Seventh Day Adventist Church or to the Sts. Peter & Paul Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery, as tokens of remembrance in memory of Lena Mandzuk. Family and friends unable to attend are invited to sign an on-line guest book for Lena at www.lesonsfuneralhome.ca. Arrangements were entrusted to LESON'S FUNERAL HOME, Canora (306-563-5671).
