Amalia "Molly" Gurski was born on April 19, 1913, to John and Paulina (nee Miller) Gurski in Viscount, SK. She attended Auckland School for her Elementary Education. On August 5, 1939, Amalia was invested as Ursuline, Sr. Gertrude. She made her First Profession of Vows on August 5, 1941, Perpetual Vows on August 5, 1944, Golden and Diamond Jubilees in 1989 and 1999, totalling over 72 years of Religious Life. Sr. Gertrude spent her years of ministry in the Ursuline Community in food preparation, often in a supervisory capacity, service to the sick and aging, gardens, laundry and sewing, among many other home-making activities. Her work took her from Bruno to Marysburg, Leofeld, Muenster, Annaheim, Humboldt, Watson, Cudworth, Saskatoon, British Columbia and Regina, with repeats of several of those places. Sr. Gertrude was always calm and patient, well-grounded, helpful and kind. The Ursuline Community, who experienced Sr. Gertrude as unflappable, sometimes described her from one particularly stressful situation as "almost getting excited". Her speech left her a number of years ago, yet she continued always to sing until the more recent years when she was the silent presence with the bright eyes and keen interest in whoever visited her and, especially, those who cared so well for her. Close to her 99th birthday, Sr. Gertrude died in Samaritan Place, her home for a very short while, as she lived - a peaceful and faithful servant. Our Sister is survived by her Ursuline family; one sister-in-law, Anne; cousins; nieces; nephews; extended family; friends; and care-givers. She was predeceased by her parents, John and Paulina (nee Miller) Gurski; and by her siblings and in-laws: Helen (Charles) Merkosky, Leo (Katherine) Gursky, Joseph Gursky, Veronica (Peter) Gusikoski, John (Frances) Gursky, Bertha (John) Novecosky, Michael Gursky, and Albert (Victoria) Gursky. The Vigil of Prayer for Sr. Gertrude was held at Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel, Humboldt, SK, on Wednesday, March 14, 2012, at 7:30 p.m., presided by Sr. Loretta Konlup and Sr. Alexis Taphorn. Scripture readers were Sr. Marian Noll and Dorothy Hagel (niece), and the responsorial psalm/gospel acclamation was led by Sr. Lenore Moldenhauer. Music ministry was provided by Margaret Maynard (niece). The Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated at St. Augustine R.C. Church, Humboldt, on Thursday, March 15, 2012, at 10:30 a.m., presided by Fr. Emile April. Others taking part were: Fr. Daniel Muyres, OSB, and Fr. Bernard Stauber, OSB, concelebrants; Audrey Bender (staff/care-giver), crossbearer; Leonard Novecosky and Nick Schweighardt, altar servers; Sr. Maureen Maier and Ed Merkosky (nephew), scripture readers; Sr. Lenore Moldenhaur, responsorial psalm/gospel acclamation; Sr. Miriam Spenrath, prayers of the faithful; Jane Strasser, Helen Thimm and Rita Thoms (staff/care-givers), giftbearers; attending clergy, Sr. Denise Hinz and Terry Struck, Eucharistic ministers; Alice Germann and Helen Saretsky, memorial table attendants. Music ministry was provided by organist Dolores Hinz and the St. Augustine Resurrection Choir. Pallbearers were Len, Ed and Gord Gusikoski, and Perry, Pat and Todd Gursky (all nephews). Rite of Committal took place at the Ursuline Cemetery, Bruno, with Fr. Joseph Ackerman, OSB, officiating. Memorial donations may be directed to the Brazil Mission Fund. Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel, Humboldt, SK. (
