Obituary of SR. JACQUELINE BARTUSH

After living with cancer for 8 months, Jacky Bartush, RNDM, died peacefully in the early morning hours of May 16, at Jocelyn House. 

Jacky was preceded in death by her parents Max (1957) and Leonilla (1997) Bartush (nee Boileau), as well as by her brother Charles Bartush (1963), sisters Florence Lyons (2016), Helen Bachman (2018), Maxine Wahsum (2021), and Rita Morrison. 

She is survived by her siblings Betty Iris Bartush RNDM in Winnipeg, Frances (Nolan) Rad in Invermere B.C., Ronald Bartush in Cincinnati, and by countless nieces and nephews, grand and great-grand nieces and nephews, who were bright lights in Jacky’s life. She is also survived by her beloved community the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions

Born on April 23, 1934, in Fort Frances, ON, Jacky grew up and attended school there, where she was taught by the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions. Impressed by the dedication and sense of fun she saw in the Sisters, Jacky entered the RNDM novitiate in Regina and made first vows in 1954.

Following first vows, Jacky began what would be a long and varied teaching career.  She earned B.A. and B. Ed degrees from the University of Manitoba.  She taught at St. Augustine school in Brandon, as well as St. Edward’s, Holy Cross, General Byng, and St. Boniface High in Winnipeg.  In all, Jacky taught for 39 years and was principal of St. Edwards school 16 of those years.  She was the last RNDM to teach at St. Edward’s, a school the RNDMs had begun in 1909.

Beyond her professional qualifications, Jacky was an educator who both gave and received in the learning process.  She had a particular attentiveness to students who struggled and often spoke of all that she learned from them.  In this way, Jacky was not only a teacher.  She was also a learner who taught. 

After retiring from teaching, Jacky worked for the Archdiocese of Winnipeg as an auditor in the Marriage tribunal.  At the tribunal, her ability to listen with compassion was a liberating grace for all parties.

When asked 5 years ago what she enjoyed most about her life, Jacky said that (strange as it seemed), she most enjoyed moments where she could be of service.  Being asked at the same time what the hardest part of her life was, she said it was being named for positions of authority. Over the course of her RNDM life, Jacky had occasions for both.

For her sisters who lived with Jacky and loved her, Jacky was a “glue” that contributed to the cohesiveness of the community.  Whether she was cooking a meal, welcoming us to our camp at Keewatin, sewing something for us, or shopping for Sisters in the nursing homes, Jacky was there to serve. 

When international Sisters began joining us in 2015 for mission in Canada, they had the benefit of Jacky introducing them to many of the “practicalities” of life in Canada (how to dress for winter, change a furnace filter etc.), including how to shop for groceries and make Canadian cuisine.  At the same time, Jacky added more international recipes to her already impressive menus.  This process of “enculturation” was important to us all. 

As we grieve Jacky’s passing, we thank Arlene Wilgosh for her sage counsel at the beginning of Jacky’s cancer journey, the Emergency Departments of St. Boniface and Grace Hospitals, nurses and staff at Palliative Care at St. Boniface hospital, Riverview Health Centre, and Jocelyn House, for their compassionate care for Jacky in the last months of her life.

In lieu of flowers, friends so wishing may donate to the Mission Fund of the Sisters of Our Lady of the Missions, 393 Gaboury Place, Winnipeg, MB, R2H 0L5. OR, in view of the pending Canada Post strike, make an online donation at: https://rndmcanada.org/donate/

Her funeral will be held at St. Paul the Apostle Parish, 2400 Portage Ave, on Friday May 23, at 10.00 a.m..

Livestream Link:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8fxtp7vBmmEDZIM2ltZeJg