Obituary of VIOLET KOWALEWICH

VIOLET KOWALEWICH (DENISIUK) January 24, 1952-August 23, 2020 With heavy hearts, we announce the passing of Violet Kowalewich in the early hours of Sunday, August 23rd at St. Boniface Hospital. After a weekend with her family, Violet’s wish to be at peace with her Lord was finally granted. Violet will be sadly missed by Don, her husband of 47 years, her son Brent (Tania), daughter Laura (Jeremy), grandboys Daniel, Joshua and Luke, Mother-in-Law Anne Kowalewich, brother Curt Denisiuk, sister Maryann Bodnarus, nieces, nephews and many friends. Violet was predeceased by her parents John & Alexandra Denisiuk and older sister Nina Iwaniuk. Violet, the youngest of 4 children, was born on January 24th, 1952, in Ethelbert, MB, to parents John and Alexandra Denisiuk, who immigrated from Wisniowa, Poland to farm at Rhodes, in the Ethelbert District. She attended grades 1-8 at the 1 room Rhodes country school, walking 1.5 miles each day with her siblings. Upon completing her grade 12 at the Ethelbert Collegiate in 1970, she moved to Winnipeg to start her working career with Wawanesa Insurance. There she devoted herself as a Clerk and Auto Insurance Underwriter until she retired in 2012. Violet met her husband, Don, in Winnipeg, dating for a year before getting married in 1973. Vi and her husband then lived in Winnipeg for 15 years before moving to East St. Paul, MB in 1988. It was there that they raised their 2 children, Brent and Laura. Vi was very proud of her children and grandboys, always attending their school functions, hockey and sports games, Ukrainian dance and band concerts. She was incredibly helpful with driving them to their practices and other functions. Violet also loved cooking and baking (especially with her grandboys) and enjoyed hosting dinners for family and friends at Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and everyone’s birthdays. We know that her love for her family was rivalled only by her dedication to them. Having the Grandboys for overnight sleep-overs and baking cookies with them was her best joy. Winter travel vacations were taken to Hawaii, Mexico and Cuba with family and friends. Time was also spent on many trips to Harlingen, Texas and later to Phoenix, Arizona to avoid part of the cold winters. Vi enjoyed many R.V. trips with friends and family to Black Hills, Yellowstone, Vancouver, Victoria, to the Maritimes, Yukon and Alaska. Camping and fishing were some of Vi’s passions, spending many summers at Blue Lakes in the Duck Mountains, Lake Wanipigow, and Nopiming Park, enjoying the camping experiences with her children, grandchildren, relatives and friends. Vi also enjoyed attending all Country Fests with family and friends, be it at Craven, Sask., Detroit Lakes, Minnesota, but mostly at Dauphin. Violet was a devoted Christian who loved her Orthodox faith passionately, from which she found direction and strength in life. She attended church services and bible studies faithfully and loved to volunteer at all church functions with her Church family. Violet was always strong, as she fought off illness, but was still always kind, caring and generous. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Cancer Care or a charity of your choice. Funeral service will be held at 10:00A.M. on August 29, 2020 at All Saints Ukrainian Orthodox Church, 1500 Day Street, Winnipeg, with the internment to follow at Transcona Cemetery, 5014 Dugald Road. Due to gathering restrictions, attendance will be by invitation only. The funeral, interment, and tribute speeches near the end of the lunch will be streamed live through facebook at: https://www.facebook.com/don.kowalewich