Obituary of Emma Kowalchuk

KOWALCHUK - Emma Kowalchuk (nee Dohms) was born March 22, 1925 at the family farm north of Fenwood; the tenth child of Fred and Emilie (nee Schmidt) Dohms. She received her public school education at Greenbush School and remained at the farm until 1943 when she enlisted in the Women's Division of the Royal Canadian Air Force at the age of 18. She achieved the rank of Corporal and received an honourable discharge in 1946. After her service, she completed a Nurse's Aide Course with the Canadian National Vocational Training School in Saskatoon, with practical training at St. Paul's Hospital and the Saskatoon Sanitorium. Emma worked briefly at Yorkton Hospital and then at St. Peter's Hospital in Melville until 1951 when she married John Russell Kowalchuk, the eldest son of Nickolas and Mary (nee Zywina) Kowalchuk. After their marriage, John and Emma moved to B.C. for one year where Emma worked at the Vancouver General Hospital. They returned to Saskatchewan in 1952 and Joanne was born in 1955. Emma and John moved frequently to accommodate John's teaching career, followed by the acquisition of the Goodeve Locker Plant, and then a return to farming in the Goodeve area. They lived in Goodeve for 23 years, retiring to Melville in 1986. While John pursued various aspects of his political career beginning in 1959, Emma kept the home fires burning and facilitated his work in a myriad of ways until his retirement. Emma was an avid gardener all of her life, as well as a very accomplished craftswoman. During the Goodeve years, Emma always raised chickens and ducks, as well as caring for Joanne's menagerie. Although she never would describe herself as a good cook, she was able to produce a fine meal on the spur of the moment for any number of people who happened to drop in - be it family, friends or constituents seeking John's assistance. John passed away on August 18, 2000. Emma continued to reside at their home in Melville until her move to Harrison House Care Home in Fort Qu'Appelle in 2013 where she passed away on May 9, 2015 at the age of 90. Predeceased by her parents; her husband, John; brothers Edward, Daniel (Margaret), Rudolph, Louie, Wilbert (Florence), Albert, Robert (Francis), Clifford; sisters Martha (Gus) Arndt, Elsie, Edna (Walter) Stephanowski, Esther (Carl) Modin; brothers-in-law James Whyte, John Alcorn, Peter (Betty) Kowalchuk, Mike Kowalchuk and Russell Giblak; sisters-in-law Annie (Mike) Yuristy, Olga (Pete) Mushka and Stella Kowalchuk. Emma leaves to cherish her memory her daughter Joanne (Garnet Dishaw); her sisters Dena Whyte, Rosalyn Alcorn, Willyce Fritzke, Ruby (Don) Demitor; sisters-in-law, Doreen Dohms and Trudy Kowalchuk; brothers-in-law Paul Kowalchuk, James (Rose) Kowalchuk and Bob Giblak; as well as many nieces and nephews. Service Information Sunday, May 31st, 2015 12:00pm Details: Service Extra Info A luncheon willl be held on Sunday, May 31, 2015 at 12:00p.m., followed by a graveside service.