Obituary of Anne Stoyko

STOYKO - Ann Shmigelski was born November 18, 1912 in Pylpczia, Poland, one of several children in the family. Ann, 12, along with her younger sister Margaret, 8, immigrated to Canada to live with her uncle in Melville. Ann never returned to the "old country", although she spoke about it quite a bit in her later years. In Canada, Ann worked as a nanny for several families and volunteered for different organizations in the community. Ann also enjoyed acting and singing in local plays, often in Ukrainian costumes, which were a part of her heritage. Ann eventually met the love of her life, Michael Stoyko. They were married October 17, 1938, and remained married until Michael's death in 1976. After Ann was married, she was employed at Swift's, a poultry processing plant in Melville, eventually becoming a local supervisor. While working, volunteering, acting and singing, she also raised four children: Margaret, Edward, Jack, and Gloria. Ann loved to work in her garden and grow vegetables, and maintained a garden until late in her in life. Cooking and baking were always a central activity of Ann's life. Any visitor would agree that Ann's perogies, cabbage rolls, jam-jams, cinnamon twists, sauerkraut, and borscht were world class! She was instantly accommodating to visitors, quickly running to the deep freeze for food. Ann loved to always remain active and always needed to keep busy, whether it was baking in the daytime or bingo in the evening. Ann was very dedicated to her church. She was the president of the Ladies Club at St. George's and was a volunteer at church functions, weddings and other events. Ann lived on her own until she was 94, and then moved to St. Philomena Care Home in Melville, where she would always volunteer to help with meal preparation, clean-up, and enjoyed singing to the piano, with beautiful renditions of "You Are My Sunshine". Ann also became a fantastic shuffleboard player while at St. Philomena's. She then moved to the Yorkton Regional Heath Care Facility where she resided until her death at age 98. Ann was predeceased by her husband Michael, her son Jack, and presumably members of her family back in Poland. She is survived by her children: Gloria (Bill) Rudnitski of Edmonton, Alberta, Edward (Mary) of St. Albert, Alberta, and Margaret Thomas of Kelowna, B.C; daughter-in-law Lorraine Stoyko; her nine grandchildren: Sean (Jen) Rudnitski of Trail, B.C., Dawn (Kevin) DeRijck of Calgary, Alberta, Brock (Nikki) Stoyko of St. Albert, Alberta, Drew Stoyko of St. Albert, Alberta, Trevor Stoyko of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Curtis Stoyko of Calgary, Alberta; Tony Tyrkalo of Edmonton, Alberta, Mark Tyrkalo of Edmonton, Alberta, and Tasha Custer of Edmonton, Alberta. Ann is also survived by six great- grandchildren: Kendall Biblow, Ashley and Cole DeRijck, Nathan and Noah Rudnitski, and Shannon Custer. Because of her caring and unconditional love towards her family and friends, she will always be lovingly remembered. Arrangements by Bailey's Funeral Home, Melville Service Information Wednesday, October 27th, 2010, St. George's Ukrainian Catholic Church Interment Details St. Henry's Roman Catholic Parish Cemetery