Obituary of Mallory Bjella
It is with profound sorrow, that we announce the far too early departure of Mallory Lynne Bjella, from this life, at the young age of 39. Following a decade long battle with Neuromyelitis Optica, Mallory passed away on April 30, 2024, in the arms of her beloved partner, surrounded by her best friends, her mother and her sister.
Following high school, Mallory’s early interest in archaeology, early technology, lost ways and traditional knowledge carried through into an education in archaeology at the University of Calgary where she received her BA of Archaeology (with distinction) in 2007. Mallory found employment throughout university with Dare Foods Ltd., and followed that up with a position at Tera Environmental Consultants as a traditional environmental knowledge facilitator. She had the honor of working with Elders across Western Canada to document and preserve traditional environmental knowledge of the boreal forest and aspen parkland regions including medicinal uses of plants and animals. Seeing the environmental changes of fossil fuel industry and agriculture firsthand and hearing about the long-term effects from lifelong land users, instilled a deep respect for the land and the desire to live in greater harmony with nature.
In 2012, Mallory moved back to Saskatchewan, where she was reunited and started a life with her long-time friend and soul equal, Kylee. Struggling to overcome her rare autoimmune condition, being first paralyzed in 2015, she felt the push forward to augment her knowledge with continuing education in medicinal botany, receiving her Practical Herbalism Diploma and was working on her Masters, from the Wild Rose College of Herbal Medicine. Using a fusion of modern and old technology and a focus on self-sustainable living, she and Kylee were building their home and business, Hayland Grove Farmacy & Retreat, into an herbal oasis, with focus on natural healing methods, near Good Spirit Lake.
During recent years, Mallory also held employment in Yorkton at Morris Industries and most recently Pattison Agriculture, where she got to geek-out and thrive using her favorite data system, Excel, to streamline her job and help others to do the same.
Throughout her life, Mallory enjoyed playing hockey, playing guitar, playing video games, motorcycling, reading, intellectual conversation, natural healing, building, and fixing everything she could. Mallory was a brilliant, innovative, beautiful, sensitive, kind, and witty individual, who suffered silently for far too long, while being ravaged by an indescribable, disabling condition. No matter how many times she was let down by the medical system, she never complained, never gave up searching for the root cause, searching for answers, or fighting. She was a true inspiration.
Mallory leaves to mourn: her partner, Kylee Onofriechuck; parents, Darrell & Jacqui Bell; siblings, Logan Bell, Cailee Bell (Alex Keen), and Clay Bell; grandparents, Donald & Glenda Bell and Raymond & Kathy Shivak; best friends, Duncan & Caylee Eagleton; as well as numerous aunts, uncles, cousins, in-laws, extended family and many friends.
Mallory was predeceased by her special cousin, Jessie Stokes; by all of her great-grandparents, and other extended family.
Mallory loved animals. Among many others throughout her life, in death, Mallory reunites with her extra beloved pets, Bozly and Abby.
An open celebration of life will be held for family and friends, starting at 3pm on June 1, 2024 at Mallory & Kylee’s acreage. Bonfire to follow, weather permitting. Please RSVP if possible, to haylandgrove@outlook.com or by text 306-745-8581, so that plans may be made accordingly.
Please follow the link for directions to the Celebration of Life; https://maps.app.goo.gl/rm3t7iQ8g1LB4Pc47?g_st=ic
Mallory didn’t believe in any corporation’s desire to cure any disease, nor that charitable donations, actually made it to benefit people in need, as opposed to the suits at the top. If you’re able to give financially to something, in lieu of flowers and charitable donations, we ask that you please gift whatever you would give, to someone you know struggling with chronic illness, in Mallory’s honour. Until you are living it, you cannot begin to fathom drowning in the cost of not having your health, loss of income, travel costs, medical bills, therapies, ambulance bills, assistive living devices, etc. Thank you.
