Obituary of Vera Hudema
Vera Hudema, of Yorkton, SK, joined the angels on November 7, 2024. Vera (Terlesky) Hudema was born September 4, 1929 on the Terlesky farm in the Canora, Sask. area. She was the 10th child of 15 of Steve and Dokina (Kudeba) Terlesky. She was baptized at the Ukrainian Greek Orthodox Church in Canora. Vera went to West Scalat School in the Canora District.
Vera married Michael Hudema on June 12, 1949. They made their home on the Hudema farm in the Hamton district. This marriage was blessed with 5 children: Gerald, Mervin, Randy, Delores and Leslie. Mike and Vera moved to Hamton in 1958. They retired to Rhein in 1979.
As a young girl, Vera babysat for many farm neighbors. She was an active member of the Hamton hall and catered many functions as head cook. She also was hired to cook for over 100 weddings.
Vera was well known for her Ukrainian Easter eggs. She designed and sold her eggs for 50+ years. She estimated that she wrote up to 40 dozen Pysanka a year for many years. This means that she wrote about 24,000 eggs. The eggs were sold locally, across Canada and world wide. Vera’s eggs are still on display at many locations and at the Yorkton WDM. Vera taught her children the art of Pysanka. She passed on her talents of cooking and Pysanka to her daughter Delores and daughter-in-law, Clarinda. She taught children for many years at numerous schools, how to write Ukrainian Easter eggs.
As a young teenager, Vera replied to an ad in the Western Producer for a penpal. It was there she found a lifelong friend with Anne (Mark) Romaniuk from Barrhead, Alberta. They visited and wrote often. Vera loved Anne like a sister. They continued writing to each other for over 60 years, until Anne’s passing.
Vera worked with her sister Anne as a professional residential painter for 15 years. She loved to watch curling and baseball and played senior slow pitch in Rhein, and had a good time playing horseshoes. She enjoyed being a member of the Rhein Kitchen band and also enjoyed camping.
One of her favorite past times was picking mushrooms. We can’t even guess how many pounds she picked.
Vera was a member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Rhein, later attending Christ Lutheran Church.
In 1963, Vera and Mike had the priviledge of travelling by train to B.C. They also enjoyed trips to Phoenix and Toronto to visit family. In 2014, Tammy took her Baba to San Jose del Cabo, Mexico. In 2019, Delores and Clarinda took Vera to visit her best friend of 70 years (Mike’s Auntie Del Zaharia Bolen) in Langley, B.C.
Vera was fortunate to meet a wonderful companion, Willie Schultz. They resided on the farm at Rhein and moved to Yorkton in 2010. They enjoyed going to Watrous, playing cards and visiting friends.
Vera was predeceased by: mother Dokina, father Steve, siblings: Metro (in infancy), Helen, George, Alice (Mike) Leson, William, John, Mary (Metro) Berehula, Jean (George) Billy, Elizabeth (Orest) Wiwchar, Mike, husband Michael, sister-in-law: Mary (Nick) Heshka, brothers-in-law: Metro (Mary) Berehula, Mike (Alice) Leson, George (Jean) Billy, Dan (Anne) Hudema, Sam (Lil) Filipchuk, Matt (Iris) Ryczk, and partner Willie Schultz.
Vera is survived by her children: Gerald of Yorkton, Mervin (Clarinda) of Yorkton, Randy of Yorkton, Delores of Yorkton and Les (Crystal) of Melville.
She also leaves to mourn her 5 cherished grandchildren: Tammy (Tim) Smith, Wendy (Brad) Haberman, Tessa Hudema, Taylor Hudema (Adam Schaffer) and Austin Hudema, plus her 4 great-grandchildren: Dreyden Haberman, Carson Haberman, Adam Smith and Amber Smith.
Vera also leaves to mourn her siblings: Anne Hudema, Lil Filipchuk, Marge (Bill) Boychuk, Iris Ryczak, brother-in-law Bill (Marj) Hudema, as well as numerous nieces, nephews and friends.
