Obituary of Lucy Golemba
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of Lucy Philomine Golemba of Regina and formerly of Ituna, who passed away peacefully on January 17, 2025, in her 100th year. Lucy was the beloved wife of the late Frank Golemba (deceased 1995).
The Funeral Mass will be held on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 11:00 a.m. from St. Stanislaus Roman Catholic Church, Ituna, 216 5th Ave. S.W., Ituna, Saskatchewan, S0A 1N0
CLICK HERE to view livestream beginning at 10:45 a.m.
The interment will follow in the Ituna R.C Cemetery.
For those who so choose, and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer Society of Canada at https://alzheimersocietyinmemoriam.crowdchange.ca/page/lucyphilominegolemba
Arrangements have been entrusted to Bailey's Funeral and Cremation Care. As per Lucy's wishes that no one need to stand in the cold, cremation has taken place.
Lucy Philomine Golemba (née Iampietro)
October 25, 1925 – January 17, 2025
Lucy (Lucy Philomine Iampietro) was born on October 25, 1925 to parents of Italian descent, Micheal Iampietro and Olivia (nee Stefanacci) in Hamilton, Ontario. She was the sixth child of a family of ten – three boys and seven girls. There were a lot of big families in the area where the family lived and there were lots of neighbourhood children to play with. They didn’t have a lot of toys to play with so they learned to use their imaginations.
In the fall of 1939, war broke out and Lucy at 14 obtained a job in a cap factory. They made all kinds of army caps. In the fall of 1946, she met our father, Frank Golemba who was working in Hamilton at the time. They were married in June of 1947. After a year of marriage, our father decided he wanted to return to farming in Saskatchewan. Lucy, who had always lived in a city, was ill-prepared for farm life. As a matter of fact, she had never even set foot on a farm prior to moving.
In July 1948, Lucy & Frank and their infant son, Raymond, packed their meager belongings in a freight car and moved to Saskatchewan. It was a two day and two-night trip by train to Ituna. It was quite a change for Lucy – no electricity, no toilets, no running water and they were still using horses and all of the roads were mud in the country. They lived with Frank’s family till they finished the harvest. Frank had bought a quarter section of land and there was a three room shack and two log buildings for a barn and a chicken coop. They had to give the skunks and rats notice to get out because they were moving in. The house was cleaned and they had brought linoleum with them by train. Frank fixed the windows, laid the linoleum and obtained a cook stove and they made the shack livable except when it rained. They had to set out the pots and pans to catch the raindrops.
By the time their second son Larry arrived in 1951, Lucy had gotten to be a real farmer’s wife, milking cows, raising chickens, feeding hogs and managing a big garden – all without electricity or running water.
Lucy and Frank were outgrowing their home and it was getting colder and draftier and another son Ken had arrived in 1954. Usually during the winter, banking the snow around the house, stoking the fire in the cook stove, and a heater in the bedroom kept the cold away. The next winter, Frank & Lucy and their family moved into the town of Ituna and rented a house and Frank worked the winter at a local grocery store. In the spring of 1955, with the help of an uncle, they started building a new house on another quarter of land near a better road.
The fall of 1955, Lucy & Frank moved into a nearly finished house, with a newborn girl, Ruth. to complete the family. The house was unfinished but they were happy to have a basement and much more room. Power finally arrived in the rural regions in 1957. Running water from their own well followed in about 1960. They raised their family of 4 and worked hard farming, raising livestock, gardening and doing all the things young couples do when starting out.
In 1970, the farms were sold, and Lucy & Frank moved back into the town. Frank bought and operated a small welding shop where he whistled and worked and passed the years manufacturing trailers, railing and all sorts of items from steel. Lucy was active in the church and in her community and also worked at a local grocery store for several years.
Lucy remained in her own home in Ituna, after Frank’s passing in 1995, until 2006, when she moved into Regina and into Rainbow Towers where she once again created a new life and had a wonderful ten years living on the 9th Floor, with an expansive view of Regina. She participated in every activity offered; BINGO, bunco, canasta, rummy and daily exercise classes. She negotiated the stairs daily (instead of the elevator) and would always inform the caretaker of which floors had burnt bulbs.
From Rainbow Towers, once diagnosed with dementia, Lucy moved to the Marion Gardens into a cute little bachelor suite. Again, she adapted to her circumstances as best as she could and carried on with living and making more new friends.
Her journey then took her to William Albert House in Emerald Park for a year and half and eventually on the first day of “covid lockdowns” she relocated to the Golden Prairie Home in Indian Head where she lived out her days.
Lucy had a very good, long, productive life adapting to whatever came her way. She contracted covid before the vaccine was developed. She withstood the loneliness and isolation that covid caused in her life. Dementia was both a curse and a blessing.
Over the nearly 100 years that she was on earth, she has seen a lot of developments and changes and was always resilient. Her family; 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, were always a source of joy to her and she could usually be found in her kitchen making a special or favourite recipe for each and every one of them. Her Ontario family held a special place in her heart, as did all of her nieces, nephews and godchildren. She was a loving, caring, Daughter, Mother, Granny, Aunt, Sister, Godmother, Neighbour, Friend....
Many thanks to the staff of the Golden Prairie Home for surrounding her in love and gentle care for the last five years of her life.
Thank you to Father Francis Hengen for responding to our call on a cold and dark night to come and perform her last sacrament and to pray with us.
Thank you to Father JB Okai for sending prayers and healing words of comfort to us.
Lucy will be missed by many and her passing leaves her family with a sense of relief that she is now free of worldly pain but so very sad that we could not have one more game of canasta or visit with her.
Predeceased by her parents, her husband Frank, first born son Raymond, second born granddaughter Melanie, daughter in law Henrietta and all of her 9 siblings and all of her sisters and brothers in law. Lucy was the very last of her generation!
Leaving to mourn her passing: son Larry Golemba of Kelowna, BC (daughters Lia, Kara & Renee); son Ken Golemba (Mikey) of Qualicum Beach, BC (sons Shaun and Kyle and daughter Kendra); and daughter Ruth Korchinski (Don) of Medicine Hat, AB (son Clinton), daughter in law Ileane of Calgary, AB (daughters Tamara and Shannon), and also 13 great grandchildren, many nieces and nephews and godchildren.
Lucy was a woman of strength, love, and dedication and lived a very long and productive life.
"A good strong heart stopped beating, and those very busy hands are now at rest. She more than earned her angel wings!"
