Obituary of Beatrice Boychuk
Blazena (Beatrice) Boychuk (née Nozouvska)
Beatrice Boychuk, 81, of Ituna, SK, wife to Mike Boychuk and beloved mother to Blazhena (Boychuk) Leigh and Blanka (Boychuk) Hollinger, passed away peacefully at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver surrounded by family on April 11, 2025 at 2030. She had a difficult battle with kidney disease, leaving a void her family cannot fill.
She was born in Prague in 1943 to Blazena (Hejzlarova) Nozouvska & Josef Nozouvsky. She had two brothers, Zdenek and Petr, engaging in an adventurous childhood as a little girl who followed her trouble-making brothers everywhere. Beatrice completed school before studying and completing her degree in Journalism at Charles University in Prague. In 1968, as a result of increased freedoms granted by government leading to outspoken schools of thought against communist philosophy and rule, Czechoslovakia became occupied by the Soviet Union leading to a massive wave of emigration. Beatrice was part of this wave of emigration. She left her home country through Austria and France, settling on Canada as her new home. She settled in Oshawa, ON where she took night classes learning English and eventually became employed as a bookkeeper. It was in Ontario where she met and soon married Mike Boychuk on March 3, 1975. They chose to move, settle and raise a family in Mike’s hometown of Ituna, SK. Together they raised their two children Blazhena (Boychuk) Leigh and Blanka (Boychuk) Hollinger in Ituna, eventually welcoming Blazhena & Blanka’s spouses Matthew Leigh & Jason Hollinger.
Bea was a devoted mother to Blanka & Blazhena. She was always seen supporting various sporting and cultural events and they felt her love in the support she provided. Bea proudly practiced her craft of cross-stitching Ukrainian dance costumes as a sign of love and support for her children. She was known as an accomplished knitter with patterns published in a popular Canadian magazine. Many sought out her craft for gifts and she was known to share her knitting gifts with close friends. She proudly shared she was never one to sew and brought laugher to her friends when sharing her failed sewing attempts.
Bea took special joy in cooking and baking and had fond memories of building a business in Ituna with Mike by her side. Here, her connections, friendships and her desire to show love with food blossomed. Food was her love language and she built a rewarding life baking and cooking--nurturing love within our family and with friends. Our home was always open for meals, snacks and coffee, a welcome place to stop for good company and food when coming into town.
Bea was also very fond of swimming and our family has special memories of summer vacations and trips to “the Kip” where she’d swim across the lake and back, much to everyone’s concern. Family holidays driving across country, seeing landmarks and spending time with relatives are forever cherished memories.
The crowning glory in Bea’s life was becoming a Babí and she cherished her grandchildren. She was always happy to share pictures and stories of life events and milestones that her grandchildren accomplished. She was very proud to be a Babí and delighted in spending time with her grandchildren. She lives on in them by passing on her love of cooking, good food and culture.
Bea’s friendships encompassed all aspects of her life and each was special to her. She was a friend who would offer a cup of coffee, a hug, a good game of cards, support friends in driving to appointments and always a helping hand. An avid reader, she frequently had her nose in a book and a good read recommendation. She was also known to drop off an apple strudel at your door--just because. Bea valued cultivating friendships and was rewarded by being loved by so many.
Bea is preceded in death by Mike Boychuk (husband), Josef & Blazena Nozouvsky (parents), Dana & Zdenek Nozouvsky (sister in law & brother); Petr Nozouvsky (brother), Anne & Nick Bohach (sister in law and brother in law), and is survived by Blazhena, Matthew, Gavin & Vienna Leigh (daughter, son in law and grandchildren) and Blanka, Jason & Tenley Hollinger (daughter, son in law and granddaughter), who will never forget the love she brought to their lives.
Bea’s life can be best encapsulated by “F” words: Family, Friends, Food and Fun. In her almost 82 years with us she experienced an abundance of each. Until she lost the ability to talk, Bea would express how grateful she was to have lived a long life full of wonderful experiences, a loving family, many good friends and compassionate caregivers.
Mom, we will miss you immensely. You were our comfort when we needed clarity. You were always someone we could count on. You provided sound advise, a shoulder to cry on and were always there to listen without judgment. Mom was truly artistic in many aspects of her life and if “a life well lived is the most exquisite work of art”, then she made a masterpiece.
We love you to the moon and back.
In spring/summer 2026, there will be a service and memorial where Bea will be interred with dad, Mike Boychuk, at the Holy Ascension Ukrainian Orthodox Cemetery in Hubbard, SK.
Вічная Пам’ять/Vichnaya Pam’yat/Eternal Memory
