Obituary of Katherine Ogloff
OGLOFF – The family of Katherine Ogloff of Yorkton, beloved wife of the Late Walter Ogloff, sadly announce her passing on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. She was 93 years of age. Katherine (Kay) was born to Peter and Anne (nee Horkoff) in the rural village of Cote, 10 km southeast of Kamsack. Russian was her mother tongue. Kay adored her father, praised his pacifist belief system and his broad progressive philosophies. He was an honest, kind, well-read man, who became central to the community. As a grain buyer, he was the economic weathervane for the farmers, especially during the Depression. His mastery of English and personal experience proved vital to Russian immigrants for managing bureaucracies in their adopted country. His skills were also advantageous to help navigate the Anglophone infrastructure necessary for day-to-day living. These were hard times. Neighbours helped neighbours. Favours were repaid with favours. Community was family. Kay took this to heart. Kay loved her mother dearly. She watched with admiration as her mother dutifully ran the household with selfless dedication. She cared for and fed a loving family of 6, without modern conveniences. Cleaning, cooking, first aid, gardening. This was the role model that Kay would adopt for her own family. Kay later marveled that her mother had taken on a monumental role remaining rooted in the Russian language while communication was moving to English. Known lovingly as Katrusha among Russian family and friends, Kay was the youngest of four siblings. With her father as a role model, she displayed an insatiable curiosity to learn. She relished her classes at Silver Creek Country School, that went up to Grade 8. It was a one-mile country walk from home (imagine Saskatchewan winters). Kay formally learned English and taught herself to play piano. She ended up in charge of the music for all functions and Christmas concerts at the school. Music became a defining passion. Recess breaks were incredibly fun to socialize and to participate in ball games, but when the break was over, Kay was always among the first back in class. She didn’t understand why the latecomers weren’t racing back as fast as they could to learn more. She never wanted school years to end. School time was intoxicating. Summer breaks could be long and boring with friends all toiling on farms and invisible. Summers weren’t all bad. Economic recovery was starting after WWII. Good cheer and joy were in the air. Weekend country fairs were returning in celebration with ball games, barbecues, and the prerequisite libations. It was at one of these events that Kay first saw her future husband Walter, from a distance. They didn’t speak or make eye contact, but she was smitten and couldn’t stop thinking about him. One favourite pastime of Kay and her friends was to ride the train from Cote to Kamsack and socialize on Main Street. Time passed and on one afternoon the two friend groups crossed paths. Walter was showing off his new car and they all ended up going for a ride together. Kay was thrilled and vowed to herself that she would chase Walter until he caught her… which he did. They started officially dating when she was 15 while Kay was completing her Grade 10 education by correspondence. They married in Cote when she was 17 in 1950. For a few months, the couple used the Ogloff family farm as a home base before moving to Kamsack in 1951, looking to scale up their lives there. An exciting and vibrant economic boom was underway. It was a wonderful time to start a family. Kay was a loving partner, dedicated homemaker and gave birth to three children. Following her own passions, she fostered academic learning and introduced her children to playing musical instruments, ignoring the complaints about practicing. She raised her children following the moto “do unto others….” As the children became more independent, Kay expanded her musical arena by practicing and performing in choirs. She continued her learning journey with copious reading. As empty nesters, Katherine and Walter enjoyed shared passions of camping, gardening, and many sightseeing bus tours throughout Canada and the United States. The couple then chose to settle in Yorkton for their retirement years. Kay always marveled at the changes she witnessed. She was born during the droughts of the Dirty 30’s, the Great Depression. It was an era of land clearing and horse drawn ploughs in the challenging settler communities of the Saskatchewan frontier. She watched WWII from a safe distance, experienced economic boom and decline, saw the advent of cars, phones, electricity, running water, flush toilets, refrigeration, oil and gas heating, television, and more.… and now, she has taken her final experience and will be missed. With determination, a love for life and family connection, Kay succumbed to the challenges of aging and passed peacefully at the Yorkton and District Nursing home. Kay leaves to mourn her: sons Wes (Debbie) and Rick; grandchildren Jody (Dallas), Chris, Ryan (Ashley), and Daniel (Jessica); great grandchildren Kendyl, Kelcey, Kale and Eva; great-great granddaughter Kylen; along with many nieces and nephews. She is predeceased by her parents Peter and Anne Derhousoff, husband Walter Ogloff, daughter Wendy Mason (Dan), brothers Peter and Mike Derhousoff, sister Tena Burtnick-Wilken; in laws William and Tena Ogloff, sisters-in-law Vickie Derhousoff, Paulette Ogloff and Pauline Hilker, half sister-in-law Mary Dubasov, brothers-in-law Bill Ogloff, Peter Ogloff, Fred Hilker, Bill Dubasov, Harry Burtnick and Roger Wilken. A Memorial Service was held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from the Yorkton Memorial Gardens Family Centre with Rev. Luanne Hrywkiw of Holy Trinity Anglican Church officiating. The interment followed in the Garden of Memories, Yorkton Memorial Gardens, with Wes Ogloff and Rick Ogloff serving as urn bearers. Memorial donations may be made to the Activities Department of the Yorkton Regional Nursing Home as gifts of remembrance. Condolences may be left for the family at www.baileysfuneralhome.com.
