In Loving Memory of

Anne Maksymytz

PRAYER SERVICE

Tuesday, April 23, 2019

7:30 p.m.

Chapel of Tompkins Funeral Home

Wadena, SK

FUNERAL SERVICE

Wednesday, April 24, 2019

10:00 a.m.

Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church

Wynyard, SK

With great sadness, we announce the passing of Anne Alice (Antochow) Maksymytz on Good Friday, April 19, 2019, at age 87 in Wynyard, SK.  Anne, also known as Hanna, was born on May 7, 1931 and was the second oldest of 16 children born to Peter and Catherine Antochow of Bankend, SK.  Anne was the first Antochow to be born in Canada, and this established our family’s Canadian Roots and a strong foundation for our family to grow.

Anne attended Birch Creek School, walking great distances to and from school every day.  At times, she had to cross creeks that were dangerous and help her younger siblings to cross the creeks to get to and from school. She loved school; however, being one of the oldest children and no boys were born into the family until years later, she was required to withdraw from school early, achieving a Grade 8 education. She played an important role helping both her father and mother.  She helped to clear the land, plant and harvest crops and to work with farm equipment and animals. She also assisted with the care of her younger siblings.

At age 18, Anne married Raymond Maksymytz on November 21, 1949. After they were married, they settled on their farm near Wishart, SK. Together, they raised a family of 6 children, Marge, Marcco, Joan, Helen, Michael and Maria (Myrtle), which then blossomed into 17 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren, for a total of 72 people. They celebrated 58 years of marriage before her husband Raymond passed on September 4, 2007.

In 1967, Anne applied for work at the poultry plant in Wynyard on a dare by her husband and was immediately hired. She worked there for 29 years before retiring at age 65 in 1997.  While employed, both Anne and Raymond farmed, and retired after 56 years of farming. They moved to Wynyard in 2005.

Anne had so much love for her family and loved time in nature, cooking, gardening, canning, visiting and phoning friends and family, and especially loved spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved travelling and attending family events. She enjoyed reading and learning about other family’s lives, their journey and their history. She had an amazing ability to remember names, birthdays, events and details. She had great pride and respect in honoring her parent’s cultural traditions. Family was so important to her that she saved all kinds of family memorabilia, including wedding invitations, wedding photos, birth announcements and family photos. We value this incredible collection! She also carried on Baba’s craftwork, such as crocheting, tin can curling, knitting, and making moccasins, quilts, blankets, rugs and more.  As an animal lover, she cared for horses, goats, geese, rabbits, guinea pigs, peacocks, dogs and cats over the years.

Anne was a very motivated, determined and independent woman, and lived in her own home until her passing. She was a sincere, fun-loving, humble and honest woman with much dignity and respect, a heart full of love and compassion. She was highly respected and loved by family and all who knew her.

After her mother passed in 1982 as well as her older sister Mary in 1976, Anne became the family matriarch and was highly respected by all her siblings and their families. With Anne’s passing, we lost a beautiful soul, a light, the matriarch and the glue that held our family together. She is loved beyond measure and we already miss her like crazy.

Her legacy lives on through her family and all the lives she touched. She passed on important values of unconditional love, acceptance, compassion and generosity.  She always reminded family to be kind, to support others, to let things go, to get along and focus on what is important in life.  She led by example in creating and maintaining lifelong relationships with family, friends and neighbors, in honoring our cultural heritage and traditions and instilling the courage and strength that runs through each and every one of us.

She is predeceased by her parents, husband Raymond, daughter Marge, six sisters - Nettie, Mary, Lena, Rose, Stella and Frances and four brothers - Joe, Walter, Mike and John, as well as her niece Sheila and nephews Warren and Jerry.

She leaves behind many people to mourn her passing, including her five children Marcco, Joan (Carl Shular), Helen (Orest Shular) in Wynyard, Michael (Joan Dubiel) in Wishart and Maria (Myrtle) in Calgary, her 17 grandchildren and 30 great-grandchildren, as well as her siblings Stephanie, Margaret, Ray, Georgina, Josie and Billy, and hundreds of nieces and nephews.

Anne was deeply saddened by her oldest daughter Marge’s passing on November 1, 2018 in Vernon, BC. Unfortunately, Anne was unable to travel and attend in person due to her own health concerns. And so today, we honor and pay our respect to both Anne and her daughter Marge in the same memorial service.