Contributions to the tribute of Nellie Wasyleski

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Joan Mettauer posted a condolence

Wednesday, February 1, 2023

EULOGY (Written by daughter, Joan Mettauer) (Note: Mom's service was short and there was no opportunity for me to give this at the church, so am sharing it here): Thank you all for coming today to pay your last respects and say goodbye to our beloved mother, Nellie Wasyleski. Since our gathering here is small, and we all knew Mom well, I'm not going to review the facts and details of her long life. Instead, I will say a few words about some of my fondest memories and good times shared with her over the years, and when I'm done I'll invite you to do the same, so get your thinking caps on! Two of my earliest memories of Mom are quite different. The first is from very early childhood, when she was attempting to break me from the awful habit of sucking my thumb. I couldn't have been more than 2 or 3 years old, as I clearly remember standing in my crib in the old house by Ray-Don Motors, shaking the crib railing and screaming to wake the dead. She'd bound little mittens around my hands and I was mad! Mom came to console me, but the mittens stayed on! She was a caring but determined person. My next memory is a happier one, from about age 4 or 5, when Mom took me out to Baba Wynnychuk's place one summer day and Mom, Baba, Aunty Mary Kudryk and I (and possibly others but I don't quite recall) went mushroom picking in the ditches just south of the farm. I was so thrilled at being asked to join the 'adult' mushroom picking party! As I was the 'baby' of our family, Mom and I spent lots of happy hours and days together. As I grew up, Mom included me in meal preparation, teaching me how to cook, bake, make perogies and our most loved Ukrainian dishes. I'll be forever grateful to her for that, as I see too many young people these days who don't know their way around a kitchen. When I was young, we still had the farm south of Vegreville. Every spring and fall the chore of 'taking meals to the field' fell on mother. When I was old enough to wield a butter knife, I was tasked with helping Mom make loaf upon loaf of sandwiches for Dad and the hired men's lunches, along with huge jars of coffee and strong, sweet tea. It would all get packed into big cardboard boxes, stowed in the trunk of Mom's car, and away we'd go to the farm. Supper was a repeat, only this time a hearty, hot meal was prepared, delivered and eaten in the field as there was never a moment to waste when it was either time to seed or harvest. I often saw these days as an unfair waste of my precious childhood time, but now I look back on the hours spent with Mom and lessons learned, and I'm grateful that she tasked me with helping her. In October, 2003, Mom at a sprightly age 83, my sister Pat and I took a mini-vacation together. We went to Banff, as for years Mom had wanted to have High Tea at the Banff Springs Hotel. We made her dream come true, and enjoyed a delicious tea and wonderful weekend in the mountains, soaking in the hot springs, dining out and playing crib in our hotel room. That is, until mother's chair seat collapsed under her and she slipped into the frame, trapped! Pat and I looked on in shock for a moment, then both started howling with laughter! It was quite a sight! Luckily all that was hurt was Mom's dignity, but to her dying day she accused us of 'rigging' her chair, which we absolutely did not! Maybe now you know better, Mom! I'd like to share a short poem written by the inspirational, Christian poet Helen Steiner Rice: "Mothers never really die, they just keep the house up in the sky. They polish the sun by day and light the stars that shine at night, keep the moonbeams silvery bright as in the heavenly home above they wait to welcome those they love." In closing, I'd like to share Mom's last words to me when I left her bedside for the last time: "Goodbye for now." I will love you always and miss you forever, Mom. Joan

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William Kudryk posted a condolence

Saturday, January 28, 2023

I remember with fondness my summers at the farm of Uncle Andy and Aunt Nellie. That's where I learned how to ride a bike, probably with a lot of help from Wayne. Aunt Nellie always treated me with a great deal of kindness and affection. Later in life, she helped and guided me when our mother Mary passed away. I last saw Aunt Nellie June 7, 2019. I promised then that I would come to her funeral. But that was not possible as I was halfway around the world. Her spiritual life meant a lot to her and I'm glad I was able to get the parish priest, Father Dutka to visit her shortly after her 100th birthday. Like so many others, I will miss her. William Kudryk

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Joan Mettauer Posted Jan 31, 2023 at 12:22 PM

Thank you so much for your kind words and memories, William. xxx Joan

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Jack Mallett posted a symbolic gesture

Tuesday, January 24, 2023

When I lived in Vegreville from 2004 to 2019, my wife Patricia and I visited Nellie several times. We became very good close friends. A highlight, among many, was responding to Nellie’s request to take her little car for a needed drive. We would go to the Petro Canada cafe at Innisfree and eat lots, laugh and eat more. One time Nellie asked me to get an oil change on her car, but only had 200 Km since last change, but I was “ instructed “ to proceed as had been a long time. Nellie had opinions and we respected that and so enjoyed her smile and love. Nellie, you made our friendship very precious. Love Jack Mallett