Pauline Klewchuk

Pauline was born on June 3, 1923 on the family farm in the Dnieper district of Saskatchewan. She was the daughter of John W. and Maria Oystryk. Pauline was the second oldest of nine children. She attended the Cedric School through Grade 8 and then helped her parents on the family farm, preferring to spend time outside rather than inside.

She married Nick Klewchuk on May 8, 1943. They spent the first two years of their married life in Victoria, British Columbia, where Nick was stationed during World War II. In 1944 they settled near their parents on a farm in Saskatchewan where their first four children were born. In 1952 Pauline and Nick moved north to the mining town of Flin Flon, Manitoba and purchased the Willowvale Grocery store in partnership with the family of Pauline’s older sister Anne. Pauline loved to chat with the customers and was well known in the Flin Flon community.

Pauline could be found working in her garden almost every morning during the growing season each and every year she lived in Flin Flon. She was well known for her cooking and baking, most notably bread and buns, perogies, cabbage rolls, apple pies and cinnamon buns. She absolutely loved soup, especially borscht.

Outside the home she enjoyed curling, bowling, playing cards, picking mushrooms and blueberries, and dancing at the Oldtimers’ Dances. She was an avid Toronto Blue Jays fan, cheering them on in good years and bad. She spent many nights in the summer watching baseball and watching professional curling in the winter.

She was a member of the St. George Parish of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church and the Flin Flon branch of the Salvation Army. She was an active volunteer in her church community, as well as Lion L’s, the Flin Flon Youth Justice Committee and Al-Anon.

Pauline was a devoted mother to three sons, Peter Klewchuk (Lesley) of Kimberley, BC, John Klewchuk of Flin Flon, MB and Wesley Klewchuk (Trish) of Minitonas, MB and seven daughters, Dianne Soltys (Wayne) of Spruce Grove, AB, Betty Macdonald (Don) of Sidney, BC, Val Simpson (Doug) of Airdrie, AB, Debi Jensen (Paul) of Blackfalds, AB, Gayle Buckel (Rick) of Spruce Grove, AB, Caroline Bartz (Allan) of Ft. Saskatchewan, AB and Patricia Klewchuk of Calgary, AB. Sadly, Pauline lost her husband, Nick to cancer in 1979.

Once her children had families of their own she spent considerable time filling their freezers with various baked treats and frozen meals. She was the proud matriarch of an extended family that includes 22 grand-children and 18 great grand-children, teaching many of them her cooking skills in their kitchens.

Grand-children include Tim Soltys (Heather) of Edmonton, AB, Travis Soltys (Maria) of Stony Plain, AB, Paul Macdonald , Jeremy Macdonald (Svetla) of Montreal, QC, Tyler Simpson (Rene) of Airdrie, AB, Sean Macdonald, Tracy Simpson of Lloydminster, AB, Daniel Klewchuk of Salmo, BC, Angela O’Brien Klewchuk (James) of Winnipeg, MB, Tara Levick (Randy) of Airdire, AB, Robert Klewchuk (Kristen) of Kimberley, BC, Nicholas O’Brien Klewchuk of Winnipeg, MB, Kevin Buckel (Xandrine) of Red Deer, AB, Matthew Jensen of Red Deer, AB, Jennifer Buckel of Kelowna, BC, Erica O’Brien Klewchuk of Winnipeg, MB, Hannah Jensen of Lacombe, AB, Clayton Bartz (Joanne) of Ft. Saskatchewan, AB, Lucas Bartz (Kassie) of Edmonton, AB, Justin Jensen of Edmonton, AB, Rebecca Bartz of Hinton, AB and Emily Bartz of Ft. Saskatchewan, AB.

Great grand-children include Nolan Soltys (Amy), Amanda Soltys, Cassidy Soltys, Lauren Soltys, Mason Levick, Hailey Simpson, Martin Macdonald, Taylor Levick, Isabel Klewchuk, Cooper Simpson, Morgan Page, Bennett Klewchuk, Kayleigh Buckel, Laura Macdonald, Lina Page, Hugh Klewchuk, Lena Mae Bartz and Marceline Buckel.

Pauline caught the travel bug in her 60’s. Over the course of 20 years she travelled to over 25 different countries on six continents. She rode her first camel in Tunisia!

In 2013 she moved to Alberta and spent the remainder of her life near most of her family. She lived at Cedarwood Station in Airdrie, Alberta for six years, and spent the last year of her life at Newport Harbour Care Centre in Calgary, Alberta.

Pauline was predeceased by her parents John and Maria, husband Nick, brother Fred, sisters Anne and Margie, and grandsons Paul and Sean. She is survived by four brothers and one sister: John Oystryk of Canora, SK, Effie Todoschuk (Mike) of Flin Flon, MB, Mike Oystryk (Ester) of Vernon, BC, Nick Oystryk (Vivian) of Peachland, BC and George Oystryk of Biggar, SK.

Pauline will be remembered for her warm and caring nature by her extensive family and the many people whose lives she touched each and every day.

In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Salvation Army, Flin Flon branch.

Funeral Services will be held on Saturday, March 12, 2022 starting at 11:00 AM at the Flin Flon Salvation Army Citadel, 3 Hemlock Drive, Flin Flon.  Reception to follow in the lower hall of the Flin Flon Salvation Army Citadel. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed here.