Marie Helen (Nakoneshny) Gerwing

The family of MARIE HELEN GERWING are sad to announce her passing on December 22, 2019, in Humboldt, SK., after a debilitating illness.  Mom was born on Oct. 2, 1932 to Paul and Annie Nakoneshny. As the eldest of nine children on the farm, she quickly learned responsibility and hard work, and so down the line she proved equal to the task of raising 13 children with her dear Freddie in Lake Lenore, SK.  Although mom excelled at many things, such as gardening, needlework and fine cuisine, her real glory lay in the ordinary work she performed daily to keep her family clothed and fed with very basic resources. With ready access to the best produce, meat, dairy, and eggs, the sky was the limit for her culinary talents. Mom was very smart, strong, and creative. And the work she engineered for us! The horror of those mountains of peas to shell or corn to husk, the afternoons picking berries, pulling weeds, picking wild mushrooms, or cleaning things.  Mom was accomplished and tough as nails, but also knew how to have fun and loved to dance. When we’d grow stir crazy indoors, she would do something like deftly toss a deck of cards upon our sizeable dining table with a sound that somehow carried to all corners of the house, and we’d all come running to enjoy hours of fun playing buck or rummy or many other games. Only now do we fully appreciate the method to her madness in keeping us busy, the richness of her knowledge, and the depth of her devotion to her family’s wellbeing. In so few words do we describe our mother.  Mom was predeceased by her dear husband Fred in 2013 and her son Norman in 2010; as well as her parents Annie and Paul, brothers Fred and Joseph, and sister Pat. Left to mourn her are her children Desmond (Karen), Paul, Patricia (Kevin), Phil (Pat), Roberta, Esther, Terry (Karen), Roger (Shelley), Dennis (Cecile), Matthew (Stephanie), Lorne (Gail), and Fred (Shauna) and her daughter-in-law Stacey (Jason), as well as 38 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren. She will also be missed by her siblings – Dave, Emelia, Sylvia, Harvey and Lornie; and extended family of in-laws, nieces, and nephews. The family would like to express their deep appreciation to the staff at St. Mary’s Villa in Humboldt who cared for mom so well during her stay.  Prayers for Marie were held December 29 at 7:00 PM and the mass of Christian burial on December 30 at 11:00 AM, both took place at St. Anthony’s Church in Lake Lenore, SK.   Interment followed in the Parish Cemetery.   Memorial donations in Marie’s memory may be directed to Alphonse Gerwing Foundation or St. Anthony’s Parish (Church Restoration).