KROCHAK - Gladys Rose (Klus) Krochak was born on April 26, 1943 to John and Rose Klus (Tymaftey) of Goodeve, Saskatchewan. Gladys would be the third child of five children blessed to this family. On the morning of October 13, 2016 with both her son’s by her side she made her way to heaven. How do you sum up 73 years of someone’s life into a few paragraphs and not forget some thing? How does one put into words to the love she gave freely to comfort others? The three of us have put are thoughts together and this is our mom and memories of our amazing life with her. I am sure as soon as this goes to print we will be kicking ourselves for forgetting something… Mom, accept our apologies please we hope we come close to doing you the kindness and love you so deserve. You could never take the farm out of mom’s soul. Up before dawn to do chores with the family before school was how the day started and how it ended. Hard work was a way of life that she never complained about and pass on to her three children. Mom attended Goodeve Public School until grade 8 when her help was needed full time on this farm. No complaining it had to be done. In later years she would complete her grade 12 GED. Even though it wasn’t’ “our farm” the 3 of us were there helping as much as we could usually every weekend. It also became something we loved and somewhere we needed to be. A place where we also needed to breath that air. Later in her late teen years she ventured out to the city of Regina to live and work with her sister Laverne. Mom took a job as a cashier at a little corner store I believe is still on Victoria Street. I can remember her telling me every time we drove by it like it was yesterday. Of course no tour was complete without seeing the suite they lived in. Cousins would meet there to visit and map out where the nearest dance that was to be attended. Soon after her venture out to Regina she would meet the father to her children. The marriage would last fifteen years and they welcomed three children Brent, Shayne and Kimberley. No Women’s Shelter, no 911 or Kids’s Help Phone and no Food Bank she did this all on her very own. This is where we learnt the characteristics and strength mom would encounter being a single parent in the late 70’s. These lessons mom endured would show us the kind of parents we would want become. To say times were tough on the four of us would be a slight under statement but as always she would not complain and do the very best she could for us. Never once did we feel unloved. We might not have had everything our friends did but this is where we learned the important of family and being together. Mom had a variety of jobs over her lifetime including; The Fibre Form in Tisdale, Health Care Aid in Weyburn and Yorkton, KFC in Yorkton, York Lake Golf Course, cleaning and kitchen staff at the Classic Inn and front desk at the King George in Melville. Of course her greatest accomplishment and impact was her 25 year service and dedication the clients who were like family to her at Ann Cameron Place and Rail City Industries. She loved those clients like her own children. Very seldom did she turn down an extra shift if a coworker was in need of help. This is a lady that had a great love for all sports. It could be watching them live in person, participating in them or simply the pleasure of watch on TV. She attended her grandchildren’s sports as much as possible. However not so much it would conflict with the garden. Who knows while she is now in heaven she just might be able to help out those Toronto Maple Leafs she loves so much, they need all the help they can get. This love for sports created the three of us into the most dedicated Saskatchewan Roughrider Fans. My brothers and I text and call each other through every game. Mom was always on standby with her phone awaiting our call for the latest play. She played ball, curled and golfed. You always knew she would pick up the phone and was home during the Blue Jays or curling games. She’s be sure to give you the highlights even if you weren’t interested…we always listened as we knew we did really have a choice. Besides sports mom enjoyed her garden, cooking and baking and lets not forget bingo and garage sales. Mom supplemented her income for many years of hauling her perogies, cabbage rolls and baking all around at Farmer’s Markets. I can remember her pre-orders for Lemon Meringue Pies and Lemon Chiffon Poppy Seed cakes to make for her regular customers at the Crook Lake Market.Bingo was an outing with friends and family and the laughs were plenty. Usually the same group that was her garage sale buddies. You never knew what you really didn’t need that was a deal. The garden what can you say here but heaven forbid she didn’t plant enough. The hours and dedication were unmeasurable and it was the only time you couldn’t get her on the phone. Not only the kids helped out with love she convinced the grandchildren and her great grandchild. It would always be funny to see those little heads pop up from the rows of plants…. “look what Baba and I are doing” and their proud smiles to be her helper for the day.
Her cooking was never less than amazing and delicious. Most days you couldn’t get your shoes off and she was asking if you were hungry and when the last time you ate. She made sure each of her children had their favorites. However when her grandchildren came along our favorites kind of went out the window to comply with theirs. Not to worry not one of us ever suffered from malnutrition. To this day I am sure all of us cook to much food, “cuz you wouldn’t want to be short and we can freeze the leftovers. Tradition of being Ukrainian Catholic and family were of huge importance to her. Not to worry mom it will be your legacy and you know we have already past it to your grandkids.I can remember shortly after mom became a single parent we had to decide which Christmas we would celebrate as there was not enough money for both English and Ukrainian Christmas. It wasn’t much of a debate at all for the 4 of us it was to be Ukrainian Christmas. Days and hours would be spent cooking and preparing. The fight would be on from her three kids eye balling one another for the last salmon perogie. Not as much competition over the prune or poppy seed ones we had to eat. Never to worry she always had more hiding in the freezer. It is funny how what we call English Christmas can be celebrated on different days of the week to accommodate schedules for families. Not Gladys for Ukrainian Christmas. It was January 6 and 7 and you best be there. Once the table was cleared and all joined in the kitchen to clean and do dishes it was time for game of cards or spoons. Cards of Three-Spot, Hola or Kanasta usually only had a few fighting words expressed. However when it came down to a game of contact body slamming spoons this usually never ended very well (for us adults that is). Mom would be hollering at one of us that the table was going to bust, of course don’t forget someone’s gonna lose an eye. Thankfully she didn’t seem to find the extra holes in the ceiling until we were hours gone on the highway. Don’t worry she called us to inform us we were in trouble. With a hug and kiss we’d be playing at the next family gathering. We got smart and started bootsing the grandchildren up to reach the spoons that went flying of the top of the cupboards and to the back to the fridge. She may have had a bark but once we brought her grandchildren back to see her all was forgiven and another round of spoons would start. She laughed over this new thing we brought into her world called, “beer darts”. How is it that one soul can touch so many people in so many different ways with her own brand of love for others? Genuinely giving of all she could never to ask or expect in return. Oh mom we will miss all that laughter even the funny way you pronounced words with extra or missing letters. Honest mom sandwich has never been spelled with an R and mom thumb does have an H in it. Time is a luxury that we are never given with this lifetime each of us are given. However, if we use this one lifetime to the very fullest one is all we need. It does not matter how many years we are on this physical earth, it matters what you put into those years. Take the time to make that call to whoever is on your mind. To write a note to someone you are thinking of. Things can change in the blink of an eye. It is better to say, “so happy I did that” instead “why didn’t I?” or “I wish I would have done that”. Until we all meet again mom. We love you more than you could ever imagine. Enjoy your time catching up with family and friends up in heaven.
Remaining here on earth to remember her with love and a lifetime of memories are her 3 children: Brent (Shannon) of Yorkton, Sk. Shayne (Denise) of Earl Grey, Sk., Kimberley of Killam, AB., 6 grandchildren Cole, Amanda, Morgan, Dyllan, Aryn, Chad, 1 great grand child Payton and another on the way. Brothers Melvin Klus and Gerald Klus both of Goodeve and sister in law Carol (Art) Wheeler of Brooks, AB, numerous nieces nephews, family and friends. Mom joins in heaven her parents John & Rose Klus, brother Leonard, sister Laverne and her husband Jerome, sister in law Helen and great grandbaby Finley, nephews Kevin Wheeler and Derek Klus.

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