Olga Kozey

It is with great sadness the family announces the passing of our beloved Mom, Grandma/Baba Olga Kozey on November 12, 2015 at the Pasqua Hospital in Regina at the age of 87. Olga arrived on this Earth August 2nd, 1928 in Goodeve Saskatchewan. A beautiful daughter to Wasyl and Kateryna (Bekesh) Pankiw. Olga grew up in the Goodeve area on the farm. She attended Halech School for approximately 8 years when a decision came about to quit school to help her family out on the farm as 2 of her brothers set out to join the military. Here now, Olga helped without complaint on the farm, in the fields, with livestock, in the home cooking, cleaning and keeping (at her best) all her siblings in order. Olga perfected the art of cooking and baking. Her passion was making dozens upon dozens of perogies and cabbage rolls. Upon her perfecting the skills of homemaking, Olga was ready for marriage. Meeting the love of her life Peter Kozey, they married in Goodeve in 1950. They settled on the Kozey family homestead just North of highway 15 between Goodeve and Hubbard, with Hubbard being home. Farm life and working hard was what Olga knew. Never complaining and always working tending to the cattle, feeding and milking, cleaning stalls, raising chickens, pigs. All the while raising 4 children, helping out with her live - in inlaws, keeping everyone fed, keeping the house clean, cutting grass, looking after her enormous garden, tending to the fields upon harvest. It was a tireless non ending cycle for Olga, with sleep being a foreign word for her. Olga was used to getting up on Mondays at 3am to do laundry. This was the norm for her. Olga and Peter regularly attended Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Holy Ghost in Goodeve. Olga enjoyed socializing with family and friends. She enjoyed dancing, visiting, playing 3 spot, cribbage, picking mushrooms and chokecherries and always being the one to have enough food made for everyone - always! This all the while keeping up with her daily duties of being a wife, mom, grandma and homemaker. Olga always had that one stick of Juicy Fruit gum in her purse and always was willing to let another have it. She never complained and always provided for others first. After almost 50 years on the family farm, retirement was in hand and they sold the family farm and retired to the city of Yorkton.
Keeping with her faith, she attended the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of Yorkton. Upon Peter's passing in September of 2002, Olga lived in their 'dream home' until July of 2006. Here is where she decided to move to her own condo in Regina where she lived out her final years close to her family and friends. Always having thoughts of visiting and having visitors, she became extremely close to Jake Dorish, son of Robert Dorish. It was as she described 'her boy' and never a day went by that she didn't find time to see Jake or at least talk to him.
Olga was predeceased by her Father Wasyl (1974), Mother Kateryna (1978), husband Peter, brother Nicholas (1984) and sister Mary (2014). Olga is survived by 2 daughters, Elaine (George) Dorish, Karen (Nick) Oltean; sons, Richard (Mabel) Kozey, Donald (Linda) Kozey; sisters, Linda (Brent) Simmons, Darlene (Mike) Baran and brothers John (Catherine) Pankiw, Mike (Helen) Pankiw and Russel (Rosalie) Pankiw. Grandsons Rob Dorish (Rhonda), Rylan Kozey, Corey Kozey (Lynelle), Evan Kozey, Michael Kozey, Tyler Oltean, Brent Oltean and granddaughters Kimberly Dorish, Tiffany Kozey and Nichole Oltean and great grandchildren Mathew, Samantha, Breanne and Jake Dorish, Hunter, Reid and Hudson Kozey.A Prayer Service was held on Thursday, November 19, 2015 and the Funeral Service on Friday, November 20, 2015 at Holy Transfiguration Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Yorkton with Very Rev. Father Mel Slashinsky officiating. The responses were led by Yvonne Panchuk & parish choir members. The cross bearer was Ron Pankiw. The Interment followed in the Garden of Gethsemane at Yorkton Memorial Gardens with Rob Dorish, Jake Dorish, Andrew Kozey, Russel Pankiw, Mike Pankiw and Brandon Krushelnicki serving as the casket bearers. Memorials honouring Olga's life may be made to the Alzheimer's Association. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.baileysfuneralhome.com
Vichnaya Pamyat! Memory Eternal!