Obituary of Lydia Lillian Woytko

On March 24th, 2017 we sadly said goodbye to our beloved Mom and Grandma. She was just a week away from her 86th birthday. Lydia, along with her sister Mabel (Johnson) and brother Albert were born and raised on the family farm near Arelee, SK to parents Martha (nee Parkunow) and Peter Heichman. As a young woman she moved to Saskatoon to attend seamstress school and soon after met her husband Mike, who was studying theology. Together they operated their family business Acme Printing, made some life-time friends through their involvement with Ukrainian Baptist Church, and raised three children, Linda, Dave and Arleen. After Mikeʼs passing (1975), Mom worked for the Hudson Bay Company until she turned sixty and retired. Mom was happiest to be at home where she always had baking, coffee, and homemade iced tea ready for family and friends that would stop by. Gospel music and CJWW could always be heard in Momʼs house. She would be seen in the early morning tending to her flowers and vegetable garden. She was grateful for good neighbours, and appreciated their friendships and kindness. As years went by Mom continued to keep in touch with her friends and many cousins by phone. Her phone line was especially busy on her birthday. She touched the lives of many people throughout her life and she will be fondly remembered by all who knew her. We miss you Mom. Love, Linda, Dave & Paddy, and Arleen. From her grandchildren: Grandma had a tremendous impact on our lives. She showed us her support in so many ways, from attending recitals, competitions and activities, to just listening and giving advice after a bad day. We were always welcomed into her home with a glass of homemade iced tea and her latest dessert she had made. She was a strong, humble, independent worker that took pride in what she did. This was apparent in her yard and garden, her cross stitching, crocheting and sewing, her cooking, and her home. There was always a joke about how everything Grandma did was perfect and pristine, and a level above anything anyone else could do. Her strength also shone through in her personality. She was always warm and welcoming, but would never hesitate to speak her mind or put someone in their place if the situation called for it. Her famous “grandma sassiness” is something we have all always loved, and the stories of it have been enjoyed by many. We are grateful for the dresses she made for us girls every year, our knitted sweaters and the coin collections she spent years gathering for us. We will forever cherish all the afternoons we spent at her home, the stories and memories she shared with us. Love you Grandma ... Colton, Daniel, Jordan, Leah and Jensen. We would like to thank Momʼs care providers for their kindness and dedication, including the staff at RUH who cared for her during her recent short stay in hospital, and most especially her physician, Dr. Jill Farrukh.