Mary Korolchuk

Prayers Service

Monday, July 20th

7:00 p.m.

Tompkins Funeral Chapel

Funeral Service

Tuesday, July 21st

2:00 p.m.

Quill Lake United Church

Mary Korolchuk was born on the family farm in the Fosston area on November 18, 1931, to Pete and Nellie Kryzanowski. She was the oldest of six children. When Mary was a young girl, her father passed away and she stayed home from school to help her mother and two younger brothers, Billy and Andy, with the family farm. Later her mother married Harry Riopka and three more sons were born, John, Sam and Steve. Mary met and later married Tony Korolchuk of Quill Lake on September 10, 1950, and they started their life together. In 1953, they bought their own farm, which included a two-room house and barn. There they grew crops, raised cattle, hogs, chickens, ducks, geese, and not to mention five children. In 1967, they moved into a brand new house with three bedrooms and a huge kitchen so that Mary would have lots of room to make bread and cook for the growing family. In 1981, she began working as a cook's helper at Weneeda Park Lodge in Wadena then later at Wadena Hospital. Also that year, Mary and Tony retired from the farm and moved into Wadena. Mary continued to work until 1991 when she retired. She then poured her energy into her house and garden, and was a familiar sight having coffee downtown twice a day. As her grandchildren came along, it was always an open door at Baba's and Papa's, and she delighted in the time that she spent with them. Her eyes would sparkle when anyone of them would be there. She always had time to bake and cook with them, and an endless supply of homemade playdough for them. A couple years after Tony passed away, she decided that the house was too big for her and she sold it and moved into senior housing and was quite comfortable there. She had a small garden and flowers outside and could be found poking around out there, as she had a green thumb and could make anything grow. In 2013 her health declined and she had to move into the nursing home. She loved when family came to visit and her eyes still contained that sparkle when the grandkids and great-grandkids came to visit. Mary was predeceased by her parents; step-father; brothers, Bill and Andy; her husband Tony, and son-in-law Russell. She leaves to mourn her passing, Elsie, Phyllis (Gerry), Ron (Donna), Ed (Shelley), and Georgina (Dat); grandchildren, Shanine (Young), Juanita, Carla (Al), Cianna (Jeff), Daylon (Courtney), D'Neil (Ashley), Evan, Taralyn, Caitlyn (Ryan), Brittany and Sean; great-grandchildren, Tien, Taya, Jayden, Memphis, Field, Graysen and Grady; brothers, John, Sam, Steve, and their families.