Mary Olynick
October 16, 1933 — June 23, 2014
Funeral Service
June 27, 2014
10:00 a.m.
Quill Lake Community Hall
Mary Olynick passed away peacefully at Quill Plains Centennial Lodge in Watson, Sask., on June 23, 2014, with her family by her side.
Mary was born on October 16, 1933, on a farm north of Clair, Sask., the first child born to Alex and Anne Manastyrski. She was raised on this family farm and attended Park Villa School.
She married the love of her life, Bill Olynick on February 5, 1949, and they moved to a farm in the Scrip district. There they raised a family of four, two sons and two daughters: Dewayne, Dolores, Dennis and Debbie.
They remained on the farm until 1977; then they moved to Quill Lake and took over managing the local coffee shop for almost a year. From there, Mary was hired as a cook at Quill Plains Centennial Lodge in Watson, where she did an amazing job feeding all the residents and spoiling them with all her special treats.
Bill and Mary later became the janitors of the Quill Lake Elementary School, where Mary soon became "Baba" to everyone. She often rescued her grandchildren and other children by opening up the school after hours so they could get their books and the homework they had forgotten to take home earlier that day. (The teachers also enjoyed the coffee and treats she often had ready for them at the start of the school day!)
Mary was an avid gardener and cook, but undoubedly her main pride and joy were her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed all their visits and feeding them until they burst! Then they all had to go home with extra food packages. No one ever left Mary's house hungry and the coffee pot was always on.
Mary was predeceased by her parents; brothers, Andy, Nick and Lorne; sisters-in-law, Helen and Jean; and nephew Darryl.
She is surived by her two sons and two daughters: Dewayne (Gloria) and children, Holly (Dallas) and children, Anna and Elena, and Brendan; Dolores and daughter Melissa (Jon); Dennis (Cindy) and children, Trevor (Jill) and Kaylan, Ryder and Blake, Amber (Rodney) and William and Thea, Amy (Curtis) and Jayda and Wyant, and Troy (Jessica) and Aiden; Debbie (Dale) and Taryn; brother Ron (Deb); sister-in-law Evelyn; as well as numerous nieces and nephews.