My mother was a terrific mom. She was there when I needed her and I loved her very much. She passed away recently after a battle with cancer that started in 1985. She was diagnosed with breast cancer, which she went through chemotherapy and they said they had it. Then six years later they found cancer in the lymph nodes under the arm, which they also "got rid of". Two years ago they found tumors in her brain and said the cancer has spread again. They radiated it once and gave her six months to live. She fought it and the tumors appeared to have stabilized, but unfortunately this year they grew and expanded so much that there was no more room in her head for all the tumors and her brain. The pressure was great. She lost her coordination, motor skills and finally her speech, like a stroke victim. But my mom was a fighter and she hung on as long as she could. We made sure she was comfortable at the end and her family was all there. My dad, my sister, me, two of mom's sisters and my dad's sister were all there for her. She was in her home, in her bed, surrounded by her family. I will miss her so much.
Mom's wish was to be cremated, and I spread her ashes on her father's grave, who she was very close to as a child. She enjoyed life and the little things that gave her pleasure. Her glass of wine and her smoke, seeing family and knowing that my sister and I were doing well.
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Mom died on November 24, 1998 at the age of 58. Her funeral was held on November 28, 1994 in Calgary, Alberta, with all her family there. Her eulogy was given by Holli Appelquist, who was like a third daughter to mom and dad. |
View the are mom grew up in and where I presently live. She was born and raised in a northern community in Alberta in Rocky Lane. I live in a Mennonite community south of there across the Peace River in La Crete.
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This is a view from the Boyer River that runs through many farms in the Rocky Lane area, and close to where mom was born. I was on the bridge (one-lane) that is close to the local looking north (picture on the left) and south (picture on the right) down the river. |  |
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This is of the Rygus family plot in the Rocky Lane cemetery. The picture on the left is looking west from the centre of the cemetery towards the plot, with mom's aunt & uncles, cousins and grandparents. The one on the right is her father's grave (Michael Pylypiw), where her ashes also lay beneath the white stones. The Pylypiw homestead was two miles west of the cemetery. |  |
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I was having fun with shapes and this is a picture of a black bear on the side of the highway between Fort Vermilion and High Level. |