MARIA MANIAWSKI
It is with heavy hearts but hope in God’s promises that the family announces the peaceful passing of Maria Maniawski on Thursday, September 30th, 2021 at 10:10 p.m. at the age of 95 years, with her children at her side. A loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, faithful Christian and dedicated friend, Maria touched the hearts and lives of so many. God blessed Maria with an amazing and abundant life filled with a close and loving family, wonderful friendships, and countless cherished experiences. Her legacy of love for her family and friends, serving God through her Christian walk, zeal for life and endless generosity to others will be forever cherished. We honour and pay tribute to an amazing woman who meant so much to so many.
Maria was predeceased by her parents, Roman and Olga Czyrak; husband, Emil; grandson, Dillon Marciszyn; brother and sister-in-law, Stefan and Justyna Czyrak; niece, Anna Czyrak; and sister and brother-in-law, Anna and Mikolaj (Nick) Pietrus. Maria will be dearly missed by her daughter, Anne (Dale) Marciszyn and son, John; grandsons that she cherished, Adam and Derek Marciszyn; nephews: Henryk (Joanne) Pietrus, Metro (Brenda) Pietrus and Roman (Wendy) Pietrus; nieces, Ewa (Jozef) Wojcik and Irena (Dariusz) Gumiela; cousin, John Szarun; as well as cousins, nephews and nieces in Canada, Poland and Ukraine, and many close friends.
The journey of Maria’s long and abundant life was filled with experiences and relationships that shaped her wonderful, loving, and caring character. Maria deeply loved her family, and faithfully served God through life. She was a true friend - generous, selfless, compassionate, and considerate, helping friends and strangers alike. Maria was adventurous, courageous, strong, and determined, which enabled her to live her life to the fullest and navigate through life’s troubled waters. She was intelligent, prudent, and witty, which was balanced with her humility, honesty, and kindness. All remember her for her endless energy and meticulous nature.
“It is good to have an end to journey toward, but it is the journey that matters, in the end.” – Ernest Hemingway
Born in Zamch, Poland on September 27th, 1926, Maria spent the early years of her life pursuing her love of learning, contributing to demanding work on her parent’s farm, and developing her Christian faith as a Bible Student. Maria and her family endured significant hardships and experiences during World War II including poverty, death of friends and family, and displacement. It was through these difficult experiences that Maria developed her strong faith in God, focus on family, strength, resilience, and unselfish desire to help others. Following the war, Maria focused on helping her parents, working on the farm and as a seamstress, and serving her family’s close-knit community. Maria cherished her parents, brother, sister and their families, and developed many life-long relationships during this time. Maria’s wonderful, signature smile, fun-loving nature and enthusiastic sense of humour were released during this happier time of her life. Years later, she shared her experiences and special times in Poland with her family, and maintained her many friendships through continued letter writing and periodic trips home.
Maria’s life journey took her on many new paths when she immigrated with her parents to Canada on the ship MS Batory in November 1958. Following her immigrant landing in Quebec City on December 6th, 1958, Maria and her parents travelled to Winnipeg where they made their new home. Maria worked hard in various seamstress jobs and on farms, while learning English as a fourth language. Maria met her handsome and gentle Emil in early 1962 and the two were married on June 15th, 1962.
Transferring with Emil’s job with CPR, Maria and Emil moved to Moose Jaw in late 1962, which is where they raised their family and settled for the rest of their lives. Dedicated to making a better life for her family, Maria balanced raising her two children and working as a seamstress at Canaday’s and in several cleaning jobs at City Hall, SGI, SaskPower, and SaskTel until her retirement in 1990. Maria raised her family in a Christian home, which focused on the importance of hard work, education, and the need to help others. Maria’s home was always open to friends, whether they were part of her Polish/Ukrainian social group playing cards on a Saturday evening, or a local Christian group participating in a Bible study on Sunday afternoon. She enjoyed cooking delightful Ukrainian dishes for her family and friends, organizing picnics for the neighborhood children, holding large birthday parties for her children, joining in tobogganing races, or playing hockey with her son. Maria loved entertaining and having fun!
Maria’s journey in her retirement years was spent doing the things that she loved: enjoying and helping her children and grandchildren in countless ways; visiting many friends in hospitals and senior homes; and traveling with family across western Canada to see God’s beauty in nature, several times to Poland to visit family and friends from her early years, and regularly to Calgary to visit her son. Some of her most cherished moments were times spent with her grandsons, Adam and Derek. Maria was active in her senior years, enjoying her love of gardening, doing her daily walks in Crescent Park, attending her grandchildren’s sports activities, and continuing her love of learning. She celebrated her children’s and grandchildren’s accomplishments and was always ready to support her family during life’s challenges.
Our Mom loved and served God throughout her life. She enjoyed praying and reading the Bible daily, attending Bible Student conventions across Canada, the U.S., and Poland, and embracing fellowship with other Christian groups including the First Baptist Church in Moose Jaw. She focused on helping and serving others in need, and demonstrating a Christian life through her example of daily living. God blessed Mom with a full, abundant life, sustained her during life’s many challenges and guided her restoration to a healthy, happy, and fulfilling life during her last year.
Mom leaves behind endless, cherished memories and a legacy that will remain forever with all who knew and loved her. We love you Mom, miss you dearly, but look forward to that glorious day when we meet again!
Our family wishes to thank our special friends, Mariam Nganzo and her care team at Marcie’s Care Home, who provided quality care and friendship for Mom over the past year and half when the Covid environment made it difficult for her children to care for her in her home. Thank you to Judy, Daljit, Colleen, Brenda, and Sandra, who helped us provide care and companionship for Mom in her home for the previous five years. We also thank Dr. Van Heerden, her doctor of many years, Dr. King, her doctor over the past year, and the caregivers at the DR. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital, who provided gentle, compassionate care to Mom during the final week of her earthly life. Although our goal was always to have Mom return home, our Heavenly Father chose to bring her Home.
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow,
nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain:
for the former things are passed away.”
Revelation 21:4
A Funeral Service with family and close friends celebrating Maria’s life and legacy will be held on Tuesday, October 12th, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. in Moose Jaw Funeral Home. In the interest of protecting the health and safety of others and maintaining Covid-19 protocols during the ongoing pandemic, the family has limited in person participation at the funeral. The family requests friends wishing to attend the service to contact them directly or at tributetomaria@shaw.ca. Those unable to attend the service are invited to view the service virtually by going to www.moosejawfuneralhome.com/webcast/. In lieu of flowers, donations in Maria’s name may be made to a charity of one’s choice. As part of the Bench in Memory program, a park bench has been donated in the memory of our Mom and Dad to the Moose Jaw Crescent Park for the enjoyment of our community of the beautiful greenspace and nature that they so loved. Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane. Michelle Ellis, Funeral Director 306-693-4550 www.moosejawfuneralhome.com
