It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Mary Skoworodko on Tuesday, May 30, 2023, at the Grande Prairie Care Centre. She was 91 years young.

Mary was born on January 8, 1932, on the farm near Ksituan, AB. Her parents Micael “Mike” Skopiuk Kutrowski and Tekla “Tillie” Pashawch Kutrowski had immigrated to Canada with her brothers Bill, Nick, Walter and John. Mary and her sisters Nettie and Rosie were born in Canada.

Mary went to school in Ksituan and Blueberry.

On February 18, 1950, she married William (Bill) Skoworodko. Mary was a very hard-working woman her whole life. She raised large gardens, animals, and children on the farm. Those were busy years as Alex, Gordon, Phyllis, and Shirley joined the family. In 1970, they moved to Grande Prairie and, in 1972, built a new house that Mary lived in until she moved into the Grande Prairie Care Centre in October 2022. Needless to say, her front yard had beautiful flowers and trees, and the back yard was taken over almost completely by a large garden and many trees and bushes that produced all the food she could preserve every fall. Mary also worked for many years as a Janitor at Hillside School.

She worked hard but also liked to travel and have fun. She was a great cook and hosted many family gatherings. She enjoyed family, friends, card parties and dancing. She loved picking wild berries and mushrooms and went many miles for the best picking. Bill and Mary took a month-long trip to Ukraine/Poland. It was a very different life than she was used to. They also hosted family from Ukraine who visited Canada.

Over the years things changed and a new Bill came into Mary’s life. Mary and Bill Konopelka met at a dance and they danced through many happy years together. They also took trips to Alaska, California, Florida and many more.

Mary is survived by companion Bill Konopelka; son Gordon (Donna), granddaughters Kimberly Skoworodko, Shelley (Josh) McCorkle, and Lori (Terry) Wood; daughter Phyllis (Al) Longson, grandsons Ben (Lindy) Chester, and Evan (Allyson) Chester, and granddaughter Alana (Bryce) MacPherson; daughter Shirley Skoworodko; daughter-in-law Jean Skoworodko and granddaughters Adrienne (Wade) and Amanda (Kelly) Deley; as well as her great-grandchildren: Micah Chester, Grayson and Hudson Wood,

Brady McCorkle, Sophie, Liam and Ella MacPherson, Kash and Jack Chester, Emma and Abby Scott, Emmett, and Oliver and Isla Deley.

She was predeceased by her beloved son Alex and her parents, brothers and sisters.

Mary lived a long and productive life and will be dearly missed by her loving family and all the friends she has made through the years.

Gordon, Phyllis, Shirley and Bill would like to say a very special thank you to everyone who sat with Mary for many hours during her last days, and to Brady for all the books he read to his Baba. Thanks also to the staff of the Grande Prairie Care Centre for the excellent care she received and also to Tanya, her Palliative Care Nurse.

A Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, June 10, 2023, at 2:00 pm, at Spirit of Peace United Church in Spirit River (4902 45 Ave.) with Reverend Harold Imes officiating.

A private interment for immediate family only will be held at a later time at Devale Cemetery.