Obituary of Mary Eleanor Stefan

Mary Eleanor Stefan (nee Bock) Mary passed away in her 92nd year on February 20, 2017 at Pioneer Village, Regina, SK. Mary was born August 15, 1925 in Piotrkow, Poland to Olga and Adolph Bock. She was the eldest of 8 children, 2 born in Poland, 6 in Canada. They emigrated to Canada in May of 1928 arriving in Halifax. They journeyed across Canada to Saskatchewan via the railway. They settled in the Rocanville-Wapella area moving many times, sometimes living with 2 or 3 other families. They finally settled on the farm outside Rocanville and the family continued to grow. Mary went to school until grade 3 and then had to stay home to help on the farm. She greatly resented that, she loved school. As a young woman she worked for other families in the area. The Actons and Martins were her favorites. On November 23, 1950 she married Edmund Stefan, whom she had known since childhood. They eventually moved to the Stefan farm north of Wapella. There they raised 3 daughters Debra, Janet, and Pat. Mom always had a large garden and lots of chickens and enjoyed doing her own canning, pickling and baking and was an avid reader. She also enjoyed attending St. John’s Lutheran Church in Wapella. In 1974, due to Ed’s failing health, they sold the farm moved to Chilliwack, BC. Mary lived there for 21 years, but moved back to Regina in 1995, 2 years after Ed’s passing. She always remembered a poem she learnt at school called “Trees” and could recite it perfectly right up to the end. She is predeceased by her husband Edmund, her parents, sister Eugenia and brothers Herb and Edward. She is survived by her 3 daughters and 4 grandchildren – Dawn Dosenberger (Kevin), Lloyd Shaw (Jennifer), Cory Shaw (Terra), Evan Stefan, plus 8 great-grandchildren; her sisters Anne Hutchinson, Olga Crawford and Helene Quendack; 1 brother Fred Bock and many wonderful nieces and nephews. Thank you to the staff at Albert Park Senior Home and Pioneer Village 2W for their good care. A Service of Remembrance will follow in June 2017.