November 6, 1932 – November 10, 2020

Helen Werstiuk was born in Buchanan, Saskatchewan on 6th, November 1932.

Helen’s family, with aching hearts, announce the loss of their beloved mother, sister, grandmother and friend, at 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday 10th, November 2020.

Helen leaves behind her children Jeanette, Peggy and Marvin, (daughter in-law Mary), Patricia (whom Helen considered as a daughter), her grandchildren – Brandon, Kessiah, Tristan, Tyler and Marissa, her brothers Peter (sister in-law Betty), Ernie and Eugene, her sister Marie, former spouse of 37 years Steve, and many nieces and nephews.

Predeceased by her parents George and Annie, her brothers Nick, John and Steve.

Helen will be famously remembered for her uniting all of the family together for the holidays (Christmas, Easter and Thanksgiving). The memories of her traditional Ukrainian feasts which she excelled in and which brought great joy will forever live on. Helen was also a fun grandmother.

Helen grew up on a farm in a secluded area of Saskatchewan with her parents and six siblings. One bright day a tall red-head in a white shirt rode his horse to the farm to purchase a bottle of home brew & the connection was made. Soon after Helen & John married. They moved to Quesnel, B.C. in 1953. Helen took on jobs like cooking at a camp, washing dishrags at a Chinese restaurant and pressing clothes at a dry cleaners (probably why she ironed tea towels and everything else that went into the washing machine). She managed and cooked in two restaurants until Helen & John bought the Quesnel Drive-In (a car-hop drive-in) and made it one of the most successful drive-ins in Quesnel. People from the States would come to the drive-in for their chicken & Jo-Jo potatoes. Many stories to be heard in the drive-in chapter.

In 1968 Helen went to visit her sister in Kamloops and fell in love with the landscape. Shortly after Helen and John moved to Kamloops.

Helen worked extremely hard as her husband fell ill & Helen had to keep things afloat. Although, she did like to keep busy. We were always the best dressed in school & our cupboards were always overflowing with food. John made breakfast & Helen always cooked a delicious dinner after coming home from work, no matter how tired.

In 1972 John passed away. Helen met Steve and they married a year later. Helen worked very hard as a cook and bartender at The Village Hotel. Helen and Steve had a beautiful home in Aberdeen, Kamloops and spent many a winter in Yuma, Arizona. They spent a wonderful 37 years together which entailed work, retirement and travelling the world.

Helen’s sense of unique humour endeared her to all. Her strong willed presence filled a room.

No one could have said it better than her former spouse Steve when he proposed “I have never met such a strong, hard working woman who could go through so much and still endure.”

See you on the other side and rest now in the arms of God. We will love you always.

You may offer condolences by visiting First Memorial Funeral Services.

• Date : 2020-11-10
• Location : Kamloops, BC