Helen Derewianchuk
Obituary
It is with heavy hearts and overwhelming sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, baba, great-baba, sister and auntie, Helen Derewianchuk (Makowsky) who left her earthly home on Monday, May 5, 2025.
Mother will be forever lovingly remembered by her children, Susan Phillips; Jim (Mary-ann); Kathy (Michael) Bially; Iris (Don) Goodfellow; Richard (Regina); Rachel (Barry) Hudson.
Mother was a cherished baba to her grandchildren, Reggie (Julieth), Jeremy (Lisa), Mike (Chelsea), Dallas (David), Nik (Jade), Tom (Jenna), Keith, Chelsea (Chirag), Shelby (Drey), Mitchell, Madison, Hillary, Ashley and Chloe.
Proud great-baba to great-grandchildren, Nicole, Tayah, Jack, Arjun, Michael, Sophia, Isla and John. She was also blessed with step-grandchildren: Lana, Mickey, Kiersten (Court) and Sofia.
Helen is also survived by her brother Nick and sister Marie Bugera, along with many loving nieces and nephews.
She was predeceased by her husband Matt (2008), her parents, Nykola and Anna; her brother Bill and sister Margaret Bordun; granddaughter-in-law Jennifer Usunier Bially and many brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law.
Mother was born April 28, 1934 in the Somme district near Sundown, where she grew up on the family farm. After leaving home, she found employment at Vita Hospital. It was there that a co-worker and friend, Genia, saw something special in our Mother and decided to play matchmaker, introducing her brother Matt to our Mother. This led to a courtship and wedding bells rang on October 10, 1953.
Mother and Dad began their married life together in Vita, later moving to Tolstoi, and eventually settling in Sundown, where Mother was a devoted homemaker to their growing family: Susan, Jim, Kathy and Iris. In 1967 they were blessed with twins, Richard and Rachel, completing their family.
Throughout this time Mother maintained a large garden, was a 4H leader, census worker, worked in sugar beet fields, was a skilled dressmaker and called bingo. Mother took pride in being a lifelong member (50+ years) of the Sundown Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League.
In 1977, Mother along with Dad and Jim purchased Podolsky’s store in Vita which became Derewianchuk’s Superette, a family run business for the next 40 years.
Mother also enjoyed travelling to Kenora, B.C. by train, Norway House, Churchill, Ottawa, Hawaii, Australia, Ukraine, Calgary, Banff, Jasper and Brandon.
Mother’s Ukrainian heritage and her faith were cornerstones of her life. Ukrainian Christmas and Easter were especially sacred to her, not only for their spiritual meaning but for the traditions they carried. The aroma of homemade Ukrainian dishes filled her kitchen during the holidays. These dishes passed down for generations were more than food, they were expressions of love and connections to her roots.
At the age of 81, Mother was in a serious car accident that resulted in multiple injuries marking a turning point in her life. She was no longer able to work at the store, as her health gradually declined. This led to the difficult decision to leave her home in Vita and move to Winnipeg, where she lived for the past six years. In 2024, Mother moved once more to Rosewood Retirement Village. The family would like to thank Rosewood staff and especially caregiver Gaylene for the loving care that she gave our Mother.
We will carry your unconditional love with us always, Mother. Thank you for your endless sacrifices, your unwavering strength and for instilling in us the value of hard work. You will be forever missed and forever deeply loved.
Vichnaya Pam’yat/Memory Eternal
The livestreamed funeral service will be held on Wednesday, May 14, 2025, at 11:00 a.m., at Birchwood Funeral Chapel, Steinbach, MB., with a slideshow beginning at 10:30 a.m.
Interment to follow at Ascension of Our Lord, Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Sundown MB.
