Joyce Helene Drewniak (nee Pederson)
Obituary
Joyce Drewniak (nee Pederson), loving wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 30, 2026, at the Vita Personal Care Home in Vita, Manitoba.
Joyce leaves behind her five daughters, Denise (Jerry) Lubiansky, Sandra (Jim Wiebe), Jo-Anne (Brent Patten), Joyce (Ray) Fisher, Mary-Ann (Brent Bjornson), and her son John (Micheline) Drewniak. Remembering their grandma (GMa) with love are her five granddaughters, Brittany Fisher (Dan Bonekamp), Erin Lubiansky (Roger), Karina Drewniak (Tanner), Morgan (Marc) Garand, and Merissa (Barry) Weleski, and five grandsons, Taurean (Andrea) Wiebe, Eliot Fisher, Jared Lubiansky, Justin Drewniak (Julie), and Lee Bjornson. Joyce was blessed with eight great-grandchildren, Scarlett Wiebe, Wyatt Bonekamp, Jackson Bonekamp, Blake Wiebe, Gabriel Garand, Jonah Lubiansky, Emma Garand and Kallum Weleski. She is also survived by her sister, Bernice Pederson, her sisters-in-law, Lorraine Pederson and Marilyn Pederson, and many nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, John, her parents, Peter and Ingaborg Pederson, her siblings, Clara, Parnell, Palmer, Ivan, Maurice, Grace, and Lloyd, and her parents-in-law, Stanislaw and Eudokia Drewniak.
Joyce was born on January 19, 1937, in Menisino, Manitoba. At the age of 15, she left home to seek employment in Winnipeg. She found room and board, and a job working in the packing room of a sewing factory. Her attention to detail soon led her to other, better paying jobs at the factory. It was hard work, but she loved the independence. She also loved going to the movies, and to barn dances with friends. At 18 her life changed with the visit of her landlord’s friend, John Drewniak. The story goes that John took a phone call from someone looking for Joyce Pederson. He yelled “Pederson, phone!” It was love at first sight and the two went on a date shortly after.
They were married in 1956 and not long after their marriage and the birth of their first child, the young family made Tolstoi their home, moving in with John’s parents on the farm. Life was challenging for Joyce. Not only was she a young mother learning how to care for her family but she was also learning to garden and raise farm animals. She relied on her mother-in-law, Eudokia Drewniak, who spoke little English, for guidance as John was often working away from home. She also looked for advice from Pauline Gaetz, her neighbour and lifelong best friend. The family soon included five daughters and a son, and Joyce worked hard to create a loving home for her family and a place of which she was proud.
After their children left home, Joyce continued to enjoy life with John. They went travelling, fishing, and camping. She babysat her grandchildren and pursued hobbies. She loved dancing to old-time music, fiddling contests, and visiting the casino. After John was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease, she became his full-time caregiver until his passing in 2014. Joyce continued to live on her own until her health challenges brought her into care this past winter.
Joyce was a talented woman. She was a good cook, an excellent baker and a wonderful gardener. She sewed, crocheted, quilted and enjoyed crafting items for her home, even building things when needed. Her large gardens provided a bounty of produce that was canned, frozen or stored in the cellar. Joyce became an expert in cake decorating and created many wedding cakes for couples in the community. She also loved to play the accordion and keyboards.
Joyce was a proud Canadian of Norwegian descent. She researched her family history and, with John, travelled to Europe, including Norway and Sweden. She passed on a love of Norwegian food to her family and ensured it was represented at family gatherings.
Joyce liked to read, do jigsaw, crossword and sudoku puzzles and cheer on the Toronto Blue Jays. She loved cribbage, Trivial Pursuit, and other games. She was involved in her church and community organizations including the Tolstoi Women’s Institute, the Tolstoi Seniors Centre and the Tolstoi Heritage Centre. She was a proud resident of Tolstoi and continued to volunteer in the community as recently as last fall, making perogies and cabbage rolls.
Three weeks before her passing, and after a lengthy stay in Bethesda Hospital in Steinbach, Joyce’s care was entrusted to the Vita Personal Care Home. She was enjoying her new surroundings, settling in with the help of old and new friends, when she passed away. Her family is forever grateful for the kindness and compassion shown to Joyce by the staff of Bethesda Hospital and the Vita Personal Care Home. The family would also like to thank the Southern Health Paramedic Service and the Municipality of Emerson-Franklin Fire Department for their emergency responses while she lived at home. Their care and support allowed her to live independently until earlier this year.
A Celebration of Life will be held on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at Birchwood Funeral Chapel at 162 PTH 52 W, Steinbach, Manitoba with Father Bosco officiating. Viewing will be at 10:30 a.m. with the service to follow at 11:00 a.m. A private family interment will be held later at the Tolstoi Roman Catholic Cemetery.
