Psa. Lillian (nee Kapetz) Klysh, beloved wife of Father Mirone Klysh, fell asleep in the Lord on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at the Grace Hospital in Winnipeg, Manitoba. She was born near Roblin, Manitoba on June 15, 1934, the daughter of William and Annie Kapetz.

 After graduating from high school in Roblin, Manitoba, she began her teaching career as a “Permit Teacher” in Portage Creek, Manitoba. Following a year at Normal School, she taught in Moline, Neepawa and Winnipeg, Manitoba, retiring in 1989. While teaching in Winnipeg and raising a family with her husband, she continued her education and was bestowed the B.Ed. by the University of Manitoba.

On October 10, 1959, in the midst of a blizzard, she was united in Holy Matrimony to the future Father Mirone Klysh in Roblin, Manitoba. For fifty-nine years, she carried the “Cross of the Orthodox Priesthood” with her husband, including forty-six years at St. George Orthodox Church in Winnipeg (Transcona). She fully utilized her teaching skills as a Church School Teacher for most of those years, especially in organizing arts and crafts activities. For many years, she prepared and directed the annual Christmas program. She took a personal interest in all members of the parish, especially in their times of need. By the Grace of God, she was able to celebrate their sixtieth wedding anniversary with her husband and her family days before her repose.

 Along with her joy in serving God and His Holy Orthodox Church, she found great happiness in sharing in the life and activities of her children and grandchildren. Each grandchild was educated in the art of creating a snowman. They proved to be good students by creating a “snow couple” to welcome her to the 60th wedding anniversary party. Their love and support encouraged and sustained her during the past year. For Lillian, family was always an important priority. She loved any excuse to create a get-together involving as many family members as possible. Supper invitations, emails, and phone calls were frequently received by many family members.

 Possessing a “green thumb,” she spent many hours in the summer cultivating her flower gardens. Household plants received year-long tender, loving care.

 Her family and friends were beneficiaries of her cooking and baking skills; home-made chicken soup, borscht, perogies, jams, cinnamon buns, kolach, and peanut cookies, amongst others. The results did not last long because she shared them with family and friends.

 The Paschal Lenten Season brought out all the necessities for writing “pysanky”—Ukrainian Easter eggs. As with the snowmen, her children and grandchildren were educated in this traditional artistic work. She got great joy in sharing her pysanky with family and friends. Over the years, she presented workshops on the writing of pysanky in churches, schools, nursing homes, etc., often with the assistance of her daughter Marianne.

Her life could not have been as fruitful and filled with as much quality without the compassionate and dedicated care of her family physician, Dr. Brian Sharkey, especially during the past year.  Her family hereby expresses its most prayerful gratitude to him.

Lillian is survived by: her husband, Father Mirone Klysh, her daughter Marianne (Ihor), her son Myron (Marion), her son Bill, her grandchildren, Michael, Maria (Peter), Matthew, Christina, Ashton and Tianna, her sister, Shirley and cousins, nieces and nephews in Canada. She is also survived by sisters-in-law, Lesia, Mary, Nancy and Mary Ann, brothers-in-law William and Nicholas, and other relatives in the United States.

She was predeceased by her parents William and Annie, her in-laws Theodore and Emilia Klysh, her sisters Mary and Matilda, her brothers Nick, Peter and Michael, brothers-in-law Fred, William, Cyprian, Theodore and Stewart, sisters-in-law Margaret and Margaret, and other relatives from the Kapetz and Klysh families.

A Memorial Service was celebrated at 7:00 P.M. on Sunday, October 27, 2019, in St. George Orthodox Church, 121 Harvard Avenue East. The Funeral Service was celebrated in the church on Monday, October 28, 2019, at 10:00 am. The celebrant was be Father Michael Ungrin. Pallbearers were her grandchildren.

Donations in her memory may be made to St George Orthodox Church or a charity of your choice.

May her memory be eternal!