Elsie Toporiwski (Toporowski) (Nee Ninivirta)

1928 ~ 2017

Peacefully, on Friday, March 3, 2017 Elsie passed away at the Whitemouth Personal Care Home at the age of 88.  She joins her beloved husband, William, who predeceased her in October 2014.

She will be lovingly remembered and missed by her two children:  daughter Diane (Eric) Amos of Elma and Eric’s children John (Candyce), Paul and their families; son Bryan (Barbara) Toporowski of Winnipeg, and her only grandson Garrett Ramsay William.  Mom is also survived by her sister in-law Lillian Lane and many nieces and nephews.

She was predeceased by her parents Valto (Walter) and Kaisa Ninivirta, her sister Anne, brother Arnie, foster brother Frank Leppanen, brother-in-law Paul Proceviat and sister-in-law Helen Ninivirta.

Mom was born in Elma, Manitoba on April 17, 1928, the second daughter of Valto and Kaisa Ninivirta.  As a young woman, she left home to work in Winnipeg and was employed at the Paulin Chambers Candy Factory where she worked in the chocolate room.  Later she worked for American Jewellers in Winnipeg.  She and William fell in love and the couple were married in Winnipeg on June 2, 1951.  They raised their family in the East Kildonan area of Winnipeg.  Mom was of Finnish decent, but was a master at making perogies and cabbage rolls. Mom had a passion for baking and continued the tradition of making the Finnish dark rye sour dough bread. Most of the time you would find Mom devoting her time to gardening. We enjoyed the fruits of her labor with the excellent pickles and canning she provided for the table.

Mom and dad never truly left the farm, returning back to the homestead where Mom was born and raised.  Even though work and day to day life took them to the city, their hearts were always with the farm. Mom was very content with the simple things in life. Family gatherings with her siblings Anne and Arnie, that occurred twice a year, were always highlights for her.

A heartfelt thank you to Whitemouth Personal Care Home for all their care, compassion, and love shown to Mom, and us, over the past 3 1/2 years. As well, to all her previous caregivers, and neighbors prior to her PCH placement.

Funeral Service will be held on Saturday, March 11 at 2:00 p.m. at Sobering Funeral Chapel, 1035 Park Avenue E, Beausejour.  Interment will take place prior to the service.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Whitemouth Personal Care Home, Recreation Dept., Box 160, Whitemouth, MB R0E 2G0, or Alzheimer’s Society of Manitoba, 10-120 Donald St., Winnipeg, MB R3C 4G2.

www.soberingfuneralchapel.com

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