Katherine (Katie) Warren

1923 ~ 2017

After a full and active 93 years of life, Katherine (Katie) Warren died on Friday, February 3, 2017 at East-Gate Lodge in Beausejour. Katie was born on November 26, 1923, to Norman and Axana Cass of Tyndall, where Katie spent most of her life.  Katie loved school, excelling even after being struck with tuberculosis as a child. She graduated during the war years, and declined a scholarship to become a much-needed permit teacher for Sebright’s one-room schoolhouse, where she taught grades 1 – 8.  She rode her bicycle to school every day in fair weather, and remembers loving the sound of the meadowlarks.

She loved teaching, even commandeering her brother Oley (al Cass) to be Santa at Christmas, and at the same time, she wrote scores of letters to the boys overseas, saving every letter they sent her back, Especially prized were the ones from Archie Wawryshyn, the boy she married in 1947.  They opened Archie’s Hardware, and ran it six days a week as their 7 children grew up, until 1988. Those were busy years, with plenty of family drama – including bridge nights with Bob and Audrey. And when Archie enlisted for some years in the RCAF, she ran the store and post office largely on her own, with long-term help from “Aunty” Thelma (Smolinski), who was family.

Memories and family were all- important; she was a saver and chronicler, compiling 97 scrapbooks of family and community photos and news. Once her children were older, Katie went back to the classroom she loved, studying at the university, substitute teaching for two decades, and running the high-school essay program.  She and Archie edited local history books, and once they finally retired, moved to Beausejour and travelled south every winter with their wonderful friends the Middletons. Once Archie died in 2002, Katie decided to take the extended family on an annual family reunion to Florida – all 19 of them. Katie spent her final years at Stony Plains and then East Gate Lodge, where “the Queen” enjoyed regular outings with her excellent friend Steve and many others.

Katie was predeceased by her brother John Cass, son-in-law John Yakubchak, and a brother, Maurice, who died in infancy. She leaves to mourn her 7 children: Judy (John Watson), Reginald, David (Jan), Brenda Yakubchak, Timothy, Wesley (Sherie Mazur), and Grant (Lauren Dyck). Also her cherished grandchildren: Garret Warren (Kimberly), Jake Watson, Matt Watson, Marisa Warren, Selina Warren-Papineau, Christian Balagus Warren, Brett Warren, Derek Warren, Alex Warren. She also leaves her brother Al Cass (Beth), her sister Phyllis Johnson, sister-in-law Evelyn Moroz, Kathy Balagus, and their families.

The family would especially like to thank Steve Cesmystruk for his years of friendship with Katie, her United Church family, Crystal Mahoney for her affection and care, and the many many wonderful care-givers at East-Gate Lodge whose warmth and calming care were so important to her.

A memorial service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 28 at Sobering Funeral Chapel, 1035 Park Ave. E, Beausejour, MB.

In lieu of flowers, friends are invited to consider donations to the East-Gate Lodge Personal Care Home’s Recreational Department, Box 1690, Beausejour, MB R0E 0C0.

www.soberingfuneralchapel.com

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