Nadia (Maksymetz) Pelechaty

Nadia Pelechaty passed peacefully, surrounded by her family, at Bethany Home in Winnipeg in her 92nd year.

Nadia Maksymetz was born on August 3, 1931 to Mary (Bihun) and Nicholas Maksymetz in Mink Creek at her maternal grandparent’s home. She attended Borshaw country school near Mink Creek for grades 1 and 2, staying at her Aunt Bohonos’.  When she was 8 years old, her brother Marcel was born, so Nadia returned home to Venlaw to help. 

From a very young age, Nadia learned to endure much, thus making her the woman she became. She worked very hard, making homemade bread, kneading the dough till her fists were red and taking care of the household duties. Her education continued at Ruskin country school, where she moved from grade 3 to grade 4 in one day. Being left-handed she was forced to learn to write with the right hand, thus enabling her to become ambidextrous. Once taking a short cut from school, a dog bit her leg leaving a scar. Completing her grade 8, her husband would say she was a “Ruskin Grad”. Nadia did not go to high school as there were no school buses and billeting was not in the budget. She continued to educate herself throughout life with her desire to perfect whatever she touched.

As a teen, Nadia waited on tables and cooked at her Uncles Mike and Harry Maksymetz’s restaurant in Togo, SK. Later she worked at her Uncle Fred Bihun’s store in Detroit, Michigan, which provided her efficient management skills. She enjoyed life on her own. 

Back to Venlaw, in 1947 Nadia met Miroslaw (Shorty) at the Gilbert Plains fair. Nadia with her cousin Marlene doubled dated a couple boys from Ethelbert. They spent the afternoon riding the “loop-de-loop,” with the boys throwing quarters to keep going around as the day passed. Throughout life, Shorty joked that they have “been going around ever since”.

June, 1949, Shorty proposed to Nadia in her home with her parents present. Three months later they were married in St. Michael’s Ukrainian Catholic Church in Venlaw on August 10, 1949, one week after her 18th birthday.  They enjoyed a three-week honeymoon in a tent isolated on the shores of Blue Lake in the Duck Mountains.

Nadia and Shorty made their home in Ethelbert.  Nadia gave birth to two daughters, Marilyn and Darleane. With her husband teaching, Nadia had the responsibilities of managing all the home affairs. Living with them were two bachelor teachers for room and board and Nadia was then caring fully for three males in her home.

Nadia excelled as a Domestic Engineer par excel lance, focusing on hard work, efficiency and organization, excelling in cooking. Daily, after school freshly baked treats were a given in the household, her daughters arriving home to fresh pompushke, donuts, cinnamon buns, puff wheat cake, whatever other recipe she could find. The aroma was noticed before walking in the door. Nadia loved gardening, growing vegetables, tending flowers and preserving fruits picked in season. The pantry and freezer were stocked for winter. 

Nadia’s core gifts were hospitality, welcoming, nurturing through food, and creating memorable events for all her family, friends and acquaintances. This was all done with a hard work ethic rooted in  responsibility and love. She hosted numerous celebrations expressing her love with an abundance of delicious foods and beverages at homes in Ethelbert, Singush Lake and Weslaco, Texas never afraid to try new recipes as well as family favorites . Nadia took the Gospel of Hospitality to a new level. 

Faith was important to Nadia. She was a member of the Sts Peter and Paul Ukrainian UCW League since its inception, she offered time with the Sisterhood, was an active 4-H leader, and loved sewing, knitting, crocheting, cross stitch and embroidering.

Family came first with Nadia; she babysat her first grandson John for 3 years. John was unable to say “Baba Pelechaty” - “Baba Huggy”, came to be the name that stayed for all her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She cared for her grandchildren deeply, providing for them in many ways.

Nadia and Shorty enjoyed retirement taking bus tours to the Maritimes, Alaska, Rose Bowl Parade and Florida.  They took grandchildren to Radium Hot Spring, BC with their camper.  They spent 3 winters in Hawaii and were “Snow Birds” at their winter home in Weslaco, Texas for 10 years.

As a family, camping was a favorite, spending numerous summers in the 1960’s at the trailer at Blue Lake, from the 1970’s enjoying the cottage at Singush Lake.  Cards was a passionate time, playing Hand Foot Canasta and King Pedro till the wee hours of the night with friends or family, much laughter, storytelling, kobasa, pickles and cheese.

After Nadia’s husband passed in 2012, she remained in her home for a few years. After 67 years in Ethelbert, she moved to Winnipeg, living with her daughter Darleane and the other Sisters Servants.  She found a place living with the Sisters at Bethany Home. She attended Liturgy, prayed her daily rosary for all those she loved and enjoyed life with the Sisters. Bethany Home staff compassionately cared for Nadia, calling her “Mama Nadia”.  The family has tremendous heartfelt gratitude for all who cared for her till her passing.  

She was predeceased by her husband Miroslaw (2012), her parents Nick (1965) and Mary (1997), her mother-in-law Domka Pelechaty (1959), her brother Marcel, and all the Pelechaty brothers and sisters in law: John (Natalia) Pelechaty, Mary (Mike) Hryhorczuk, Peter (Dorothy) Pelechaty, Nettie (Paul) Moroz, Mike Pelechaty, Paul Pelechaty, Angeline (Orest) Fekula, Anne (John) Iwanson, Jean (Bill) McCord.

Nadia is survived by her 2 daughters: Marilyn (Bob) Kozar and Sr. Darleane Pelechaty; 3 grandchildren: John (Kara) Kozar, James (Nicole) Kozar, and Jana (Adam) Harmes; 7 great-grandchildren: Jocelyn, Jakob, and Jayden Kozar, David Kozar, and Lauren, Avery and Kaelyn Harmes.

Funeral Liturgy will be held at St. Joseph’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 250 Jefferson, Winnipeg on Friday, May 26 at 10:00 am. Live streaming is available through Korban website. Interment at Ethelbert Cemetery on Saturday, May 27 at 11:30 am.

Pallbearers are her grandchildren: John, Kara, James, Nicole, Jana, Adam.  Fr. Bohdan Lukey officiating both services.

Donations in Nadia’s memory may be made to Lubov Foundation - SSMI - Bethany Home.

Rest in Peace, Mom, Baba Huggy and Mama Nadia!  Memory Eternal!

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