December 31, 1925 – March 22, 2022
After a brief illness, Jean died peacefully on Tuesday, March 22, 2022 at Holy Family Home in Winnipeg, where she had been resident for the last several years following a stroke. She was 96 years old, looking good right to the end.
Jean and Carl had four children: Ken (Barb), Richard, Charles (Evelyn), and Susan (Brent); grandchildren Kelly (Paul) and Kaya, Tammy and son Brandon, Sherri (Todd) and Addison, Daniel, Marlo, and Charlyn and Joreyn of the Philippines.
Born in Ledwyn, Manitoba, Jean was predeceased by two brothers, Emil and Mike; and seven sisters, baby Olga, Mary, Anne, Helen, Nettie, Rose, and Kay. She is survived by sisters Evelyn and Francis; and numerous nieces and nephews. The Zinkowski’s were a close family and the sisters kept us all in close contact over the decades for all occasions and family events, usually around the table in Winnipeg, where most of the family relocated and occasionally back to the farm in Ledwyn or in Riverton. Mother was a superb cook and invitations to extended family ensured many guests, particularly over Christmas for traditional Ukrainian food and Jean’s famous pastries. Jean also shared her birthday, December 31st with her mother Sophia (Baba Zinkowski), so that was often an occasion for joint birthdays’ and New Year’s Eve parties. We had a good family to grow up in and Mother was pivotal in managing the house and keeping track of four active kids, while Dad was out building houses.
Mother was born on the farm in Ledwyn and went to Tarno school. After high school, she and Carl married and moved to Winnipeg, following her sisters. She spent the post-war years raising family, and as family assets increased, she and Dad planned and built four houses for themselves, eventually ending up in Charleswood on Hilton Street, where they resided for forty-five years. They were very active in the St. Mary’s Anglican Church which was just down the road. As we kids grew up and got more independent, Mother took a job at Sears in the women’s accessories department, where she delighted in selling gloves, handbags and scarves, particularly to young women, to whom she would often pass on fashion tips. As one young nephew noted, “She was a wonderful lady. And yes very stylish any time you saw her.” She loved shopping at Holt Renfrew.
Jean and Carl had a very laid-back approach and as we kids grew up and encountered life’s challenges, their support was positive and came with kind words, “Are you happy?”
Mother always believed that following her death she would join her late beloved husband of 62 years Carl, her teenage sweetheart and partner through life and afterwards…. dancing. As she wrote after he died (and I give her the last words, she would have liked that…)
“My Dearest Carl, thank you for loving me all these years, as I have loved you. I never thought you would go before me. I will miss you and love you as long as I live, and remember how we sometimes put on the CD and danced in the living room. Love you always Jean.”
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A private cremation is planned. A memorial service for family and friends will be held later this year when public health conditions improve. Interment will be in the Ledwyn Ukrainian Cemetery in Ledwyn, Manitoba.
Many thanks to the staff of Holy Family Home for their kind attention to Jean during her several years of residence.
