For Posterity's Sake Genealogy 

The Canora Courier

30 January 2002

ARTEMCHUK  PUTERIA  SIMMS  SKWARCHUK  TOMOCHKO

Canora Courier, January 30, 2002

Noel Simms:  Noel was born on Dec. 26, 1956 to David and Phyllis Simms and wad raised in Mount Norris, Co. Armagh, Northern Ireland. Proud of his Irish roots, he often reminisced about growing up in the small farming community. He obtained a certificate in Agricultural Engineering and Animal Husbandry at Loughry Agricultural College, in Cookstown, Co. Tyrone. Noel gained extensive farming and construction experience by working in the family business. He came to Canada as a very young man because of the political turmoil in Ireland and the dream of owning his own farm.

After marrying Beverley Salyn, Noel and his wife, purchased a farm in the Canora area. They had two daughters Kathleen and Heather. A few years later they returned to British Columbia.

Noel had various trades: carpentry, pipe fitting, water and road maintenance as well as agriculture. He had a construction company in Vancouver, then taught construction in Renton, Washington for two years. He met and married Linda Demianiuk, whose children he also considered his own – Margaret, Grace and Michael. Together they had a daughter Sheilagh. When the family broke up, he and Grace moved to Regina to begin a new life. There he worked in construction. Noel was proud to be a farmer and loved the farm he developed in B.C. He

Returned to the Canora area to harvest logs from his land. He spent many happy hours at this farm, trying to restore it into a viable operation. His most recent hopes and dreams related to this farm, where he lived some of his brightest and darkest moments.

There have been many peaks and valleys during his lifetime, but Noel always tried to do good deeds. He loved animals and his family. In his short life, he touched many of us in a positive way and will be greatly missed.

Predeceased by his father in 1994. Noel is survived by his companion Yvonne Strocen, his three daughters Kathleen, Heather and Sheilagh, his stepchildren: Margaret, Grace and Michael. He also leaves to cherish his memory, his mother, Phyllis, his siblings. Samuel (Jacqueline), Vivienne (Mervyn Whiteside), Sylvia (Neil Johnston), Yvonne (Noel Dalgleish), and Brian (Stephanie) and many nieces, nephews as well as countless friends.

Canora Courier, January 30, 2002

SKWARCHUK:  A memorial service will be held at a later date for George Skwarchuk, 68, of Canora, who died Jan. 19 at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre. Cremation took place with Leson's Funeral Home in care of arrangements. Born on Jan. 2, 1934, to John and Helen (Rubletz) Skwarchuk, he attended Wysla School. He worked at a variety of jobs, such as farming, mining, the Manitoba department of highways and as a heavy equipment operator in Port Hardy, B.C. When he returned to Canora, he worked at several odd jobs. Predeceased by his parents John and Helen, a son Gregory George, a sister Diane in infancy, two half-brothers John and Metro, and two half-sisters Mary Skibinsky and Sophie Murry, he is survived by two sons, Wayne (Tracy) of Thompson and Dennis of Calgary; three daughters, Debra (Steuart) Duncan of Thompson, Valerie (Larry) Robertson of Calgary and Sharon (James) Dakers of Thompson; four brothers, Alex (Annie) of Vancouver, John (Virginia) of Thompson, Mike (Theresa) of Regina and David of Otter Lake, Que.; two half­brothers, Bill (Mary) of Winnipeg and Fred Rubletz of Toronto; two half-sisters, Anne (Nick) Sybulka of Delta, B.C. and Lena Berehula of Canora; 10 grandchildren and one great-grandchild

Canora Courier, January 30, 2002

PUTERIA:  Funeral service for Frances Puteria, 87, of Canora, who died Jan. 19 at Canora Hospital, was held Jan. 25 at Leson's Funeral Home with Rev. Hector Seville officiating. Burial was in the Sliding Hills Christian Cemetery (Mazeppa) with Leson's Funeral Home in care of arrangements. Born on Oct 31,1914, in Winnipeg to Michael and Xenia (Korpan) Ducheminski. In 1919, her family moved to the Veregin district and she attended Wishna School. She began working at an early age, helping around the farm and taking care of her siblings. On Oct. 3, 1936, she married Edward Puteria and they farmed in the Mazeppa district until 1964, when he died. She moved to Canora. For the last six months, she lived at the Canora Gateway Lodge. She was a member of the Ukrainian Orthodox Women's Association Mazeppa for more than 25 years. She also belonged to the Mazeppa choir. Predeceased by her parents, Michael and Xenia, her husband Edward, a sister Anna Krupa and two brothers, Michael and Stan, she is survived by her son, Patrick of Calgary; two daughters, Ethel (Lawrence) Haskewich of Yorkton and Zoria (Ernest) Koptie of Estevan; two brothers, Lawrence (Lil Mitchell) of Surrey, B.C., and Ted (Min) of Nanaimo, B.C.; seven grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

Canora Courier, January 30, 2002

ARTEMCHUK:  Funeral service for Nick Artemchuk, 101, of the Canora Gateway Lodge, who died Jan. 21 at the. Lodge, was held Jan. 26 at Leson's Funeral Home with Rev. Peter Wasylenko officiating. Burial was in the Canora Cemetery with Leson's Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Born on Oct. 23, 1900, in Ukraine to Wasyl and Hofia (Fedorchuk) Artemchuk, he grew up in Ukraine, but when he was 28 years old, he immigrated to Canada. During his first winter in Canada, he worked for a farmer near Manswille, Alta. He worked for several farmers and eventually found himself living in Saskatchewan. He was working for a Tiny-area farmer when he met Katie Walchuk of Amsterdam who was hired for housekeeping. They were married in 1936 and went to work for a farmer in the Lintlaw area. Together, they worked for several farmers until they were able to rent some land and farm on their own in the Amsterdam and Mohyla district. In 1955, they moved to Canora, where he worked at various jobs, including working for the Town of Canora. In 1990, after spending 62 years in Canada, he and two of his daughters travelled to Ukraine to visit his homeland.

Predeceased by his parents, Wasyl and Hofia, his wife Katie, two children in infancy, a grandchild Naomi Choboter and his siblings in Europe, he is survived by a son, Michael (Darlene Artemchuk of Regina; three daughters, Victoria Ryczak of Canora, Jennie (Don) Choboter of Mission, B.C., and Mary Anderson of Mission; six grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Canora Courier, January 30, 2002

TOMOCHKO: Funeral service for Nicholas Thomas Tomochko, 75, of Kamsack, who died Jan. 24, was held Jan. 28 from St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic Church with Rev. Ivan Nahachewsky officiating and E. Andrychuk Funeral Home in care of arrangements.

Born Dec. 12, 1926 in Stenen, to Thomas and Tulle (nee Moroz) Tomochko, he attended school in Stenen before entering the college of pharmacy at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon. He owned and operated Thomas' Drugs in Kamsack for 45 years, opened the Kamsack Auction Mart located in the former CN roundhouse in Kamsack and operated Oak Ridge farms as a cattle operation. He was a member of the Father Ruelle Council of the Knights of Columbus in Kamsack, the Kamsack and District Chamber of Commerce, the Kiwanis club and supported St. Josaphat's Ukrainian Catholic parish. On Aug. 1, 1953, he married Helen Eleanor Boryski in St. George's Catholic Church.