Contributions to the tribute of ELSIE SIGNATOVICH

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Monday, December 14, 2020

This is my tribute to my Baba that I posted on Twitter and Facebook. I thought it was important that people be able to see the real people behind the covid statistics. Seemed like a good idea to share it here too: We need to remember that a Covid statistic is never just a statistic. This is Elsie Signatovich... my Baba, my grandmother. On November 26, after having contracted COVID, she died. On November 29, she was listed in the Province of Manitoba's daily Covid statistics as "a female in her 90s from the Winnipeg health region, linked to an outbreak at Holy Family Home": https://news.gov.mb.ca/news/index.html?item=49914&posted=2020-11-29 But there's a whole life behind that statistic. She was very loved by all of her children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, nieces, and nephews. She will be very much missed by her sister, my (great) Auntie Olga, now the last from her immediate family. She was one of the most caring, funny, and generous people I will every know. Her food was legendary! I will always value the time I had with her and my Dido when I was a little kid, out camping with the whole extended family, when only me and the old people were awake early in the morning. She was one of the last of the old-school North End Ukrainians, speaking with a thick Ukrainian accent despite being born and raised in Manitoba. Yes, she was old. Yes, she had underlying health conditions. But she mattered to many people, including me. And I really miss her.

J

Jen P uploaded photo(s)

Friday, December 11, 2020

Baba, the family get togethers will never be the same without you. The love you had for all your children was evident in the way you spoke of them and held them close. We miss you and love you. Say hi to Dido for us and all those we hold dear to our hearts.

K

Karen posted a condolence

Thursday, December 10, 2020

So wonderful to look at all the pictures of 'younger' Elsie and see that love between her and her 'Darling Victor' that she always spoke about. I was blessed to know Elsie as a little 'older' version but still the smiling happy loving lady I see in all the pictures. I work at Holy Family and Elsie lived with us on our unit. Thank you for letting us enjoy your mom/baba and becoming her 'kids' as she called us. She loved to sit with us during our breaks and just quietly listen to all our conversations and when we'd ask her for her thoughts, it was always one word or one sentence that summed it all up perfectly. She'd stay up late in the evenings with us and we'd share a drink, snacks, whatever treat we could find and she would say "oh no, I don't like sweets" as she put it in her mouth and asked for another!! She made us smile & burst with laughter with her 'personal' memories about victor and we had many moments of returning that favor when she was having a hard time missing her Darling and her family. We would just sit on HER green couch and have a good cry and just be together until she was ok. I can see how much she loved her family, she spoke of all of you often, that is a special kind of love. I was lucky enough to experience that same love with my Baba and most of my childhood memories revolve around her home, family gatherings, flatties!! (I thought MY baba invented those! lol), her small house where 17 of us would find a spot and we loved it. Because of this, I know how deeply you miss her but the memories are so wonderful to revisit and be blessed to have had those times together. Jim, Patsy, Diane....what can I say, it was so fun getting to know you and your families, you we're always so kind, friendly, and trusted your mom to our care. You were interested in our lives and always asked us how WE we're when you called to talk to mom. That means so much. It's a beautiful thing to see not only how devoted you were to mom but how loving a family you were to each other, that's rare, so it was an honor to be a part of your 'second family'. We miss all of you and Elsie so much but we talk about her often and I know we will continue to in the years to come and her green couch will always remind of us her. :)

J

Judy Smitiuch posted a condolence

Monday, December 7, 2020

Deepest Sympathy to the family on the passing of Elsie. I still remember bowling with Elsie. If she had a bad night she was always quitting. The following Tuesday there was Elsie back at bowling and enjoying herself. Elsie had a heart of gold. I still remember asking Elsie what the Ukrainian word was for whatever and definately Elsie knew and would help on how to pronounce it, if need be. She leaves many wonderful memories and I'm sure she has now had her first dance with her beloved Victor. John and Judy Smitiuch

K

Kris, Ian, Mabel & Matthew posted a condolence

Saturday, December 5, 2020

Family meant everything to Baba. And she was always in such awe of the beautiful family that Dido and she had started and would often remark, with great pride, “All of this started with just two people.” Every Friday evening, for countless years, all of Baba’s children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren would pack into her little home for what became known as “Baba’s Fun Fridays.” We loved spending time with her, playing board games and card games, and hearing her tell the same stories over and over again! There was an art to moving around from room to room, since everyone who hadn’t claimed a seat would be standing shoulder-to-shoulder in the kitchen and living room – just the way she loved it. And she loved nothing more than a household of people she could cook for and cater to. Baba, being Baba, would have more food prepared than everyone could possibly eat. She would be devastated if she thought someone left hungry (which was an impossibility). Mabel and Matthew recall how she would ask if they wanted more of something and they would say “I’m good.” And every time, Baba would reply, with a smile on her face, “I didn’t ask you if you were good, I asked you if you wanted more?” She’d lovingly prepare an assortment of lunch meat, cheese and pickles; to make sandwiches, and little sausages with mustard, and of course fried perogies (with some “flatties,” if we were lucky). She would head down to the cold room and grab jars of her preserved cherries and her famous crab-apple juice. And let’s not forget about dessert – all homemade and fresh – tapioca pudding with strawberry sauce, cream pie, and of course everyone’s favourite; poppy seed cake. So simple, spending time with her at her house, and yet so much a part of our dearest memories. We loved to visit Baba and Dido when they were camping at Falcon Lake, and years later, they would drive out to Falcon to visit us when we were camping with our kids, in their trailer. So many wonderful memories were made. We miss her terribly but we will hang on to all the wonderful memories we have and cherish them forever! We love you Baba, please give Dido big hugs from all of us! All our love, Kris, Ian, Mabel & Matthew