Vera "Jean" Hlavka, late of Minton, SK passed away on March 3, 2017 at the age of 79 years.

Jean was predeceased by her parents: Hjalmer and Evelyn Nyhus; her in-laws, Albert and Rosalin Hlavka; her brothers: Walter and Harold Nyhus; sisters: Annetta Lillejord, Doris McKenzie and Ella Tourscher.

Jean is survived by her loving husband, Paul Hlavka; her children: Valerie (Chuck) Storle and family: Blake (Jami) Storle and family [Daylee, Kaci and Grady], Brad (Brittany) Storle and daughter [London], Bridget (Tyler) Cain and family [Quinn and Hayden], Verlene (Don) Chaput and family: Crystal Chaput, Nicole Chaput and son [Connor], Harvey (Sharon) Hlavka and family: Joshua (Vanessa) Hlavka and family [Lily, Jacobi and Nash] Stephanie (Trevor) VanDeSype and son [Mason], Kara Hlavka (Ryan) and Alyson Hlavka, Murray (Carrie) Hlavka and family: Jolynn and John; sisters: Muriel Ayotte, Reta (Rudy)Szakacs; brothers: Leonard Nyhus, Clayton Nyhus and Wilfred (Margaret) Nyhus; sister in law, Eleanora Schikurski as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

It all started on the correction line north of Ceylon in a very busy household on May 25, 1937.  Hjalmer and Evelyn Nyhus added another child, a red headed girl named Vera Jean, number 9 of 11 children. This is where she spent her childhood, with all of these siblings around this is where she developed her no nonsense, stand up for yourself, never back down, and sometimes you need to be told attitude.

She started her education at Gibson Creek School, and finished her schooling in Ceylon.

In 1955 this cute little red head caught the eye of a shy young gentleman from the Big Muddy.  After graduating in 1956 she moved on to the big city of Regina to work as a telephone operator, but this young man convinced her to leave the big city lights, marry him, and move out to the farm.  On September 2, 1957 she married Paul Hlavka in the Ceylon United Church and moved out to the family homestead where they spent nearly 60 years.

She left behind power, running water and telephones for the love of her life.  You can only imagine why, without any of this they welcomed their first baby in 1958, again in 1960, 1961, and 1963.  Thank God they finally got power, which is funny...I thought they got power in 1959.

As a young family everyone was taught how to help out around the farm, right from wrong, and table manners.  It didn't matter if you were one of theirs or not, all the nieces and nephews knew that you used your best manners at Auntie Jean's table.

We always had a house full of relatives, some for a night, and some for summers at a time.  She was always a mother to each and every one of them.  Now you can only imagine how big her garden was and the amount of canning she had to do to feed all of these mouths.  Mom always had a pot of coffee and fresh baking on the table which usually included butter tarts, Rice Krispie cake, and chocolate chip cookies, with one chip per cookie, which we all loved to tease mom about.

She fell in love with her gardening and she always took great pride in her flowers and yard.  She had her own greenhouses and was always looking to build another flower bed.

After hours on end spent in the yard, she always found time to teach everyone card games and found enough energy to teach all her children and grandchildren how to dance, especially on a Saturday night in their kitchen listening to old time music on their radio.

Mom was very passionate about ball, especially her Toronto Blue Jays which was passed onto her children and grandchildren.  One of her proudest moments was when her dad and uncles were inducted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame.  A ball game for mom only required a spade and a corn cob, something to throw and something to hit it with.  She loved to watch her family members play, whether it was her children or grandchildren she could always tell you after the game what plays were made and which weren't.  She wasn't shy to tell the ump that she had seen better eyes on a potato, and I can personally attest to this!

If at all possible Mom didn't miss any organ, piano or dance recitals, school concerts, talents shows or any other activity no matter how many miles they had to travel, or what the weather was like.

Mom loved to travel with dad, taking the bus to the Maritimes, Alaska and Nashville.  She also had a chance to see Disneyland, Vienna and Austria.  She wasn't so sure about travelling with her in-laws to Vienna but it turned out to be the trip of the lifetime for her and she spoke many times about the fun she had with Uncle John and Aunt Merlene.

In 1981 along came their first of 11 grandchildren, and 11 soon to be 12 great-grandchildren.  From that point on the rules changed.  Suddenly licorice and chocolate chip cookies along with a glass of iced tea or coffee (if mom and dad weren't watching) became a suitable snack any time of day or night.  At this point mom taught me that a chocolate bar will warm up a great grandchild's hand better than mitts will!

Grandma and Grandpa always looked forward to seeing their grandchildren and great grandchildren making sure each and every one of them always got a licorice.  No matter how old they were, the kids looked forward to raiding the licorice jar!

Mom loved to sew.  She made every child and grandchild a quilt and was still sewing with the ladies in town and donating them to hospitals, shelters  and whoever needed them right up to the time of her passing.  While in the hospital she received a quilt from the Regina Quilting club and to no ones surprise it was inspected to see if it was done right.

Mom was very involved in the community and always looked forward to the annual fall fair.  She took home many many ribbons in any events she entered to show off her canning, baking and sewing skills.  She spent countless hours helping her grandchildren with crafts and whatever else they wanted to enter in the fair.

She was very involved with the church helping make pies, fall suppers, lunches and whatever else the church needed done, and always looked forward to the Sunday service.

Mom was always willing to take the time to teach people, whether it was how to make lefse, homemade noodles, cabbage rolls, baking and sewing, the list goes on and on.  She always had patience to teach and was never scared to learn something new.  Like the time when all of us kids decided to teach her how to ride a motorbike.  After a wheelie halfway across the yard she realized not all ideas are good ones.

You could always count on mom to help no matter if it was running a tractor in the field or help butcher chickens, she wasn't afraid to work.  After nearly 80 years of life and almost 60 years of marriage, mom has created many memories and traditions that will go on for generations.

The love that mom and dad shared will always be an inspiration.  To this family she was more than a wife, a mother, a grandmother, or a great grandmother.  She was a shoulder to lean on when needed or someone to tell you her opinion whether you liked it or not.  She was a friend.

A visitation for Jean was held on Tuesday, March 7, 2017 from 7:00 - 9:00pm from RD Family Funeral Chapel, Weyburn, SK.  A Funeral Service ws held on Wednesday, March 8, 2017 at 2:00pm from the Minton Community Hall, Minton, SK with Rev. SunDo Hyun officiating. Pallbearers were: Blake Storle, Brad Storle, Joshua Hlavka, John Hlavka, Hartley Nyhus, Ken Tourscher.  Honorary Pallbearers were: Crystal Chaput, Bridget Cain, Stephanie VanDeSype, Kara Hlavka, Nicole Chaput, Alyson Hlavka and Jolynn Hlavka. Interment took place  at Chapel Grove Cemetery in Minton SK followed with lunch and fellowship at the Minton Community Hall in Minton. 

For family and friends so wishing, charitable donations in memory of Jean may be made to the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada, 3602 Millar Ave. Saskatoon, SK S7P 0B1 or S.T.A.R.S. 2640 Airport Road, Regina, SK  S4W 1A6.

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