Gwendolyn Edna (Moar) Halerewich

Gwen Edna Halerewich was born to Roland and Ellen Moar on June 1, 1937 in Flin Flon, Manitoba. She was their first child but soon after came Frank in 1938, Tom in 1944, Shirley in 1945 and Patricia in 1950. The family eventually relocated to the Sutherland community of Saskatoon where mom got her primary education and met and married Alan Hoge and became mom to six sons. First was Bill in 1957 followed by Garth in 1958, Patrick in 1959, Ian in 1960, Craig in 1961 and finally Bruce in 1967. Alan was in the RCAF so the family criss-crossed the country during his career, ultimately buying a home in Edmonton in 1971 where they continued to raise their large, busy family. Mom first experienced heartbreak when her dear sister Shirley succumbed to cancer in 1974. In the beginning of the eighties she was again heartbroken when Alan decided to pursue a different direction in life without her. She picked up the pieces and decided on a fresh start and took Bruce with her to Edson in 1983 to start a new job and chapter in her life. She got a job through friends working as a receptionist for the AUPE branch in Edson and was very much appreciated and looked after by her new bosses and their families whom she counted as dear friends, thankyou to Fenton, and his successor Bruce S. and his wife Yvonne.  Mom wasn’t going to sit around feeling sorry for herself so she, being quite musical and very good on the electronic organ, found herself participating in various music programs within the community and developed wonderful friendships along the way. Mom frequented a Christian book and music store in Edson and became fast friends with Eileen McDonald who was the owner. They had a lot in common as she was a fantastic piano player, and a single mom as well. When they got together at church, each playing their respective instrument, you could truly say they made beautiful music together. Mom also met many other friends through church, including Brian and Joyce Golding. These wonderful people offered mom a small parcel of land to put her mobile home on and move out to the country, something that mom desired.  She moved east of town in 1984 and in November that year was involved in a bad car accident that left her with a severely damaged leg. She recovered, albeit with a fair bit of hardware in her leg, and carried on, just as always. Whatever challenges mom endured, she faced them with grace and dignity. She began another new chapter when she met Nestor Halerewich in 1985 and they married a year later. They relocated to Grimshaw where Nestor’s dad needed help with the family farm. They also tried setting up their own homestead after his dad passed away but it turned out to be an insurmountable challenge at this stage in their lives. They decided to return to Edson about 15 years ago and ended up back at the Goldings living on that little piece of land with various animals and being in the country which they loved renewing old friendships and starting a few new ones.  Mom loved animals and was always surrounded by multiples of cats and dogs, and sometimes birds, although that was difficult because she always had cats. Of course she had horses in her life as well, and up until recently was helping with a family of goats.  Before her diagnosis, mom was able to live out her life in the country and that is something she truly appreciated. Unfortunately this aggressive cancer put her in the hospital for the last three months of her life, but she still faced it head on telling her friends and family she was ok and looking forward to going “home”.  Even at the hospital while she was still able she would be out meeting people and encouraging the nurses and doing her best to be positive. She was able to see all her boys one last time during her stay where she experienced one more heartbreak.  Her precious granddaughter Kristen succumbed to cancer at the age of 33 at the end of November.  Mom went home with Jesus on January 26, 2020 with family by her side.  She is survived by her loving husband Nestor, and her sons Bill, Garth (Marilyn), Patrick (Maxine), Ian (April), Craig (Denise), and Bruce (Lynette).  Her grandchildren Michael and Terra, Steven and Jackie and Jen, Jorden, and Courtney and Kelsey, Hope and Grace, and all the great grandkids too.  She is also survived by brothers Frank (Carol), Tom (Lois), and her sister Patricia, and extended family members.  Mom was predeceased by her parents Roland and Ellen, sister Shirley, and granddaughter Kristen and brother in law Fletcher. She is also survived by all her special friends, she had many and you know who you are, thankyou. Special thanks to Dr. Smith and Kelly and Marilyn as well as all the wonderful staff at the hospital.  As per mom’s request there will be no service at this time but we will have a memorial for both her and Nestor when he follows her into eternity.

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