Obituary of Mary Baylak

BAYLAK - Mary Baylak, resident of the Bentley Retirement Home in Yorkton, formerly of Foam Lake passed away on Wednesday, January 3rd 2018 at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre. She was 87 years of age. Mary Baylak was born on June 25, 1930 to Mike and Wasylka (nee Eliuk) Penteluk near Insinger, SK. She was raised on the family farm and attended Aysgarth country school near Insinger for grades 1-12. She then attended Normal School in Saskatoon, SK and earned her teaching certificate. Her first teaching job was at Round Hills country school, south of Wynyard, SK where she met her future husband Orest Baylak. They were united in marriage on July 12, 1950 at Sheho, SK. They moved to Wadena shortly thereafter and their two children, Clifford and Patricia, were born there. Mary took a break from teaching to raise her young family. When they moved to Clair in 1955, Mary decided to return to teaching. She taught for five years at Wooler country school, north of Clair, and upon the closing of that school, she moved to Clair school. As the family moved to various communities in the general area, Mary taught in Elfros, (where Orest and his brothers owned and operated the Elfros Star Service gas station at the junctions of highway 16 and 35), Wynyard, and finally Foam Lake, (where she and Orest purchased the Macleods hardware store in 1969). Mary retired from teaching in June, 1986 after 30 years in the classroom. Mary was active in the Foam Lake United Church, and served as secretary and treasurer of the U.C.W. She also served on the board of directors of the Foam Lake Bowlers. Mary loved to read, crochet, bowl, bake, cook and tend to her garden. Mary and Orest resided in Foam Lake for 36 years, moving to Yorkton in 2005 as both of them had failing health and needed to be closer to better health care. After Orest's death in 2007, Mary moved into the Bentley retirement home in Yorkton where she resided at the time of her passing. Mary leaves to cherish her memory and celebrate her life her son Cliff (Mary) Baylak of Regina, SK and their sons Tim and Rick, both of Regina, SK; daughter Pat "Trish" (Larry) Koroluk of Yorkton, SK and her children Brennan Thompson and her son Jakob of Yorkton, Brad (Kathy) Thompson and their daughters Alisha and Bailey of Assiniboia, SK, Brent (Guillermo) Thompson of Toronto, ON. She is also survived by her brothers Bill (Louise) of St. Catherine's, ON, Nick (Effie) of Foam Lake, SK, her sister Emily (Walter Kolybaba) of Emerald Park, SK and numerous nieces and nephews. Mary was predeceased by her beloved husband Orest, her parents, and by brothers George and Steve. A family funeral service was held on Friday, January 12th 2018 from the Chapel of Bailey's Funeral Home with Rev. Jen Dresser of St. Andrew's United Church officiating. Musical selections were Do Not Pass Me By, Amazing Grace, and All the Way My Saviour Leads Me. The interment will take place this summer in the family plot at the Foam Lake Cemetery. Condolences can be left at baileysfuneralhome.com