Stephanie Yakimchuk

(nee Chykailo)

1930 – 2024

On Monday January 22, 2024, Stephanie (Steffie) Yakimchuk (nee Chykailo) passed away at the age of 93 with family by her side.  Steffie was predeceased by her parents Ksenia and Stephen Chykailo, husband Michael Yakimchuk and brother-in-law Harold Dalkie.  Steffie will be lovingly remembered by her sons, Michael (Laura), David, daughter Lisa (Tierdyn), her grandchildren Chloe, Emma, Carter, Matthew, her sister Julie, her nephews Harold, Paul, Alan, niece Karen, extended family and friends.

Mom was born in Winnipeg in the midst of a depression to Ukrainian immigrant parents.  Raised in the Winnipeg North End, with very little money, her parents never made Steffie or sister Julie feel that they needed or wanted for more.  Baba Ksenia sewed beautiful outfits and had both girls looking like royalty, well-groomed and focused on a life filled with education, music and culture.  The hard working parents instilled a strong work ethic in our mom but her love for music and the mandolin brought her a lifelong passion.

Steffie embraced her Ukrainian heritage and through the Ukrainian Labour Temple, she danced, sang in the choirs and especially loved to play her mandolin in both the Winnipeg and Toronto Mandolin Orchestras. Mom played the mandolin for almost 90 years – starting when Baba (instead of purchasing an electric washing machine) purchased for the girls a mandolin and violin along with music lessons.  Mom was a natural, she had perfect pitch and could easily grasp playing new songs. This love and appreciation for the mandolin continued throughout her life and helped her create lifelong friends and new companions well into her 80s.

Mom was also a bit of an adventurer, not afraid to try things on her own.  Knowing she wanted to be in the workforce to help support her parents, she took extra schooling to focus on business secretarial skills. Her first full time job was working at the University of Manitoba in the registrar’s office for four years, which she loved and excelled.  But Mom was drawn to the excitement of Toronto and in 1953, she moved there working as a freelance stenographer for Ontario Hydro and Foster Advertising on Avenue road.  During this time, a highlight was taking part in Canada’s inaugural subway ride in 1954.  After two years though, her mother who missed her, begged her to return to Winnipeg which she did as a dutiful daughter. 

In her late twenties, she joined a bowling league at Billy Mosienko Lanes where she met her husband Michael, who was the dynamic bowling convenor and Ukrainian dancer that swept her off her feet.  Mike and Steffie fell in love, marrying a couple of years later and raising three children.  They condensed a lifelong marriage into 25 years as Mike’s life was abruptly ended by a heart attack in his 50’s.  Mom was heartbroken but her resilience shone through as she updated her skills through night school, earning a Legal Secretary Diploma and returned to work for the City of Winnipeg in a number of different administrative functions and various locations.  At times working nightshifts, Mom would drive across the city in the midst of harsh winters all to ensure the continuance of providing for her family’s needs.  Although she enjoyed working, she certainly earned her retirement!

Beyond music, Steffie also enjoyed many other passions.  She was athletic and was always proud to remind her grandchildren that she used to be a runner in high school winning the 100 yard dash in grade 12 (which her grandchildren would remind her was over 70 years ago!).  She was a member of the Rossmere Curling Club and enjoyed many occasions with the curling ladies.  She also enjoyed traveling with her sister Julie and the “Cuban crew” – a number of friends who would annually make the trip to their favourite Cuba destination and escape the cold Winnipeg Winters.  The two weeks of warmth of the sun, the Cuban people and her wonderful travel companions, was a highlight that helped carry her through winter and into the summer months.  

After many years living in Winnipeg, Steffie found that aging on her own was not easy and the calling of her three children and grandchildren in Toronto became impossible to ignore.  In 2015, Steffie made the difficult decision to leave her wonderful sister, her friends, her home town that she knew for 84 years, and moved to Toronto once again, to live with her daughter Lisa and her family. This time the move would be permanent.  

Over the nine years that Mom lived in Toronto, she joined the Toronto Mandolin Orchestra, performed many times on stage, made new friends, traveled on road trips to the cottage, to Ottawa, to Montreal, to Cuba, to Mexico (twice), endured a pandemic, developed life-long memories for her grandchildren, and gave joy to her children each and everyday.  Covid, dementia and dysphagia finally took hold of Mom but they could not take the lifelong memories, love and devotion that she gave to all of us.  Steffie, Mom, will be missed immensely and will be forever in our hearts.

We would like to offer our deepest thanks to all the members of the Mackenzie Health hospital staff for their attentive care and for making the last days of our mother so comfortable.  In addition, donations to the Alzheimer’s Society of Canada will make a positive impact in the lives of people living with dementia and their families.

Finally, for those who are able to join, we will be celebrating Mom’s life at a noon luncheon held at the Ukrainian Labour Temple (591 Pritchard Avenue, Winnipeg, MB) on Friday, May 31, 2024.

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