Obituary for Albina Spenst (Zylyk)
Albina Spenst (Zylyk)
July 7, 1929 ~ June 24, 2022
Albina Spenst, beloved wife to Clarence H. Spenst of Calgary, passed away at Skypointe Hospice on Friday, June 24, 2022 at the age of 92 years.
Albina was born on the farm in the Allenby district, south of Wishart, Saskatchewan to Alex and Josephine Zylyk in 1929. She was the 5th child of 10, of whom 9 would survive.
After leaving school and home she found work in Saskatchewan and went as far away as Nordegg, Alberta to work. She returned to Saskatchewan and met Clarence and they were married on August 23, 1952 at Mary Queen of Hearts Church in Lestock, Saskatchewan.
Mom was an entrepreneur and hard worker. Her and Dad owned three barber shops and a beauty salon. She also would buy homes she could find for $500 with the help of her friend Tony Blackner and turn them into rentals and eventually sell them. She did this all while raising her young family in Regina.
Our family moved to Calgary in 1969 as she wanted to be closer to her siblings and Mother after her father passed in 1967. She took a job at Continental Can with her sister Helen, then worked at Sears, and eventually in the kitchen at Meals on Wheels. She never gave up her hair cutting and many male family members including sons, brothers and nephews would show up for a coffee and a haircut on weekends.
After a work injury, she retired and had plenty of time to enjoy new pleasures like gardening, crafts, shaping her bushes into birds or baskets, and getting out to enjoy nature with her husband camping, fishing, and watching the birds and nature. It’s at this time she started painting when she received a gift of painting lessons from her daughter and it took off from there. Painting became her new passion over the years and she created many beautiful pictures.
One of her most joyous moments that she reflected on was having her very first art showing. She exhibited her art at the Canada Day weekend Art Show at Evanston Grande Village in 2021 when she was 91. She was so proud to have her work on display and receive accolades on line and in person from so many.
Mom also was a huge lover of music she took joy in watching her brother Andy, granddaughter Kiarra, and daughter Raelene play when she had the opportunity. She would while away many hours listening and singing along to music or play the accordion her brother had left her when he passed.
She was proud of all of her children and took great joy in her grandchildren. She would talk of their accomplishments often and was always looking forward to the times she would spend with them and later with her great grandchildren. Even to the end she was always concerned how they were doing and if they had what they needed.
Mom did not want a sad church or funeral service when she passed. So we have decided to honor her life with a display of some of her paintings, play her favorite music, and reminisce about happy time she shared with us in stories and conversation.
She was the loving mother of children, Darvin (Shane), Darcy, Darrell, and Raelene; she will also be missed and lovingly remembered by her grandchildren, Kiarra Albina, Keshia Fawn, Melissa Emily, Vicky, Leah, Misty Kay, and Shane Jr; and one other grandson, great grandchildren, Kaiden, Kye, Leaf, Brantley, Shelby, and her other great grandchildren; sisters, Nellie Chabra, Helen Neigel, Kathy Favero, and Alona Picoweye; sister-in-law, Helen Zylyk (Andy); as well as many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Clarence in September 2015; son, Shane in August 2019; her parents, Alex & Josephine Zylyk; sister, Alice; and brothers, John, Andy, and Russell.
Thank-you to the caring staff at Skypointe Hospice who took such good care of her on her last days, and the many caring HCAs, nursing staff,, Etta on Unit 59, and Dr Wong at the Rockyview Hospital.
A Celebration of Albina’s Life will be held on Friday, July 1, 2022 at her son Darrell’s home in Airdrie.
To view and share photos, condolences and memories of Albina, please visit www.choicememorial.com.
July 7, 1929 ~ June 24, 2022
Albina Spenst, beloved wife to Clarence H. Spenst of Calgary, passed away at Skypointe Hospice on Friday, June 24, 2022 at the age of 92 years.
Albina was born on the farm in the Allenby district, south of Wishart, Saskatchewan to Alex and Josephine Zylyk in 1929. She was the 5th child of 10, of whom 9 would survive.
After leaving school and home she found work in Saskatchewan and went as far away as Nordegg, Alberta to work. She returned to Saskatchewan and met Clarence and they were married on August 23, 1952 at Mary Queen of Hearts Church in Lestock, Saskatchewan.
Mom was an entrepreneur and hard worker. Her and Dad owned three barber shops and a beauty salon. She also would buy homes she could find for $500 with the help of her friend Tony Blackner and turn them into rentals and eventually sell them. She did this all while raising her young family in Regina.
Our family moved to Calgary in 1969 as she wanted to be closer to her siblings and Mother after her father passed in 1967. She took a job at Continental Can with her sister Helen, then worked at Sears, and eventually in the kitchen at Meals on Wheels. She never gave up her hair cutting and many male family members including sons, brothers and nephews would show up for a coffee and a haircut on weekends.
After a work injury, she retired and had plenty of time to enjoy new pleasures like gardening, crafts, shaping her bushes into birds or baskets, and getting out to enjoy nature with her husband camping, fishing, and watching the birds and nature. It’s at this time she started painting when she received a gift of painting lessons from her daughter and it took off from there. Painting became her new passion over the years and she created many beautiful pictures.
One of her most joyous moments that she reflected on was having her very first art showing. She exhibited her art at the Canada Day weekend Art Show at Evanston Grande Village in 2021 when she was 91. She was so proud to have her work on display and receive accolades on line and in person from so many.
Mom also was a huge lover of music she took joy in watching her brother Andy, granddaughter Kiarra, and daughter Raelene play when she had the opportunity. She would while away many hours listening and singing along to music or play the accordion her brother had left her when he passed.
She was proud of all of her children and took great joy in her grandchildren. She would talk of their accomplishments often and was always looking forward to the times she would spend with them and later with her great grandchildren. Even to the end she was always concerned how they were doing and if they had what they needed.
Mom did not want a sad church or funeral service when she passed. So we have decided to honor her life with a display of some of her paintings, play her favorite music, and reminisce about happy time she shared with us in stories and conversation.
She was the loving mother of children, Darvin (Shane), Darcy, Darrell, and Raelene; she will also be missed and lovingly remembered by her grandchildren, Kiarra Albina, Keshia Fawn, Melissa Emily, Vicky, Leah, Misty Kay, and Shane Jr; and one other grandson, great grandchildren, Kaiden, Kye, Leaf, Brantley, Shelby, and her other great grandchildren; sisters, Nellie Chabra, Helen Neigel, Kathy Favero, and Alona Picoweye; sister-in-law, Helen Zylyk (Andy); as well as many nieces, nephews, and great nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband, Clarence in September 2015; son, Shane in August 2019; her parents, Alex & Josephine Zylyk; sister, Alice; and brothers, John, Andy, and Russell.
Thank-you to the caring staff at Skypointe Hospice who took such good care of her on her last days, and the many caring HCAs, nursing staff,, Etta on Unit 59, and Dr Wong at the Rockyview Hospital.
A Celebration of Albina’s Life will be held on Friday, July 1, 2022 at her son Darrell’s home in Airdrie.
To view and share photos, condolences and memories of Albina, please visit www.choicememorial.com.