Jane SADLER

JANE SADLER

We celebrate the life of Jane Anne Hope Kawchuk Sadler who died peacefully on January 4, 2018, aged 88.

Our beloved mother and Baba leaves to cherish her memory: daughters, Bev (Neil) Calhoun, Barbara Sadler Wells (Peter Chomyn) and Bonnie Sadler Takach (Geo Takach); grandchildren, Caitlin Wells (David Vergote), Melissa (Darcy) Ennis, Brianna Wells (Vern Nelson), Alanna Calhoun (Keith Falk), Peter Takach (Hillary Amann) and Frances Takach; great-grandchildren, Declan and Rowen Ennis, and Alix and Elsa Vergote; sisters Stella Boychuk and Nel Chubak, and brother Joe (Shirley) Kawchuk; and numerous members of the extended family, including treasured nieces and nephews and their families. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband of 58 years, and partner in all life adventures, Lloyd Dowley McFadden Sadler. Mum was also predeceased by her treasured siblings, Ann, Mike, Mary, Betty, Sue, Kay, John, Doreen and Olive; and other dear family members, most recently, brother-in-law, Steve Chubak.

Jane was born July 15, 1929 in the family homestead in Carpenter, Saskatchewan to Fedora and Peter Kawchuk. An excellent student at Horodenka School, she often slipped away to hide in a tree to read a book, and once ran away at harvest-time so she wouldn't miss class. Her written stories were particularly evocative. She left home when she was 15 to work as a dietician at Sask Hall at the University of Saskatchewan. There she caught the eye of her future husband, Lloyd, who was entranced by her grace, wit, and not least of all, her long, auburn hair, which she often fashioned into a crown of braids. Forsaking an art scholarship to marry her handsome lad, she nonetheless employed her creative talents as a calligrapher/artist to trade ad designs for groceries at the neighbourhood food store. Romantic fishing trips frequently augmented the dinner fare. Together they raised three daughters across Saskatchewan and Alberta and were actively involved in the lives of their family and friends and in the community.

Jane was a lifelong learner, and even though she chose not to pursue her dream of being a home-economics teacher, she modelled active, discovery-based learning in all manner of things. A hands-on researcher, from conducting impromptu science experiments in the kitchen to identifying flora and fauna in the woods, her 'let's-look-it-up/find-out' enthusiasm ignited our interest in inquiry (and became a passion for some of us). Her propensity to drop everything to demonstrate traditional Ukrainian dance steps, sing harmony or play harmonica, mouth harp and guitar connected us to her own family roots. As did her mouth-watering food-fests; we were often gifted with exceptional traditional Ukrainian Christmas dinners in addition to 'regular' English ones.

A Jane-of-all-trades, as comfortable in a ballgown as a carpenter's overalls, she showed us how to be versatile problem-solvers. After all of her children were in school, she earned a beautician's certificate and loved working in this field. She was also an expert seamstress, creating everything from church banners to Ukrainian dance costumes to our wedding gowns. One family photo features Mum and her three Bs all dressed in fine, home-sewn matching outfits in an apparent homage to the curtain-to-clothing event from The Sound of Music. Jane was athletic, having played baseball for a men's farm league as a youth, and she became a bowler extraordinaire in leagues in Lethbridge and Edmonton. Throughout her life, she passionately followed a wide range of sports, resulting in a cacophony of competing radio and TV broadcasts during overlapping seasons. Getting one's hair curled during Hockey Night in Canada for church the next day was very risky.

Jane was a happy wanderer and loved road-tripping and dropping a fishing line along the way, and travel to New Orleans in 1972 held special memories for her. Jane and Lloyd built their dream cabin in the wilderness with family help, where she communed with nature, and surprised the occasional bear on her way to the blueberry patch.

Private, stoic and self-sufficient, Jane believed people should be responsible for their own lives, but should also help others. We learned much from her about caregiving, courage and resilience, and how to live a good life. In her own words: "Time is valuable. Not only the passing of time... but the giving of time. The giving of love and friendship, of kindness and respect, the giving of yourself in the form of help... to make this world a peaceful and enjoyable place to live in." From her random acts of kindness to her quiet, steadfast support, she was a remarkable individual and an indelible part of our lives. In her later years, she had the respect and affection of her caregivers, who recognized that she tried to make things better for people, with every fibre of her being, and no matter how difficult her circumstances. It is a blessing that her pain is gone now. But her love, her strength, her wisdom, her joyous creative zest and skill, and above all, her inspiration, will always remain.

Thank you to staff members at Devonshire Manor and Dr. Gerald Zetter Care Centre (2S), for their compassionate care. Cremation has already taken place. A memorial service will be held at a later time.

"Heel, Toe, and Away We Go!"