Friday, March 18, 2022
My deepest condolences to Mary, Vivienne and Sharon and their spouses, children and grandchildren. Yes, I also remember Stephen’s sense of humour, his bird song whistling, his love of family and refined carpentry skills, and also his warm smile and the twinkle in his eye.
What a legacy Stephen has created as a husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather - as Andy Warhol said, the idea is not to live forever, but to create something that will! Your commemorative video sparked a flood of memories and feelings…and tears! It captured the kind and gentle cousin who always had a positive word for everyone and always attended extended family events. Although Stephen was my first cousin, he was actually near the age of my father (wth whom he shared a name) and older than my mother. I remember when Stephen and Mary visited as he and my Dad filled the house with laughter and recollections of their childhoods while my Mom and Mary bonded over marrying into this exuberant tight-knit Ukrainian pedigree. I will always be grateful for their visits to my Mom when she was in the hospital and to my Dad in his final years.
Your carefully selected music and photos reminded me of some of the childhood adventures of visiting his parents’ farm in Sperling - the songs of Grand Ole Oprey’s Ferlin Husky and of Claude King’s Wolverton Mountain, Bobby Vinton’s Roses are red, and many more, of the freshly baked bread, and of the second floor of bedrooms where we would find remnants of the youth and teens of Stephen and each of his siblings. Mostly, the video radiated with love - the love of family that his generation showered on me and my generation in my childhood, and that he clearly passed on to you all. I was disappointed not to have recognized so many people in the video - the price of moving two provinces away over 45 years ago. So, like cousin Gail, I too hope for those of us who know one another to reunite and help our now second- , third- and fourth- cousins at least to meet. Sending much love to all. Sheila (Olenka) Bilash (Slobodzian) and family
