Obituary of Aniela Kriaski

KRIASKI, Aniela April 25, 1941 ~ December 14, 2020 Loving mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, Aniela Kriaski passed away peacefully on Monday, December 14, 2020 at the Bonnyville Extendicare at the age of 79 years. Aniela is lovingly survived by her two sons: Mark (Julie) Kriaski of Bonnyville, AB, Peter (Joanne) Kriaski of Vanderhoof, BC; grandchildren: Paige, Ethan, Ella and Jace Kriaski; siblings: Jozefa (Jozef) Sperka, Krystyna (Jozef) Oko, Maria (Eugeriusz) Bereszczanski, Zofia (Tadeusz) Styga, Irena (Adam) Buczek all of Poland; as well as numerous other relatives and friends. Aniela is predeceased by her husband: Charlie Kriaski in 2019; parents: Jan & Katarzyna Ozga; siblings: Michalina Tereszkiewicz, Czeslaw (Wladyslawa) Ozga. Aniela’s family would like to extend their gratefulness to all of the staff at the Bonnyville Extendicare over the past years and also as to everyone who has shown them support. Eulogy – Aniela Kriaski 1941-2020 Aniela was born April 25, 1941 in Wola Rusinowka, Poland. Her parents Jan and Katarzyna Ozga welcomed her as the third eldest child in their family. The family grew to eight children, one son and seven daughters. Angie grew up with her siblings working hard on the farm. It was a difficult time in Poland as the country recovered from WWII. She worked to help support the family. Leaving the farm as a young women Angie moved to Jawor in western Poland. Here she lived with her sister Misia and worked in a furniture factory until she later immigrated to Canada. Her nieces fondly remember visiting Angie and Misia in Jawor. From the window they could see a big church and hear the midday bell ring. Their visits were memorable for the spotless and well kept home, the lovely 70s records they listened to, the jewelry they tried on, and the new cherished homemade dresses that Angie would make for them. Angie’s love of children and her caring nature shone down on everyone. In 1978, Angie made her way to Canada. Here she met her loving husband Charlie Kriaski. Married on January 7th, 1979 the couple began their life together on the family farm in Flat Lake, Alberta. Together they farmed cattle, hogs, and chickens. They planted a large garden and crops in the fields to sustain them and the farm. On January 25, 1980 Angie was blessed with a son. Mark was the apple of his mother’s eye. He brought her much joy and kept her young. She lived to spend time with her son, to teach him new things, including the polish language. She loved to play, laugh and simply be together. It has been recounted to me that the happiest moment of her life was the birth of Mark. In 1984, Charlie and Angie adopted Peter at the age of 13. Peter joined the family in Flat Lake and the family became four. Angie was a loving and caring mother who always found the time and the means to spoil her family with baked goods, treats, and quality time. She was skilled in the kitchen. There was always a supply of pastries, pies, or donuts. She was sure to have a pot of soup or a cup of tea ready for anyone who may need a warm-up. She brought many of her traditional dishes and traditions to life around the holidays for her family. Some of these being the traditional meal of different cooked grains for Christmas eve. Having 12 dishes to serve at Christmas and setting an extra plate at the table for the Lord. Another custom was breaking bread with family and friends to bestow well wishes to each other on special occasions. Some of Angie’s hobbies included spending time with her family playing games, making puzzles, and simply enjoying the warmth of a nice sunny Sunday afternoon. She also enjoyed berry and mushroom picking. She was a good fisherwoman and passed her love of fishing down to her son. She would often fish from shore at Chicken Lake, but her favorite was ice fishing in early spring. Mark fondly remembers how she would pick him after school so they could sneak in a late afternoon fish before dark set in. Angie was a very social woman. Over the years she hosted countless get-togethers for family and friends. Her home was always open to overnight guests, and weekend visitors. She became friends with many people and the farm was a warm gathering place for everyone. All were welcomed with plenty to eat and drink, and nobody ever left without a care package. These packages often included fresh vegetables from the garden, preserves and fresh baking. Angie had a special bond with her sister Misia who also immigrated to Canada and settled in St. Paul. Misia spent much of her time with Angie, helping with the daily chores, gardening, cooking, and caring for the boys. Later, Misia made the move to Edmonton but the sisters remained close. Many weekend visits and daily phones calls were a comfort to both. While she was a hard-working woman, Angie recognized the need for rest and relaxation. Angie made it a priority to take family vacations. They often went to the mountains during summer break. They travelled to British Columbia many times to visit family as well. In 1996 Angie took Mark to Poland for the summer to meet his extended family. Sadly, that was Angie’s last trip to her home country. But she never lost touch with her family there. Many siblings made the trip out to visit her and the family in Flat Lake. These visits brought her much joy. As a tribute to her, the family in Poland is attending a special mass for Angie as we celebrate her life here in Canada. Angie lived through many challenging times. She suffered polio as a child, and its lasting effects her whole life. She experienced the effects of war and poverty in Poland. She left all she knew to start a new life in Canada. She had to learn to speak English and adjust to a different life. During this transition, she experienced much loneliness and anxiety. I am sure many secret tears were shed. Later in life came the diagnosis of Parkinson disease and Dementia. Angie spent the last seven years of her life in Extendicare in Bonnyville. We’d like to express our sincere thanks to the staff who have diligently taken care of her needs. It was Angie’s great faith in God which helped her face these challenges and work through hard times. She had a close relationship with God, spend lots of time in prayer and trusted that God chose her path for a reason. Angie always had a love for children. She would get down on the floor with them and genuinely loved to play cars, dolls or lego with them. In 2007, she welcomed her first grand-daughter Paige. Soon Ethan, Ella, and Jace followed. She enjoyed having them come to visit on the farm, and later at the condo and Extendicare. The children always brought a smile to Grandmas face. She was so proud of them. She loved them all to pieces and would of loved to have many more healthy years with them but unfortunately it was not to be. Grandma will be fondly remembered for her hugs and kisses, ice cream cones, donuts, pies, walks around the farm and playtime on the carpet. We love you Mom and Grandma. We know you are happy and safe, reunited with Grandpa in Heaven. May you rest peacefully.