Obituary of Sophia Gies

B I O G R A P H Y GIES: Sophia Gies passed away in the Jubilee Home, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan on Thursday, November 22, 2007 at the age of 80 years. Sophia is survived by: her husband Fred Gies of Paradise Valley; three children: Fred Gies and his wife Karen of Calgary, John Gies of Calgary, Donna Kosteriva and her friend Mike Paul of Lloydminster; ten grandchildren; one son-in-law Dale Kosteriva of Lloydminster; one brother-in-law Edward Gies and his wife Grace of Sherwood Park as well as several other relatives. The funeral service for Sophia was conducted from the McCaw Funeral Chapel, Lloydminster, Alberta on Tuesday, November 27, 2007 at 2:00 P.M. with Father Bohdan Nahachewsky officiating. A eulogy was given by Karrah Kosteriva. Active pallbearers were: Fred Gies, John Gies, Jesse Gies, Cody Gies, Cole Kosteriva, Freddy Gies and Dale Kosteriva. Interment followed in the Lloydminster City Cemetery. McCaw Funeral Service Ltd., of Lloydminster administered the funeral arrangements. We are here today to honor the life of Sophia Gies, after her passing on November 22nd. She was born in Dolyniany, West Ukraine on July 23rd, 1927, being the only child of Martyn and Anastasia Komar. Ten years later, in 1938, Sophia and her mother left Ukraine and traveled to Paradise Valley, AB, to reunite with her father who had come to Canada in 1928. Sophia received her elementary education at the Cheviot Hills School and then moved to the dormitory in Kitscoty to attend high school. Bushi always used to tell us the story of her first day of school when she came to Canada. She didn’t speak English so instead of being in grade four they moved her back to grade one. She said that when the lunch bell rang she thought it was time to go home and she couldn’t find her dad so she started walking. All of the kids were running behind her telling her to come back because school wasn’t over yet but because couldn’t speak English and she thought they were chasing her yelling mean things. She ran away as fast as she could because she was so scared! After high school she moved to Lloydminster with her friend Melva Lightfoot where she attended Reeves Business College; shortly after she obtained employment at the Lloydminster and district Co-Op business office. She met Fred Gies on a blind date and they were married on October 21st, 1950. In 1951, their first son, Frederick Martyn Gies was born. After traveling southern Alberta for several years Fred and Sophia decided to settle in Calgary. They lived in the Chinook trailer park, it was there that they met life long friends Mike and Elda Hanson and family. In 1955 they built a house in the village of Montgomery, which later became a part of Calgary, where they resided until 1979. During these years they had a son, John Douglas Gies, born in 1958, and daughter Donna Marie Gies, born in 1964. In 1979 Donna, Sophia and Fred moved to Lloydminster to take care of her ailing parents, Martyn and Anastasia. Four years later Fred and Sophia moved to the farm that she grew up on; they built a home there in 1983. In 1980 their first grand daughter, Marni, was born, she was followed over the next ten years by Shauna, Robyn, Jami, Jesse, Karrah, Freddy, Staci, Cody and Cole. Sophia took great pride in being a Babushi; she enjoyed spending time with and supporting her grandchildren in everything that we did, gardening on the farm, camping, cooking for her family and knitting. Bushi was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, which she fought courageously for the next three years. We will remember Babushi for her strong and loyal commitment to her family and her friends, her strength and all of her love. We want to thank her for being the best wife, mother, aunt and Bushi. We love you and we will miss you. Card of Thanks The family of Sophia Gies would like to thank Dr. Kerlis, the 3rd floor nurses at the Lloydminster Hospital and the staff at the Jubilee Home for their loving care of Sophia. Also many thanks to the loving care received at the Cross Cancer Institute. Thanks to all who sent food, flowers, donations and to everyone who called or visited. To the ladies who helped with lunch, thanks so much. Thanks to Father Bohdan Nahachewsky for officiating and a very special thanks to Glenn McCaw and staff for your care and compassion at such a difficult time. Fred Gies and Families Donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, the Jubilee Home Patient Comfort Fund or to a Charity of the Donor's Choice