Obituary of Jean Adeline BEREZOWSKI

Jean Berezowski, wife, partner, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, and homemaker passed away in Calgary at the Dulcina Hospice on Friday, July 17, 2015 at the age of 89 years. Jean was born and raised in Lacombe, Alberta. She began her career in the health field as a Nursing Aide at the Mineral Springs Hospital in Banff, followed by a position at the Colonel Belcher Hospital in Calgary. She married Bill Berezowski in 1955 and raised their three children together, while Bill was working on his teaching career. Jean took her role as a ‘stay at home mom’ very seriously; she maintained a clean, warm and wonderful home atmosphere where Bill and their children thrived. Jean role modelled awesome behaviours including generosity of heart, a cheery disposition, and a great sense of humour; not to mention she was a little mischievous at times. Jean liked to hide around the house and with a mighty WHOOP would jump out and scare the living daylights out of anyone who was her target. She also would initiate water fights, locking everyone out of the house and proceeding to throw water from the windows and the balcony of the old 440 house. Of course you couldn't throw water back into the house to get her wet or there would be the devil to pay. She loved travelling all over the world alone or with Bill visiting such cities and countries as Vancouver, Singapore, Borneo, California, Arizona, Dubai. Jean never retired in the traditional sense, rather, continued to fulfil her chosen role ‘till the day she was taken to the hospital four short weeks ago. During the years she so expertly took care of her family (including bringing up her grandson Jonathan, while Ann attended university), Jean was also a dedicated canvasser for the Cancer Foundation and Salvation Army. She was a lifelong learner, and encouraged her children and grandchildren to never stop seeing the world with inquiring eyes. Jean was an avid reader of biographies, (celebrities excepted) loved watching sports like curling and figure skating, and listened to ‘As It Happens' and 'Spirit of the West' religiously. Together, Bill and Jean's passion for learning transferred to Ann, Marc and Margaret; and this is very evident in their choices of careers and interests. Jean has lived with, suffered through and actively fought five different cancers since 1974 and was, in her own words, "a tough old bird". The fact that she had some new cancer when she died does not mean that she was beaten by it; after all, not many people make it to the cusp of 90 years in the first place! Jean is survived by two daughters and sons-in-law Ann Berezowski and Daryl Shaw of Houston, Margaret and Jim Hurlbut of Vancouver Island, son and daughter-in-law Marc Berezowski and Barbara Komar of North Vancouver, B.C.; as well as five grandchildren Jonathon Berezowski, Kelsi Hurlbut, Austin Hurlbut, Tristan Berezowski, and Sophia Berezowski. Jean is predeceased by the love of her life, husband William (Bill) Hector Berezowski in 2010. “I thought I was just me. I never knew so much love. If I put it in a bottle it would burst. All the family ... it is unbelievable!" ~Jean Berezowski July 2015