Obituary of Kaye (Katrina) LARSEN
It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of Kaye Larsen on Thursday, December 27, 2018, just shy of her 91st birthday.
Kaye was born in Coalhurst, AB to George and Sophie Ukrainetz, moving to Lethbridge with her family after the Coalhurst mine explosion of 1935. She remained in Lethbridge practically her whole life, proud to always be a “Northsider”, and only leaving the city in 2017 to be closer to family in Calgary.
She married Harold Larsen on July 12, 1949, and in 1952 they welcomed their only child, daughter Shelley. Following her retirement from Canada Safeway in 1988, Kaye and Harold enjoyed a wonderful life together of golfing and curling, and many spur-of-the-moment jaunts to Jackpot, Nevada.
Sadly, Harold succumbed to cancer in July, 2001, and shortly after, Kaye was diagnosed with Macular Degeneration. Not to let sight impairment get her down, she continued to golf and curl, having friends tell her where her ball ended up, or if she hit the broom!
She was also determined to “see the world” before she couldn’t see it any longer. Her first big trip was to Greece followed by a once-in-a-lifetime African Safari with Shelley. She also discovered, and fell in love with cruising. Thus began annual Mother & Daughter Getaways which, over the past 10 years, took them to Australia, South America, South Pacific, and the Caribbean many times. These were such fun adventures, sometimes taking them away from home for months at a time! Kaye always made sure to try something new to tell the folks back home – ziplining, parasailing, swimming with sharks, having lunch with zebras, petting and feeding kangaroos ..!
Although she travelled the world, Kaye remained a casual, simple lady whose greatest joys in life were having Caesars at happy hour and lavender bubble baths. She was loved by her family and her friends, for her kindness, sense of humour and her unwillingness to let her health problems get in the way of living a full life.
Kaye is survived by her daughter Shelley (Ford), son-in-law Tony Hayduk, and Tony’s family in Calgary, as well as numerous nieces and nephews in Canada and the US.
She was predeceased by her parents, husband Harold, brother William (Bill) Ukrainetz, friend and companion Bill Flynn, her grand-dog Chuck and grand-cat Bobbi.
Kaye will be laid to rest with her beloved Harold in Mountain View Cemetery, Lethbridge. A private interment will be held.
The family wishes to thank the staff and residents at The Manor Village Signature Park, Calgary, for their care and friendship, the medical teams at the Foothills Hospital for their perseverance and compassion, and first and foremost, we appreciate the thoughts and prayers from Shelley and Tony’s many friends who adopted Kaye as “Mom”.
May God bless you and Dad as you travel together in all eternity.