Hello Family and Friends,
As many of you know, our mother, Jennie Zakrewski, passed away on January 6, 2022. We have planned a funeral mass for her on Saturday, April 30 at 1:00 PM at Holy Rosary Church in Edmonton at 11485-106 Street, Edmonton. The interment, following the mass, will be at the Holy Cross Cemetery located at 14611 Mark Messier Trail, Edmonton.
Following the interment, we invite you to join us in fellowship at a Celebration of Life for Jennie the at Hampton Inn & Suites located at 585 Mistatim Way NW, Edmonton. The hotel is located right across
the highway from the cemetery. In remembrance of Jennie and our Polish heritage, we will enjoy a light lunch featuring sausage, pierogies and cabbage rolls. The family will share a few words and stories of remembrance, as well as a slideshow highlighting moments in Jennie’s life. Family and friends are also invited to share their memories if they wish. For those of you wishing to stay overnight, the Hampton Inn & Suites is offering a special rate of $119 for those attending the funeral/reception. Please let the front desk person know that you are part of this group if you plan on booking.
We invite you to join us if you are able to. We understand that many of you live miles away, and/or have other commitments and will not be able to attend. But we know that your hearts, thoughts and prayers are with us. If there are any questions or you need further information, please call or text Diane at (403) 970-6209 or email at dchomik@shaw.ca
Sincerely,
Diane, David, Jim and Allan
Jennie’s Story
It is with great sadness the family announces that on January 6, 2022, Jennie Zakrewski (nee Glowinski) passed away peacefully at Medicine Hat Regional Hospital at the age of 91 years. Jennie was born on November 15, 1930 in Edmonton, Alberta, the third child of Michalina and Kazimir Glowinski.
Jennie grew up in the Calder area in Edmonton, AB. She attended St. Edmund’s Catholic School, Calder School and Westglen High School. Her younger days were spent playing in the fields, climbing trees, digging the garden, drowning gophers, sawing logs and looking after her younger sister, Adele. She loved to read and would often hide in the bush to do just that, so that her mother wouldn’t be able to find her and put her to work. Sometimes, she would share stories of how she and her brothers, Henry and John, got into mischief at the nearby railroad yard (ie: starting a fire in the sawdust piles and then hiding to watch for the fire truck come to put it out. 😳) She was inspired to play the violin at neighbourhood get-togethers and taught herself to play the mandolin. Accordion lessons followed later in her teens. Jennie played with a mandolin orchestra that performed in concerts entertaining American troops during WW2 and on CJCA Radio on Sunday mornings. As a young adult she enjoyed bowling in a league.
Jennie received a diploma in business education at the McTavish School of Business. At age 17 she got her very first job the Beaver Collection Agency. She then worked at Wilson Stationery as a bookkeeper, then eventually as office manager, until she started her family. Jennie married Zygmunt Zakrewski on July 16, 1954. When her children were older she worked in the steno pool for Canada Packers, Imperial Oil and the AB government with AHS. In the early 1980’s, Jennie and Zyg moved to Calgary where Jennie worked at a delicatessen called “Eats”, owned by her son, David. Although she enjoyed the experience very much, she and Zyg moved back to Edmonton 4 yrs. later.
Jennie and Zyg loved to garden and Jennie continued this passion after Zyg passed in 2004. After hurting her back while drawing water out of the rain barrel for her garden, and landing up in the hospital, Jennie sold the family house in 2015 and moved into the Revera Churchill Seniors’ Residence. She loved to go for coffee with her friends there. She also looked forward to going for a pierogi and sausage lunch at Stawnichy’s, with brother John, and his wife, Anne. Jennie never missed an opportunity to go out for Chinese food. Chop suey was her favourite dish. Jennie was an avid Edmonton Oilers fan and rarely missed a game on television. She was an expert at making cabbage rolls, pierogis, nalysnyky (cottage cheese crepes), studzienina (Polish Jellied Pigs’ Feet) as well as dill and beet pickles. As those dishes were family favorites, she was happy to share her expertise in making them with any family member that was interested. Jennie was born in the “Dirty 30’s” and grew up with the Reduce, Reuse, Recycle philosophy before it was ever mainstream. The family has many funny and endearing stories of just how Jennie did that. Jenny was also very technology savvy for her age. She used email, online banking, had a Facebook account, reached level 650+ on Candy Crush and was usually able to get herself onto the weekly family Zoom meetings on her computer during Covid restrictions - with a cup of Bailey’s in her hand! This fall, Jennie moved to Chinook Village Seniors’ Residence in Medicine Hat, to a quieter setting.
She is lovingly remembered by her daughter Diane Chomik (Bill), David Zakrewski (Gail), James Zakrewski (Vicky), Allan Zakrewski (Trish), grandchildren; Kathryn, Andrew, Michael, Jaclyn, James, Shannon, Corey, Peter, and great grandchildren; Peyton, Scarlet, Briar, Page, Ruby, Madison, Maci, Cassandra and Lily and brother John Glowinski (Anne). and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her husband Zygmunt Zakrewski, her brother Henry, her sister Adele, her mother, Michalina and her father, Kazimir.
The family would like to thank the nursing staff on Unit 5E at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, and Dr. Claassen and Dr. Azam, for their compassionate care and guidance during Jennie’s final days. Condolences and memories may be shared and viewed at www.saamis.com A funeral mass will be held on April 30, 2022 at the Holy Rosary Church in Edmonton. Details will be upcoming at a later date on the www.saamis.com website. and numerous nieces and nephews. Condolences and memories may be shared and viewed at www.saamis.com A funeral mass will be held on April 30, 2022 at the Holy Rosary Church in Edmonton. Details will be upcoming at a later date on the www.saamis.com website. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to SAAMIS MEMORIAL FUNERAL CHAPEL AND CREMATORIUM, “The Chapel in the Park”, Medicine Hat, Alberta. Should you wish any additional information, please telephone 1-800-317-2647.