Date of Birth: December 24, 1927
Date of Death: November 25, 2020
Agnes Callow (Novakowski-Walchuk) was born on Dec. 24, 1927 on the homestead to John and Lily (Konechny) Walchuk.
She grew up on the family farm attending Olson School and then at St. Henry’s School in Melville.
Agnes worked at many jobs around the neighborhood, from stooking, gardening, cooking and childcare. Then she went on to Regina where she worked at the RCMP Depot.
In 1948 she married Edward Novakowski. They had two daughters, Shirley in 1949 and Bernadette (Beansie) in 1955. Life was busy as a mother, homemaker, helper in the field and the berry picker.
Her home was always open to visitors for coffee, a meal or for a game of cards, which would last well into the wee hours of the morning.
Edward passed away suddenly on April 28th, 1967. In 1968 she moved to Melville. She worked at several restaurants and the Dairy Queen, which she worked at for 20 plus years. She was often referred to as the Dairy Queen Lady. In 1975 she married Maurice (Doc) Callow, but unfortunately, he passed away 10 months later. Her life was empty again, but she made the best of it. Her sense of humor and family and friends kept her going. She loved to play bingo, Yahtzee and card games. Quilting became her passion as well as accumulating quite a collection of Owls. She was also a member of the Royal Canadian Legion.
As her eyesight was failing her crocheting and embroidering could no longer be done. But it didn’t affect her joke telling. Perogies and baking filled her deep freeze and we all left her house with goodie bags. She loved music and dancing. Her radio was her companion right to the end. Grandchildren arrived and she was called Granny or Nanny, then great-Granny and great-Nanny.
In 2010 she moved to Queen Street Manor and then when her health failed, to St. Paul Lutheran Home in 2011. Thank you to all who made her life enjoyable while at St. Paul Home. Her sense of humor carried on. She enjoyed that special “cigarette” a day for many years. She cherished the visits and calls from family and friends and her nieces and nephews.
Special in her life were her three godchildren, Judy (Walchuk) Bohay, Audrey Walchuk and Kay (Novakowski) Gable.
Mom left us peacefully on Wednesday, Nov. 25, 2020 to be with those who left before her. She was 92 years and 11 months old.
She was predeceased by her parents, John and Lily; husbands, Edward Novakowski and Maurice Callow; three children in infancy, two daughters and a son; her brothers, Carl (Rose and Marg), William (Anne), Julius (Sylvia), Edward (Mary), Wesley, Eugene ‘Corky” (Molly); sisters, Bernice (Edward) Peachey, Gene (John) Chepeur, Josephine, Helenia; and brother-in-law, Walter Matewish.
She is survived by her daughter, Shirley (Bernard) Lautner, their children – Denise Lautner, Crystal (Cam) Phythian, their children – Morgan, Spencer and Carter and Dale Lautner; daughter, Beansie (Darryll) Stein – their children, Jason (Jeniffer), their children- Garrett, Katelyn, Jonathan and Nicholas, Brent (Shelly), their children – Brennin (Kaila), and Kaylee, Nathan (Kathy) their children – KC and Dawsyn; sister, Peggy Matewish and sister-in-law, Rose Walchuk; and many nieces and nephews.
Thank you to everyone who was part of mom’s life. We will never forget you.
Abiding by the new public health restrictions, a private family funeral mass was celebrated on Saturday, Dec. 5, 2020 at 10 a.m. from St. Henry’s Roman Catholic Church in Melville with Rev. Fr. Andrew Sowa OMI as the celebrant.
Arrangements were by Bailey’s Funeral Home, Melville.
