Date of Birth: April 17, 1940
Date of Death: July 9, 2023
Margaret Novak passed away on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at St. Peter’s Hospital, Melville, SK, at the age of 83 years.
Margaret was born April 17, 1940, in Melville. She was confirmed at Christ Lutheran Church in Neudorf and later became a member of the
Catholic church, joining St. Henry’s Roman Catholic Church in Melville, SK.
Margaret received her education at Pheasant Hills School, finished Grade 8, then went out working for mothers who had babies and needed help. She worked at the nursing home for three years, then had to work at home on the farm; her parents both had surgery and could not work for six months. She had to get up early in the morning, milk cows and do other chores, then went to work in the field until it was time to go home and milk the cows again. Sometimes Margaret went out to work in the field again until dark, as they had small machinery, so it took almost a week to get done. She also went picking stones with the tractor and stone boat.
According to Margaret, she said “in 1959, me and my friend, Lillian Gattinger (Sies), had to go to a neighbour’s place to do chores; there I met the love of my life, Jack”. On May 28,1960, they were married at St. Henry’s Roman Catholic Church in Melville. Jack lived on a farm seven miles north of Grayson; they farmed until 1997, then Kevin took over the farm.
Jack and Margaret had five children, Bernadette, Nancy, Brenda, Kevin and Robert. After all the children went to school, Margaret helped Jack with the field work, as he had back problems. She helped hauling grain, fixing machinery, fixing fence, always working together and doing everything together. Margaret loved working outside. In town her jobs were cutting lawn, shovelling snow and gardening.
Margaret was predeceased by parents Valentine and Sophie Hollinger; her five-year-old brother, Delmar Hollinger; daughter Nancy Moskal (Jan. 29, 1997); her husband, Jack Novak (Dec. 3, 2015); sister Audrey (Ed) Litzenberger; parents-in-law Frank and Catherine Novak; brothers-in-law Frank Novak, Frank Exner, Arnold Flegel and Sam Streifel; sisters-in-law Mary (Ed) Gelowitz and Hilda Streifel. She leaves to cherish her memory: her children, Bernadette Novak, Brenda (Bill) Samborski, Kevin (Misty Waldbauer) Novak and Robert Novak; son-in-law Calvin Moskal; grandchildren Sara (Garrett) Kuntz, Kelly Moskal, Kirsten (Justin) Nett, Jared (Kelsey) Samborski, Faith
(Austin) Dixon and Joshua Novak; her great-grandchildren, Leila and Lennyn Kuntz, Journey and Ace Nett, Edward and Clifford Samborski and Ava Osiowy; her sisters, Joyce (Dennis) Novak and Phyllis Hollinger; and her sisters-in-law, Elizabeth Exner, Doris Flegel and Hilda Novak.
A vigil service was held on Thursday, July 13, 2023, at Matthews Funeral Home, Melville, with Don and Virginia Battiste officiating. Mass of Christian Burial was celebrated Friday, July 14, 2023, at St. Henry’s Roman Catholic Church, Melville with the Rev. Fr. Dennis Remot officiating. Interment took place in St. Henry’s Parish Cemetery, Melville.
Funeral arrangements were entrusted to Matthews Funeral Home, Melville.
