CATHERINE “KAY” VEERT

It is with profound sadness that we had to say goodbye to our beloved Mom, Catherine “Kay” Veert, when she peacefully went to sleep on May 8, 2025 just before midnight. While fortunate to have experienced 88 beautiful spring times, for those of us left behind, time together just never seems to be long enough. But when a life has been lived well with joy, optimism, strength, and grace—perhaps it's fitting to say goodbye with that same quiet dignity. Kay was mentally sharp right until the end and was fortunate to live independently and then recently moved-in with her eldest daughter.

Kay was born on Dec 8, 1936. She leaves behind a loving family: her 4 children-- Paul (Joyce), Patricia, Nancy (Colin), and Tom (Chris); 6 grandchildren- Anthony (Liz), Kelsey (Brandon), Brayden (Damy), Jarret (Brandon), Brendan (Emma), and Olivia; and 4 great-grandchildren- Ava, Oliver, Jace, and Remi. She is also survived by her brother, Ed, and numerous nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her loving husband, Lawry of 63 yrs; her Mom, Anne Pronak; her Dad, Michael Pronak, step-dad, Metro Topolnicki; and her sister, Dorothy.

Her early years of life were not easy and she had to do many things on her own. Growing up for her was a very simple life with a huge garden of vegetables and raspberries, milking cows, and raising chickens. She was a very easygoing child, a great student (skipped grade 4), and was always helpful towards others. She decided to follow the business path in high school and worked in the paper mill office, as her first job. Sometimes, she wished she had become a teacher but we are secretly glad that she did not, as she was able to always be home while we grew up.

She was classy, well-dressed, well-liked by her peers, and hardworking. She met her husband, Lawrence (Lawry) when walking to the Emo Fair one August night in 1958. He asked her and her friends if they would like a ride. Later that night, Kay asked him to go to a hotdog roast the following weekend—he said yes, and the rest was history. They made a great couple because they completed each other—she was small & petite and he was big and strong; she was a small-town girl and he was a city guy who quickly loved the life of living in a small town; he was a great provider and she was an excellent homemaker; he was outgoing and she was more quieter; he was the “ideas” person and she was easy to go along with the plan; and they both quickly grew to love living on the water, dedicating their lives to be fully-involved parents, and then creating their own lives when their children went on their own.

Kay embraced her Ukrainian heritage and was part of the women’s group, preparing delicious food, and maintaining friends up until now. She was an amazing cook and because of this, we enjoyed great home-cooked meals, fresh cinnamon buns upon returning from school, and delicious soups and canned dill pickles. There was not much that she could not do and made it seem so effortless.

"Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the number of moments that take our breath away." This quote was definitely true for Kay-- she loved her life! Kay was born and raised in Fort Frances and spent the majority of her life there and making her fondest memories—living on the lake, surrounding herself with family, owning an island, picking blueberries, driving a boat and her own snowmobile, attending church teas, Sunday night pizza at Border Bar, day trips to The Falls, boating to Sand Point Island for a swim & picnic, square dancing with her husband, back to school shopping trips to Duluth with her daughters, garage sale Saturdays which were carefully mapped out, cooking up whatever the boys hunted, and enjoying the simple pleasures of walking down the street and chatting with people she knew. Lawry and Kay spent 19 cherished winters in Naples, FL. She also spent several years living in Winnipeg to be close to her children, and in 2023 followed her daughter and granddaughter to Kelowna.

It is difficult to put into words the love, dedication, and gratitude that we, as the children, have for our Mom. She has dedicated her life to being such a key role in our lives. When excited, happy, sad, or confused, we could always count on her support, advice, or being a great listener. She was always thrilled to have us “come home”—the home cooking and baking started and plans for activities around town were in the making! She had this amazing way of making each of us feel so special. She continued to be this ever-present support in the background and never once wanted the spotlight on herself. To her grandchildren, you were so fortunate to have the time spent with her—she was fun, creative, actually played with you, took you places, and was so proud of you to show off to everyone.

Our Mom was the heart of our family-- ready to listen, ready to help, always steady. Her kindness was unwavering, her presence comforting, and her voice always calm. She was constantly humble and never put herself before others. She had a beautiful smile and it could easily light up a room. Her kind and warm demeanour and selflessness were what everyone remembered about her.

She found immense joy in being able to be a full-time Mom and homemaker while her children were growing up and living on Idylwild Dr while she ran the family cottage business. She was endlessly creative—taking evening courses in everything from sewing to upholstery. She later took up painting and found a love in the paintings she produced. Her artwork remains a treasured legacy in each of our homes. Kay was talented in so many ways and no matter where she lived, she had a gift for turning a house into a warm and welcoming home. Once the children were off to university, Kay took on some opportunities to work outside the home. She worked as a manager of Flinders Place, a dental assistant, and then in a number of schools as an administrative assistant. It gave her a purpose and a connection with people.

Her children were everything to her but she never realized that she was everything to us. She was the voice of reason and person who made every Christmas, Easter, or birthday special. Somehow with 4 children close in age, so many activities, and a business to run, she found the time to create memory photo albums and scrapbooks for each of us-- filled with photos, cards, school work, and newspaper clippings. She had a way to help with decisions by just being a sounding board—it led to some of us determining our careers or making life-changing decisions. Her advice was quiet, thoughtful, and often exactly what we needed. Nothing was more important to her then hearing from her children, seeing them enjoying life, and being included in their lives.

Life is short-- so take too many family photos, always make time to spend with your parents, take time to write thoughtful cards, listen to their stories, and don’t forget there will come a day when they will no longer be with you.

The void she leaves is immense. Yet her love remains in every warm memory, every lesson shared, and every act of kindness we pass on in her name. In her honor, we will strive to live with more grace, more gratitude, and more appreciation for life’s simplest moments—just as she did.

The sky is brighter now, 

but our world feels dimmer 

without you. 

Rest peacefully, Mom and Baba. 

We will love you always.

“What we once enjoyed and deeply loved, we can never lose, for all that we love deeply becomes a part of us.” 

– Helen Keller

A private celebration with family will be held in Fort Frances this summer.

Kay’s family kindly requests that all of her friends and relatives take a few minutes to honour her memory by sharing photos, memories, and stories, using the comment section on this page.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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