Obituary of Stefania Jarema
Stefania (Tiahur) Jarema, it is with deep sadness we share the news of her passing at The Henley House Long Term Care facility on September 7, 2023. Stefania was born October 3rd, 1922 in Dowshka Ukraine. She lived an extraordinary life with many challenges and happy moments. Growing up, there were many family events during which she learned to be a charitable individual. She was sent to Germany during WW II to work in a factory environment. She met and married her husband Mike (predeceased in 1994) in Germany. Following the end of the second world war, like many other Ukrainians, she immigrated to Canada in 1951 where she began working at the local tobacco processing plant and Libby's food processing plant in order for her and her husband to build their home. Over several years they completed the construction of their home in Chatham, Ontario. They were active members for many years of Immaculate Conception (St Anne's) Ukrainian Catholic Church in Chatham before relocating to St Catharines in 1994. Not having children of her own, she was very generous to her nieces and nephews and other family members in Canada and Ukraine. She sponsored two families (Ramsz and Tiahur) to come to Canada. In addition to sending many parcels to support her nieces and nephews, she travelled to Ukraine multiple times and provided vehicles for her family so they could be more mobile and have greater opportunity to travel and visit each other.
Stefania was very supportive of her church in both Chatham and St Catharines in addition to many charitable organizations. She was a kind individual with many talents and skills. Her ability to remember birthdays of almost everyone she met and tell stories from days gone by of her interactions with these individuals was amazing. In her younger years she loved to sing, do embroidery, host many guests at their home and prepare Ukrainian meals for everyone who may have stopped by.
She was predeceased by her brothers Petro and Mykola and sisters Maria and Pauline. Stefania is survived by several nieces and nephews in Canada and several nephews and cousins in Ukraine, her Goddaughters in Canada and the US.
A special thank you to the medical and support staff at The Henley House Long Term Care facility for providing daily care, compassion and attention over the months of her residency there, it was greatly appreciated.
The family will receive visitors at The George Darte Funeral Home, 585 Carlton St. St Catharines on Tuesday, September 12th from 7-9 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday, September 13th at Sts Cyril and Methodius Catholic Church, 14 Rolls Ave. St. Catharines at 10:00 a.m. Burial at St Volodymyr Ukrainian Cemetery, 1280 Dundas St. W. Oakville. Donations to Sts Cyril and Methodius Church in memory of Stefania are appreciated by the family.