Yvonne Olenik

It is with infinite sadness as well as joy for a life well-lived that the Pilon-Olenik families share they lost their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, Yvonne Marie Delores Olenik on June 30, 2018. Those in the Thunder Bay area would have noticed the angry sky that morning. Thunder, lightning, rain, and torrential wind raging at the heavens. It's almost as if the earth was expressing the loss of this irreplaceable force that was Yvonne. Oh, and she was a force! Just over 5 feet and 91 pounds she was a miniature hurricane. 

This woman lived her life fiercely. She was born on the CN Northern Line in Hearst, Ontario on March 10, 1926. The railway tracks were laid in 1913, making this area an incredibly wild country to form a living. In 1934, the family relocated to a small house off Hazelwood Drive, affectionately termed "The Farm". This is the home where Yvonne and her eight siblings grew up together. 

In 1946, Yvonne looked out the farms kitchen window to see Nestor "Nick" Olenik helping her brother fix his car. She stated to her mother firmly, "That's the man I'm going to marry." And disregarding the pin curlers still in her hair, she promptly went outside and introduced herself. It was love at first sight for both, and they married several months later. It was with Nick, the love of her life, with whom she raised two incredible children, Suzanne and Pierre. 

Yvonne worked at the Port Arthur General Hospital throughout her life. In her 40's, she decided to bravely go back to school to complete her high school diploma and continued on to graduate as a Registered Nurses Assistant. She loved her job, even the midnight shifts, which allowed her the opportunity to express her immeasurable kindness to all of her patients until she retired in 1991. 

After losing her beloved husband Nick in 1987, Yvonne poured her heart and soul into helping raise her grandchildren - two of which happened to conveniently live next door. In 1993, she married Harold Heyder after meeting at that famous pre-internet dating site: The Thursday Night Dance at the 55+ Centre! He was her square dancing and road-tripping companion until his passing in 2007. 

Yvonne's stubborn and beautiful heart continued to beat long after many of her friends and family had gone. She was predeceased by her mother Mathilda Pilon (nee Chevrier), her father Joseph Pilon, sister Jeanne, and brothers Roch and Paul. 

Her quick wit, unwavering kindness, and incredible strength is survived by her daughter Suzanne (Royden) Potvin, son Pierre Olenik, grandchildren Scott (Trish) and Kristin (Andrew) Withenshaw, Tanner and Teri (Colin) Olenik, as well as their mother Maria Olenik, step-grandchildren Leigh (Will) and Geoffrey (Zahra) Potvin, great-grandchildren Beaumont Withenshaw and Bilal and Maytham Potvin. Yvonne is also survived by her brother Rheal "Bill" Pilon, and sisters Solange "Sherry" Dagenais, Cecile Chiasson, Therese "Tessie" Newbold and Charmaine "Charms" Cherneske and families.

We would like to give heartfelt thanks to the doctors, nurses and support staff of 1A for the exceptional care they provided during Yvonne's brief stay. Thank you to everyone at Chartwell for being Yvonne's home for the last 5 years and who always treated her with compassion and dignity.

With respect to Yvonne's wishes a private interment for close family and friends to celebrate her amazing life will be held in St. Andrew's Cemetery at a later date. If you wish to contribute to her remarkable legacy, Yvonne's charity of choice is the Boys and Girls Club of Thunder Bay who were such positive influences on her grandchildren. 

Arrangements have been entrusted to Simpler Times Cremation Centre, 332 North May Street at Cameron. 

Recently, Yvonne told her granddaughter, 
“When you were a child I held your hand. But now that you're an adult I hold your heart.” 
That you do, Grandma. And always will. 
We will miss you forever.