Shigeko Hlady

The Glory of one's life cannot be adequately expressed. How would you tell the story of your life? Shigeko was humble, kind and her smile would light up any room she'd walk into. She had the most caring heart, taking care of everyone around her. Her patience was admirable, and we can all agree that she was the greatest woman we knew.

She was your friend, whether you knew her or not, never failing to make you feel accepted. Her heart was great as she laboured at St Ann's Nursing Home in Saskatoon for 20 years, taking care of those that we love. Back around the turn of the century, she transformed the chef's food as art, creating the presentation before you at Red Lobster. She was the light of your evening when she invited you, back in Chicago, into the Nohana, Shiroihana and Akaihana Japanese Restaurants from 1987 to 1992 for your sushi dining. And before that, back in Japan, she graduated a Registered Nurse.

She grew up in the hamlet of Suganodai, near Tsuruoka (Crane Heights) Japan, born at home to Shigeji and Tatsume Kurita. Her father was a talented carpenter building beautiful and memorable Buddhist Temples and intricate facades of traffic tunnels on the nations highways.

After becoming a nurse and serving a few years she had the opportunity to work in America where she met her husband of 38 years, Charles, from Winnipeg, Manitoba who brought her back to Canada in 1993 after the birth of their first daughter, Jeongeel now of New Zealand. Chie Maria, a second daughter followed who also became a registered nurse in Saskatoon. Her oldest son, Youngnam, of Montreal and a second son, Yuki, of Japan, completed her own family.

Shigeko's elder sister Mariko lives close to Montreal with her husband Charles Casavant. With nephews Daniel of Saskatoon and William of Edmonton. Koichi and his wife Yoko are in Tsuruoka, Japan with Shigeko's mother Tatsume. Her younger sister Yoshi's family is in Hiroshima.

Her Canadian odyssey brought her from Winnipeg to raising the children in Saskatoon to retiring to the small Alberta Village of Marwayne where Charles and her ran a small grocery store. They were happy and the community loved her for her kindness and cheerfulness.

She was an avid fan of both the CBC television series "Heartland" where she was fascinated by the beautiful horses and story-lines and the Saskatchewan Roughriders, greatly enjoying their run to this year's Grey Cup Championship! She also loved the figure skating competitions she would often see on the TV or internet.

Sadly, in August, she started feeling ill, for the first real time in her life and she was rushed in early November to RUH in Saskatoon until palliative care was called for in early December at daughter Chie's house until she passed on the 24th of December (the 25th in Japan) with all her children and her husband around her. Spreading her ashes among spring cherry blossoms in Japan looms.

She told us that she lived her life with no regrets. We never met anyone who disliked her and instead she tended to capture your heart leaving it joyful. We wish all of you could have known and been loved by her. We will miss her tremendously.