Obituaries

It is with profound sadness that the family announces the passing of Kathleen Gawdyda on June 19, 2026, at the age of 90.

Kathleen (Kay) was born on November 9, 1935, in Grenfell, Saskatchewan, to Mary and Teodore Kravetski, who predeceased her. She was also predeceased by her sisters Mary Parovsky and Kathleen Feniew.

Kay leaves to cherish her memory her daughter Oksanna (Terry) and her son Orest; her beloved grandchildren Ivanna (Christopher), Marco, and Josephine (Brenden); and her treasured great-grandchildren Aniyah, Thea, Stefan, and Meave. She will also be lovingly remembered by the entire Parovsky family.

Kay spent her childhood in Grenfell, where she attended elementary and high school. Following graduation, she moved to Regina and completed a secretarial and typing course. She began her career with Revenue Canada, where her strong work ethic and attention to detail quickly became evident.

In 1952, Kay met her beloved husband John Gawdyda, and the couple married on October 2, 1954. Together they built a life centered on faith, family, and hard work and were blessed with two children Oksanna and Orest.

After her marriage, Kay devoted herself to raising her family and creating a warm and welcoming home. When her son entered Grade One, she returned to the workforce and joined the sports department of the Regina Leader Post as a typist. She was known for her dedication and often went into the office on Sunday evenings to prepare for the busy week ahead, particularly during the fall sports season.

After leaving the Leader Post, Kay devoted much of her time to her church and the Ukrainian Catholic Women’s League (UCWL). She sang in the church choir, coordinated volunteers, and spent countless hours making perogies and cabbage rolls for church suppers and fundraisers.

Kay was also active in her community, helping decorate the Kyiv Pavilion alongside her best friend and supporting numerous church events. She was a devoted mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother who generously shared her time caring for and supporting her family. Nothing brought her greater joy than spending time with her loved ones.

Her dedication to her church continued until two years ago, when declining mobility made it difficult for her to continue helping with perogy-making. Even then, her faith remained strong, and she continued to support her parish through prayer and encouragement.

Kay will be remembered for her kindness, strong work ethic, quiet strength, and unwavering devotion to her faith, family, and community. She took great pride in the accomplishments of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, and her love and guidance will be remembered always.

Though she will be deeply missed, her family finds comfort in the many cherished memories she leaves behind and in the legacy of faith, love, and service that defined her life.

Funeral Service will be held on Wednesday, June 24, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. in Speers Funeral Chapel, 2136 College Avenue, Regina, SK.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in memory of Kathleen Gawdyda to the UNF Regina Branch Capital Campaign through The UNF Foundation. Donations can be made online at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/the-unf-foundation/. When making a donation, please select “Branch Capital Campaign” from the “Apply donation to fund” drop-down menu and indicate “Regina Branch” in the message to the charity section.