A Celebration of Life will be held at the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Winnipeg, 603 Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg, Manitoba at 11:00 am, Tuesday, August 29, 2017. 

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Peacefully on August 17, 2017, Ina passed away at the age of 95 at St. Norbert Residence.

 

Ina was predeceased by her husband of 53 years , Harry John Mellish; her father Michael Chorney; her step-mother Lena Chorney; her mother Paulina( nee Dankewich); her sister Olga; and her close aunts and  uncles, Marge, Steve, Anne, Fred, Ivy, Jean, Bill, and Mary. She will be greatly missed by her daughters, Eileen Mudry (Wayne Mudry) and Eleanor Brockenshire, and by her grand-daughter Heather(Gary Bogacki).She has many cousins who will miss her as well.

 

Ina was born at home on Elgin Avenue in Brooklands, and she lost her mother in 1933. She attended Cecil Rhodes Junior High School until she went to work in a factory with her aunties. Ina married Harry in 1941 and they had a truly loving, caring relationship for their whole lives.

 

After the war, mom operated a variety store with her father, Favourite Shopping Centre, in St. Boniface for seventeen years. Ina did everything from stocking shelves to cutting beef roasts 6 days of the week while she raised two girls and canned, baked  and sewed all the girls’ clothes.

After moving to Transcona, Ina was a part-time cashier/sales clerk for 22 years at the downtown Hudson’s Bay in the children’s clothes department until she retired in 1985.

 

For over 40 years, Ina was an active member at the William Hall in Brooklands. First, as a child in the thirties with her father and mother, mum danced and participated in plays and the choir. Then Ina was a member of the Brooklands Ukrainian Ladies Club for over 25 years, helping out in bi-yearly social teas, catering for weddings and organizing parties. For years, Ina, with an informal gathering of Ukrainian club members, loved to go to seniors’ houses caroling every Christmas. Late at night, the gang would end up in Transcona for Ina’s pierogies, dainties, and drinks all around.

 

Ina had many creative interests and talents. She baked and decorated wedding cakes , knit and crocheted all kinds of clothes, sewed the girls’ and her own clothes. For over 20 years Ina made hats, scarves, sweaters and baby outfits for the Winnipeg Christmas Cheer Board and the Transcona Seniors’ Center. In the last 5 years she was the cat blanket maker for the Winnipeg Humane society.

 

Ina was happiest being with her family and giving freely to whomever asked for her help. Her favourite thing to do was have the family at huge barbecues at the cottage at Grand Beach.  Ina will always be remembered for her kind spirit, openness and friendliness for all she met.

 

Ina maintained the family home in Transcona until she was 92 years of age and resided at Lindenwoods Manor till she passed.

 

In lieu of flowers please make donations to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.