Wojcik's Funeral Chapel and Crematorium

03/06/2026

ROSA SARKANY (NÉE GEIGER) March 24, 1941 - Feb 24, 2026 Rosa Sarkany (née Geiger), aged 84, passed away unexpectedly on February 24, leaving her loved ones with memories of her generosity, humor,

03/05/2026

STANLEY JOSEPH PUCHNIAK Stanley Joseph Puchniak, 92, passed away peacefully in the evening on February 26, 2026, at River Park Gardens in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the city he called home for his entire

03/03/2026

MYRTLE RAMDASS With heavy hearts we announce the passing of our dear mother Myrtle Ramdass, on February 28, 2026, at the age of 81 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Myrtle was born in Tunapuna, Trinidad and

03/02/2026

Dealing With Grief in the Workplace
“Workday Mournings”

The period of grief that follows the loss of a loved one can be emotionally traumatic and leave one’s health and wellbeing dramatically compromised. The grieving process, in of itself, can affect one’s ability to perform satisfactorily in the workplace. If it is not dealt with correctly, it may have repercussions for the employee, their colleagues and the employer.

Usually, employees return to work after a very brief period of bereavement leave often still feeling the numbness of their loss. Some are over-whelmed and lack motivation. Some find it difficult to concentrate and arrive at work place decisions. At the same time society dictates that they leave their emotional baggage at home or in their locker and revisit it only once the workday is over and perform like nothing unusual has occurred.

Coworkers and employers may also experience an awkwardness towards the bereaved and feel that they shouldn’t pry into their personal life, fearing that they may say the wrong thing. This may result in the grieving employee feeling as if no one cares about their loss.

The key to making a workplace more welcoming to employees who have experienced a loss is to open a dialogue. Communication which prevents a vacuum from occurring is vital. Protocols can be established about how to deal with bereavement in the workplace where expectations are set in advance. These can include how staff are advised of a colleague’s loss, how employee privacy concerns are met and how the employer and fellow employees acknowledge a loss.

It starts with sharing. Having an environment where the employee is comfortable sharing the news of their personal loss is recommended. Perhaps talking about this topic in advance at a staff meeting so that all parties have expectations should someone in the group lose a loved one.

Employer’s roles can include support and assistance to employees in a variety of ways. It may be additional time off or bereavement counselling available through human resource programs. Employees who are given the necessary time needed to reacclimatize to regular duties are better able to integrate back into their roles within the company.

Depending on the closeness of colleagues to their bereaved co-worker, condolences can be offered in many ways: verbally or with a group or individual card.

Over the years, I have found that employers and employees who communicate openly and honestly and work together when enduring a loss will see that it not only pays dividends but also creates a bond of loyalty that can only enhance the employer employee relationship.

Tom Easthope
Bereavement Counsellor

© Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel/CFHC Online

02/27/2026

KEMAL (KEMO) HSPAHIC In memory of Kemal (Kemo) Hspahic who passed away peacefully on February 25, 2026, at Seven Oaks Hospital at the age of 83. Kemo was born in the city of Sarajevo, Bosnia (form

02/27/2026

“De De” Edith Gail Warpole It is with deep sorrow we announce the passing of “De De” Edith Gail Warpole on Friday, February 20, 2026, at the age of 77 years at the Grace Hospital. As per D

02/27/2026

Funeral Jigsaw Puzzles

At first thought, the gesture of giving a puzzle to someone who is grieving may seem a bit odd. That said, there are many elderly citizens, (and some not so elderly) who do enjoy making puzzles. As an activity to pass a few cold days in the winter, puzzles and puzzle making have been around since the eighteenth century.

Modern day jigsaw suppliers offer puzzles with a multitude of scenes and it was inevitable that they would eventually turn their attention to funerals and burial. Some of these puzzles have historical backdrops, some have words of inspiration and others are about offering condolence messages.

A selection of these puzzles can be found at:
https://www.zazzle.ca/in_loving_memory_vintage_retro_memorial_photo_jigsaw_puzzle-116265300420150259
https://www.zazzle.ca/funeral+puzzles
https://fineartamerica.com/shop/puzzles/funeral

If you don’t find what you’re looking for above, custom puzzles can be ordered through many puzzle houses. This is where an individual sends an image to the supplier and it is transformed into a one-of-a-kind puzzle… often a favorite outdoor scene or family image is used.

Back to our opening thoughts, this may seem odd, however, just maybe, some comfort may be found in the distraction that piecing together a puzzle gives. Perhaps this activity will provide an opportunity to reflect and help the bereft by offering a quiet pursuit which allows them a reprieve from their grief.

© Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel/CFHC Online

This simple and classic design is composed of serif and vintage typography and add a custom photo.

02/26/2026

LORRAINE DENT PRYCHUN (née Durand) It is with deep sorrow and profound love that we announce the passing of Lorraine Dent Prychun (née Durand), a devoted wife, mother, sister, nurse, and friend, wh

02/25/2026

Not sure what to write in a sympathy card? Offer heartfelt condolences with these sympathy message ideas and tips from Hallmark card writers.

02/23/2026

Do I need to prepay when I make prearrangements?

It depends. Often to secure a burial plot, payment is required. For example, if you want the location adjacent to where your parents have chosen, it is advisable to prepay for it so that it is not purchased by another family.

Also, some products are available at certain points in time and then become unavailable. An example of this would be an urn manufactured by a specific company. If you want to make sure you receive a specific urn, ask your funeral service provider if they guarantee you will have it when needed and if they can place it in safe keeping for you?

The above suggestions pertain to location and product scarcity, but what about services? Talk with a funeral director about the further benefits of prepaying… such as avoiding the effects of inflation. When you purchase selected products and services you pay a specified amount. If prices change over time, you will not have to pay extra for those services which have been prepaid.

We are here to help if you have questions about prearrangements or prefunding funeral services.

© Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel/CFHC Online

02/20/2026

NICHOLAS “NICK” SULAVELLA Sadly, on February 13, 2026, at Deer Lodge Centre, Nicholas “Nick” Sulavella passed away at the age of 104, having recently celebrated his birthday. Nick was born

02/20/2026

Ode to 1926, Celebrating Life 100 Years Ago

The year 1926 was a time of economic prosperity for Canada and around the world. Domestically, a Royal Canadian Mounted Police base was established on Ellesmere Island – the northernmost part of Canada – asserting its claim in the Arctic region. Canada also moved back to the gold standard in 1926, a monetary system pe***ng the Canadian dollar in relation to gold. In global relations, Vincent Massey was appointed Canada’s first foreign minister to the U.S.

On a lighter note, the Great Stork Derby kicked off in 1926, in Toronto when proceeds from Charles Vance Millar’s will spearheaded a ten-year contest to see who could have the most babies. The $500K prize was split between four women with nine babies each.

In science and technology, Robert Goddard launched the first liquid-fuelled rocket in Massachusetts, kicking off what some believed was the start of the space age; the modest flight saw an altitude of just 56 metres. Other inventions of the year included the aerosol spray can developed by Norwegian chemical engineer Erik Rotheim and the gas fridge patented by Electrolux-Servel.

In the world of entertainment, Thomas Edison held firm to his belief that Americans preferred silent movies and would never support the “talkies.” He would be proven wrong, with the airing of the movie “Don Juan” at theatres a few months later. It was the first feature-length film to use the Vitaphone sound-on-disc system with a synchronized musical score and sound effects (although no spoken dialogue).

Other world news included:
• NBC launched operations.
• A.A. Milne published “Winnie the Pooh.”
• Disney Brothers Cartoon Studio became Walt Disney Studio.
• American Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel. Her time of 14 hours, 31 minutes was a record for both men and women, at that time.

An interesting quote from that year came from Nikola Tesla: “We shall be able to communicate with one another instantly, irrespective of distance. Not only this but … we shall see and hear one another as perfectly as though we were face to face … a man will be able to carry one in his vest pocket.”

© Wojcik’s Funeral Chapel/CFHC Online