Obituary of Ann Ilchuk Meers
Ann Ilchuk Meers
1926 – 2022
Ann passed peacefully into the arms of her beloved Lord on June 14, 2022 just a couple months short of her 96th birthday. She outlived her parents, a son (David), husbands Ted Ilchuk and Ken Meers, son-in-law Kevin Gannon and son-in-law Ron Salomons, seven brothers and five sisters. She is survived by her son Ken Ilchuk (Connie) and daughters Jan Mansfield, Karen Gannon and Deb Salomons and brother Paul Evaskevich (Corrine). She was Grandma/Granny to eight grandchildren and Baba to six great-grandchildren. She also leaves behind a stepson, three stepdaughters and she will be missed by many, many nieces and nephews.
Ann Thelma Evashkevich was born in Kirriemuir, Alberta, where she grew up with her 12 brothers and sisters on a homestead settled by her parents who emigrated from Eastern Europe. She married Ted Ilchuk on January 6, 1946 and moved to Vermilion. She joined the Seventh Day Adventist Church, which became the centre of her life until her last days.
Ann and Ted set up the family farm south of Mannville, where they worked long hours tending to the land and cattle to support their four children. Ann always planted a large garden, which she tended out of love and necessity for the family. Family and friends were always happy to come for meals. She was well known for her cooking, which had a strong Ukrainian influence. Happily her children and grandchildren have inherited her gardening and cooking skills.
One of Ann’s proudest accomplishments was starting up the first Vacation Bible School in Mannville, which she not only ran, but also picked up children that wouldn’t have been able to otherwise attend. She was involved in the Seventh Day Adventist church in Innisfree in several capacities.
Ann and Ted moved to Lacombe in 1975, where they established yet another farm which they built out of bare land and where many memories were made by their children and grandchildren. By the time Ted passed away in 1996 and Ann moved into Lacombe, they left behind a farm that was beautifully landscaped with trees, fruit trees, a large garden and bountiful raspberry bushes.
Ann was energetic and ambitious. Besides her tireless work on the farms at Mannville and Lacombe, she took outside employment as assistant matron at Vermillion Lodge, a worker at a greenhouse in Joffrey and as assistant manager at Independent Creamery in Lacombe.
In 2001 Ann married Ken Meers, a widower who had worked with Ted in Lacombe. Their acquaintance led to Ann marrying him at the age of 75 and finding happiness that lasted for 18 years until Ken passed away in 2019. They spent their years together devoting time to their church, traveling to various places in the US and to Hawaii and Australia, and spending time with their families.
Ann’s love of her Lord was central to her life and she took an active role in the Red Deer Seventh Day Adventist Church as long as she was able to. Her love of gardening was manifested in the beautiful plants and flowers that took over a large part of the outdoor area outside of their suite (and beyond!) in the retirement facility in Red Deer that they called home for several years.
Ann’s greatest joy in her final years was being with her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was overjoyed each time a new great-grandchild was born. Her life had always revolved around her family and her unending support and love spawned the closeness that continues to live on in her children. Through technology, she was able to keep connected to all of them even though she could no longer leave her assisted-living residence at Timberstone Mews, where she lived out her final days under the wonderful care of the caregivers there.
A private family internment will take place at the Lacombe Cemetery.
Funeral services will be at 1:00 pm on Thursday, June 23 at the Red Deer Seventh-Day Adventist Church (37370 Range Rd, 274A, Red Deer). Lunch will follow in the church hall. Those unable to attend can view the service through live streaming at https://livestream.com/accounts/12967372/events/10488698.
Condolences for Ann's family may be emailed to meaningful@telus.net
Arrangements in care of
Meaningful Memorials Funeral Service
A locally owned cremation and funeral provider
serving Red Deer and all of Central Alberta
587-876-4944