I want to thank everyone for their patience and understanding this week with the sporadic shop hours.

Joan Zaruk

my mom

On February 21, 2012, Joan died peacefully in St. Catharines in her 84th year. Predeceased in 1983 by her husband, soulmate and favourite dancing partner, Peter. She was very proud of her five children: Carolyn Thomas in Victoria, Catherine O'Neill in Kelowna, Beverly and her husband Gary Smith in Mt. Hope, Brian and his wife Donna in Grimsby, and David and his wife Mitzi in Brussels, Belgium. Joan was "Baba" to 11 loving grandchildren: Ben and Larissa Thomas, Conor, Liam and Hailey O'Neill, Matthew, Allison and Daniel Zaruk, and Celine, Clarissa and Jordan Zaruk. She is survived by her sisters Jean, Mary and her brother Tony.

She was "Joanie" to her many friends, especially during the years devoted to volunteering in the St. John's Ukrainian Church kitchen. She inherited her fierce work ethic from immigrant parents on the Manitoba farm where she was born and spent her lifetime practicing it, at the Red & White grocery store she and Peter ran on

York Street

in St. Catharines, and on their 40-acre Midway Farm in Jordan Station.

Somewhere in heaven today is the aroma of her famous home baked chelsea buns and an apple pie or two, there is a jigsaw puzzle on the go, and the sounds of polka music as she finally gets to once again dance with her beloved Peter.

Joan's family will receive friends at the George Darte Funeral Chapel, 585 Carlton St. on Friday from 2-4 p.m. and 7-9 p.m. Panachyda will be held in the funeral home chapel Friday evening at 8 p.m. Funeral Liturgy will be held in St. John the Theologian Ukrainian Catholic Church, 91 Lakeshore Rd. on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 9:30 a.m. Rite of Committal to follow at Victoria Lawn Cemetery.