Hanna Olszewska (nee Jaczyńska)

Hanna passed at her beloved home at Devil Lake, Ontario, her and Ted’s heaven on earth, on Tuesday 8 October 2024, at the age of 92, after a stoic battle with cancer and Alzheimer’s.

Predeceased by her loving husband Tadeusz (Ted), son Michael, parents Tadeusz and Wanda, sister Olenka (Leon) and brother Kazik (Marysia).

Left to honor her memory are her daughters Dorothy Olszewski-Williams and Yvonne Olszewski (Fraser), her sister Basia Goldsmith (Chris), grandchildren Matthew (Melissa), Shelly and Krystyna (Dexter). Greatgrandchildren Kaleb, Ethan and Maeve. Nieces and nephews Ewa, Hania, Barbara, Krysia, Zosia, Ella, Michał, Maya and Julia, and their partners and families, and beloved family scattered throughout the world.

Hanna was born in 1932 at her family estate in Marcinkowo, Poland. Her idyllic childhood was shattered with the start of WWII, when she had to flee her beloved home and country with her mother and siblings while her father was left behind to defend their country. After ending up in refugee camps in Africa and enduring many hardships, the family was reunited with her father in Great Britain after eight years.

In Scotland, Hanna completed her studies in Home Economics and met and married her husband of 65 years, Ted, with whom she emigrated to Canada in 1954. In Canada she continued her studies in teaching and Early Childhood Education. Among her professional accomplishments, she established, directed and taught the first bilingual co-op nursery school in Ottawa. After retirement, she followed her artistic talents and creativity with a diploma in fine arts. It was also after their retirement that Hanna and Ted permanently moved to Devil Lake, where the family has been since 1954, and spent the rest of their lives surrounded by cherished neighbors and friends from the Westport area.

Hanna excelled in the many and varied interests and hobbies she undertook, especially dancing, art, travel, gardening, and a variety of outdoor sports and activities. Family was extremely important to Hanna. She took her role as mother, grandmother and great-grandmother very seriously, and had a way of teaching children valuable life lessons while making it fun. She loved bringing together family and friends through her skills of hosting, cooking, entertaining, and connecting with people.

Hanna made friends and left an impression everywhere that she lived and travelled throughout Canada and the world, winning people’s respect and admiration with her warm smile, positive outlook, zest for life, strength and beauty of spirit and heart. She leaves behind a legacy of love, kindness, consideration, caring and friendship which will be missed, but lives on in everyone whom she met and affected.

A funeral mass will be held at St. Hyacinth Polish Parish in Ottawa on 13 November, 11:00am.  A Celebration of Life will be held at a later date in the Spring 2025 in Westport, Ontario.

In lieu of flowers, Hanna requested that donations in her memory be made to a charity of your choice, with her preferences being the Red Cross or a food bank.