Emily Cojocar (nee Kolodniski) passed away peacefully on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at St Joseph’s Foyer d’Youville nursing home in Gravelbourg, SK. Born on March 2, 1929, in Regina, SK. Emily was the eldest of three children to Walter and Ella (nee Manastyrski) Kolodniski.
Emily spent her early years in Ituna, SK, where she attended school before moving to Regina for work. It was there, in the warmth of a bustling restaurant, that she met the love of her life, Roy. Winters would take them back to Regina, where they found new work to support their beloved farm. Roy as a taxi driver and Emily at a pharmacy called Champlain Drugs and a fabric store. She shared many of those working days with her sister Carol, forming an unbreakable bond as they worked side by side.
Roy and Emily were married at the St. Peter and Paul Romanian Orthodox Church in 1947 and moved out to Limerick for good. Together, they built a life centered around family, resilience, and devotion.
A woman of many talents, Emily was an extraordinary seamstress who could create anything with needle and thread. She often made clothes and special pieces for her family, including the bridesmaid dresses for her daughter Resa’s wedding.
Emily was a humble woman who cherished and embraced every aspect of farm life. She was hard-working, determined and sharp as a tack. Her family loved her cooking and her perogies and cabbage rolls were a family tradition on special occasions.
A gifted artist, Emily’s watercolors captured the beauty she saw in the world. Her talent was widely recognized, even earning her an award in New York City. But, beyond accolades, her greatest joy was sharing her gift—whether through the hand-painted birthday and Christmas cards she created for loved ones or by teaching art to children at her grandchildren’s schools.
Her green thumb was just as remarkable as her artistic touch. Each year, she lovingly nurtured a vast garden, growing over 50 tomato plants alongside an abundance of vegetables. Her homemade salsa and pickles were gifted to anyone who visited the farm.
Above all else, Emily’s greatest joy was her family. She was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother. Watching her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren grow brought her immeasurable happiness.
Emily is now reunited with her beloved husband, Roy Cojocar of Limerick; her cherished daughter, Resa (John) Armstrong of Sceptre; her parents, Walter and Ella Kolodniski of Ituna; and her dear sister, Carol (George) Hepworth of Assiniboia.
She leaves behind a legacy of love and warmth in the hearts of those who survive her: her brother, Russell (Bertha) Kolodniski; her children, Colleen Helland and Jeff (Tina) Cojocar; her grandchildren, Danea Armstrong (Blake) Knittig, Joel (Christine) Armstrong, Joscelyn Armstrong (David Rorstad), Justin Cojocar, Briget Cojocar, Meagan Cojocar, Bobbie (Catlin) Foley; and her adored great-grandchildren, Thea, Olivia, Jordon, Finn, Sterling, and Emma.
Emily’s family will gather for a small private celebration of life at a future date, honoring her memory in the way she would have wanted—with love, gratitude, and the warmth of shared stories.
Emily’s family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and all staff of the Gravelbourg St Joseph’s Foyer d’Youville for the excellent care given to Emily over the last year and a half.
