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Jennie Melski

Jennie Melski

Born In: Sydney
Born: December 23rd, 1915

Passed in: Whitney Pier
Passed on: March 22nd, 2014

It is with heavy hearts that the Melski family announces the passing of their mother, Jennie Melski. Jennie passed away on Saturday, March 22, 2014, at Harbourstone Enhanced Care, Sydney, at the age of 98.
Born in Sydney on Dec. 23, 1915, she was the daughter of the late Michael and Anna (Niedzielski) Kiec.
Jennie became church organist at St. Mary’s Polish Church at an early age and continued to serve the parish, except for a period when she had to interrupt her duties to raise nine children, until she could no longer climb the stairs to the choir loft. She actually attempted retirement twice, but the retirement lasted a short time, as she obligingly returned at the request of the parish priests.
She loved music and liked nothing better than to have her family and their friends around the piano for a good singing session, especially at Christmas time, when Polish carols interspersed with carols sung in English, were enjoyed. During the summer, she spent pleasant times enjoying the country air at her son Joe’s cottage at Northside East Bay. Three highlights in her life were the two trips to Poland to visit relatives and greeting the Polish Pope in Halifax.
Mom was a kind and loving mother who instilled in her children an appreciation for their Catholic faith. She followed the dictum of the popular, Bishop Fulton J. Sheen that ‘the family that prays together, stays together’, by calling the children together to recite the rosary.
As a young lady, Jennie was recruited by her parish priest to teach the Polish language to the young children of the parish. She was proud of her Polish heritage and passed this pride on to her children. She modestly acknowledged that she was chosen by the parishioners as the queen of St. Mary’s parish and wearing her royal regalia, she rode on the parish float during Sydney’s 150th anniversary celebrations.
She served her parish with selfless devotion, for which she received the admiration of the parish priests throughout the years. Her knowledge of the music, both Polish and English, required for church observances, was unequaled.
Jennie is survived by her sons, Anthony Jr., Michael, Terrence and Robert; daughters, Leona and Ann; 18 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren; brother, Ted; sisters, Louise (Ted) Baker, Bernice Ratushny, Valerie Deturbide and many nieces and nephews and cousins.
She was predeceased by her husband, Anthony, sons, Donald, Ronald, Joseph, sister, Mary Baryluk, brother, Alex, brothers-in-law, Edmund, Eugene and Peter, a brother, Stanley and a sister Cecilia, who died when very young.
Visitation for Mrs. Melski will take place Thursday, March 27 at T.W. Curry Parkview Chapel from 2-4 and 7-9 p.m. Funeral mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 28 at St. Mary’s Polish Church with Fr. Paul Murphy officiating. Burial at Forest Haven Memorial Gardens.
Memorial donations may be made to St. Mary’s Polish Church Building Fund.
Online condolences may be sent by visiting www.twcurry.com.


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