Helen Skura
July 11, 1923—October 21, 2012
Mrs. Helen Skura, age 89, passed away peacefully on October 21, 2012 at the Crowsnest Pass Long Term Care Centre where she resided for the last 5 years. Helen, the eldest of four siblings, was born on July 11, 1923 to Stephen and Erma Korcuska in Coleman, Alberta.
Helen began working at Holyk’s General Store in Coleman and then was a bank teller at the Coleman CIBC Bank until her marriage on September 11, 1946 to William Skura. They had 62 years of life together until Bill’s passing in June of 2009. Helen was a coal miner’s wife facing the uncertainty if her husband would come home from the underground mines. Bill and Helen had a daily ritual of giving each other a “kiss-kiss” on the lips before Bill left for work in case he did not come home; they did this even if they did not see eye to eye on a given day.
Helen was a life long resident of Coleman being raised in West Coleman. When first married, they lived in a miner’s shanty in “Italian Town”, then in the landmark “Pink House” at the eastern edge of town and finally in the former Malanchuk house on Highway 3 since 1963.
Helen and Bill were blessed with three sons. Brent (Val) from Richmond, B.C., Ronnie who passed in 1956 from a tragic accident at the age of five, and Doug (Kris) of Columbus, Ohio.
Helen was always there for her family—a great comfort to them. Helen and Bill gave Brent and Doug the opportunity to go onto higher education fields starting at the University of Alberta with Brent (PhD) now the Program Director of Global Resource Systems at the University of British Columbia in the Faculty of Land and Food Systems and Doug (MD) as a Board Certified Orthopedic Surgeon at Memorial Hospital of Union County in Marysville, Ohio.
Helen was always an avid reader and loved the Coleman Library where she could get more to read. She was a librarian for years until the Coleman Library was consolidated by the Municipality. Helen did not learn to drive until her mid-life and this achievement inspired other women her age at the time to do the same.
Helen also leaves to mourn her sister Paula Korcuska of Coleman, brother Ernie Korcuska of Calgary, one grand-daughter Erin (Joe) Isberg, four grandsons Ryan, Brian, Matthew and Christopher Skura and great grand-son Ethan Isberg plus many nieces and nephews who enjoyed her company and especially her home cooking and canning.
Helen was predeceased by her parents, husband, one son and younger sister, Tessie Yates, and brother-in-law, Lloyd Yates.
Helen requested cremation and her remains to be laid to rest next to husband Bill’s and son Ronnie’s in the Coleman Catholic Cemetery. A private family graveside ceremony will be held at a future date. In lieu of flowers, donations in Helen’s memory may be made to the Crowsnest Pass Health Foundation, Bag 1, Blairmore, Alberta, T0K 0E0.
Fantin's Funeral Chapel entrusted with arrangements. (403) 562-8555.