Kuropatwa, Mary Agnes
Date of birth - February 22, 1925 ~
Date of Passing - September 15, 2021
It is with profound sadness that the family of Mary Agnes Kuropatwa of Barrhead Alberta, announces her peaceful passing on September 15, 2021, at the age of 96.
Beloved mother of Ernie Kuropatwa (Roberta Kuropatwa) and Joe Kuropatwa (Sheri Lee), grandmother of 9, great-grandmother of 8, sister, aunt, cousin, and friend, she will be fondly remembered and dearly missed.
She was predeceased by her loving husband of 31 years Barney Kuropatwa; son, Eddie Kuropatwa; brother, Billy Fowlie; her parents: Mary and William Fowlie; and her nieces Judy and Anna.
Mary was born in Edmonton on February 22, 1925 to Mary and William Fowlie. Mary lived on a homestead in High Ridge with her parents and her brother Billy.
When Mary was in her mid-twenties she met the love of her life, Barney Kuropatwa while working at a restaurant in Westlock. They were later married in May of 1953 and lived together in Barrhead and raised their three sons.
Barney and his brother (Chester) and brother-in-law (Ernie) ran Riverside Livestock. Mary began driving livestock trucks for the company and became one of the first women truck drivers. She would drive all around Barrhead and into Edmonton regularly taking friends and family to medical appointments until she gave up her license at 91. On their annual trips to Hawaii Mary would always drive while there too. Every year when Mary and Barney returned from Hawaii, they would bring home Hawaiian Host macadamia chocolates, jars of macadamia nuts, and pineapples.
Mary loved to garden. She had a green thumb and could always be found in her vegetable garden. You were sure to find pickled beets and carrots at Mary’s any time you went.
Mary was very active in the community. A member of the Royal Purple and an avid Avon seller she was well known and loved by those she met.
Mary has a large family and was close with so many. Her sister-in-laws Anita and Mary and all of her wonderful cousins were always so much more than that, they were like sisters and brothers, and she treated everyone she met with love and kindness (and maybe a stern word or two when you stepped out of line). She was a great story teller and had an amazing sense of humour.
Mary had a long and full life, and she will be dearly missed.
An outside service will be held at Barrhead Community Cemetary on Monday, September 20, 2021 at 1:00pm
In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation.
Expressions of sympathy may be forwarded to the family by visiting westlockfuneralhome.com.
Westlock Funeral Home & Crematorium Ltd.
780-349-3474
