Obituary of Helen Ilona Lukacs (nee Kajati)

November 16, 1936 – Sarospatak, Hungary
October 17, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta

Our beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and friend left us peacefully on Monday, October 17, 2022 at the age of 85, with her loving husband of 65 years, Joe, by her side, as he was throughout her lengthy battle with dementia.
 

Helen and Joe came to Canada in 1956 to escape the Russian invasion of Hungary to build their own family and give them a better life in Canada. They married in Toronto and moved to Alberta where Joe completed his schooling and began his career, settling in Calgary in 1965. Joe’s career gave them the opportunity to travel to exotic destinations throughout the world. Helen’s favorite was Maui, where she kicked off her heels and lived for months at a time barefoot.  
 

Through their travels, she acquired her strong sense of style reflected in her wardrobe and her surroundings. Her life revolved around the home where she grew her passion for gardening. Her garden was legendary, at one point showcased in a full page spread in the Calgary Sun for winning the Garden of the Year. Her love for gardening was exceeded only by her love for her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. A visit to grandma was incomplete without a photo-op in the garden. Family gatherings centered around the dining table. Her enduring legacy was her gift for cooking, passed down through the recipes she taught us which are now the center of our family gatherings.
 

Helen is survived by her loving husband, Joe, children, Zoltan (Marie), Attila, and Joe Jr., grandchildren, Rob (Lara), Katie, Laura (Chris), Hayley, and Kale, and great-grandchildren, Zoe, Easton and Beckham; as well as her family in Hungary, her sister Agi (Geza), nieces and nephews, and special nieces, Blanka (Tibor) and Zsuzsa (Zoli). Helen was predeceased by her mother, Margit, father Mihaly, and brothers, Mihaly, Bela, Pista, Zoli and Laci.
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A Private Funeral Mass was celebrated at St. Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church on Thursday, October 27, 2022, followed by interment at Eden Brook Memorial Gardens. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewedhere.

We are forever grateful for the love and attention shared with Helen by her dedicated caregiver family of Hanifa, Raman, Zlata and the entire staff at Beyond Neighbours.
 

In living memory of Helen Lukacs, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.