Obituary of Helen Joyce Bezjack (nee Rach)

March 21, 1929 - Madden, Alberta

August 22, 2023 – Calgary, Alberta

With sadness, we report the death of Helen Joyce Bezjack (Rach) on August 22, 2023, at 94 years of age. Helen was predeceased by her dearly loved husband Steve (2000), son Robert (Bobb) 2023, and great grandson Cody Sibbald (2015). Helen was born in 1929 to Vincent and Bernice Rach in Samsonton (now known as Madden). She was the middle child and was predeceased by two older brothers Melvin and Harold and two younger brothers Ron and Roy.

Helen married Steve Bezjack in 1947 and they started the family farm in Madden, Alberta, only two miles from where Helen was born. Mother of six children, Betty (Michael) Morris of Madden, Carol Dutchik of Cochrane, Doug Bezjack of Madden, Don Bezjack of Elnora, Bobb Bezjack (deceased), and Jamey (Deanna) Bezjack of Madden. She was always proud of her twelve grandchildren and thirteen great-grandchildren and very interested in how everyone was getting on in the world. In later life, nothing was as valued as visits from members of her large family and friends and a chance to catch up and play a few games of cards!

Growing her large garden, participating in the running of the farm, Helen’s favourite time of the year was the Fall - oh how she loved to combine! She was always so proud of being a farmer. After the children were grown, Helen and Steve spent many winter months motor-homing with their great friends Joyce and Harry Roth. They surely knew how to have a good time. After Steve passed away in 2000, Helen decided to stop making long trips with the motor home and instead purchased a winter home in Surprise Arizona at one of her and Steve’s favorite spots, Happy Trails. And happy she was to spend many of the winter months in Arizona with her new-found “Arizona family” and great friends from the Madden area – the Havens, the Vances, the Aaskows, the Walshes, the Rachs, the Butterfields from Ponoka and the list went on – all dear friends who made her life after Steve’s passing more meaningful because they always included her.  No vacation ranked as highly as Helen’s and Steve’s vacation to Croatia - how she loved visiting and learning about Steve’s homeland. In her later years, Helen spoke often about their trip to Europe.

Ensuring all of her children participated 4H Beef Clubs, as an active volunteer with the Madden Lion Clubs Lionesses, an enthusiastic member of the Madden Curling Club, a “wannabe“ golfer, and as a life-long “best fan” of the Toronto Blue Jays, she was a master (and maybe the inventor) of multi-tasking!  How she will be missed.

A Celebration of Life for Helen will be held in early October in Madden.

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed here.

In living memory of Helen Bezjack, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Airdrie, 300 Towerlane Drive, Airdrie, AB T4B 3L8, Telephone: 403-948-1100.