Obituary of Olympia Griffith

February 19, 1929 - Endeavour, Saskatchewan

December 3, 2023 - Calgary, Alberta

Olympia “Ollie” Griffith, of Calgary, AB, passed away on Sunday, December 3, 2023, at the age of 95 years.

She was born in Endeavour, SK, on February 19, 1929. Ollie attended business college in Edmonton, Alberta, and graduated with a diploma in accounting.

Ollie met and married her husband John Freeman Griffith of Charlottetown, PEI, and they moved to Calgary in 1959. Ollie worked at a few different companies but eventually became employed by the Architectural Firm of Cohos, Evamy & Partners, Architects, and Engineers, where she was their Comptroller and Associate where she remained employed for 27 years. Ollie loved her job at Cohos Evamy so much and remained close with many of those that she had worked with right up until the end of her life.

We wish to acknowledge her great friends Allan Donnell, Heather Moreau, Ingrid Eggertson, Marianne McInnes, Marna Fenton, and Dee Harwood. Martin Cohos and Michael Evamy (deceased) were always in touch and were highly thought of by Ollie, and she was so proud of her career with the firm.

After her retirement from Cohos Evamy, Ollie kept busy with many volunteer positions, such as with the Fish Creek Leisure Centre with their arts and yoga programs. She also worked on the board of her Condominium Association for many years.

Ollie loved to read and pay attention to politics and loved to discuss them with whomever was up to it. She would often have a couple of books on the go at a time, one downstairs at the kitchen table and one upstairs next to her bed. Ollie volunteered with the PC Party representative in her area for a few years. She was also a member of the Red Hat Society and enjoyed her many outings and the great lunches that they’d have. Ollie loved to paint and did many beautiful pieces in watercolour over the years. When she was unable to paint any longer, she took up yoga until her balance did not allow for her to practice this art form any longer.

Ollie didn’t have children of her own, but she treated her nieces and nephews like they were her own. She was the last surviving child of the children of Penny and Kostin Koshurba.

Left to mourn her are her nieces Dianne Rychjohn (Graham) of Preeceville, Saskatchewan, Leanne and Sherrie Koshurba of Vancouver, BC; Perry Adamuik (Lisa), Kenneth Adamuik (Lorna), all of Calgary; and great-nephew Eric Adamuik (Hilary) of Sylvan Lake, Alberta.

There will be no formal funeral service. Please remember Ollie and her love of life and the class with which she lived.

In living memory of Olympia Griffith, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Chapel of the Bells, 2720 Centre Street North, Calgary, AB T2E 2V6, Telephone: 403-243-8200.