Lydia Wilson (nee Ushko)
July 1, 1932-October 3, 2023
It is with sadness but also joy in celebrating her life that we announce the passing of Lydia Wilson on October 3, 2023. At 91-years-of-age, Lydia is predeceased by her loving husband of 66 years, Malcolm “Mac” Wilson and a number of cherished siblings. Lydia is survived by her 5 children Bruce Wilson, John Wilson, Diana Livsey, Linda Wilson and husband Andre Hasspieler, Cheryl Hall and husband Ian “Fletch” Fletcher; grandson John Leadbetter; siblings Luba Mullens, Vera Winter, Peter Ushko and his wife Dianne; and many nieces and nephews.
Lydia was one of 10 children born to Ukrainian immigrants Nicholas Ushko and his wife Efrosinia Ushko from the village of Mydsk who married on December 14, 1918 and immigrated to Canada in 1929 with 4 children – Kost was young and died of pneumonia after becoming ill on the ship. Lydia was the second of their 6 children born in Canada – in rural Barrhead, Alberta.
Lydia learned the values of hard work, generosity of spirt, and enjoyment of life from her parents. She was incredibly well spoken and a thoughtful writer, and after high school, Lydia moved to Toronto to live with her older sister Rita and attend Business College. She worked as a legal secretary and then met her future husband and soul mate Mac at a dance. Mac was attending the University of Toronto in Engineering, and on graduating, they moved to Hamilton, Ontario where he was hired by Westinghouse. Lydia and Mac then moved to Dundas, Ontario, a lovely town just outside Hamilton, starting a family – 5 children in 7 years – a very busy time. Lydia and Mac were very involved with St. Paul's United Church such as helping with the church-sponsored refugee family from Bosnia and Lydia teaching Sunday school and being a leader for CGIT – Canadian Girls in Training.
Lydia always got things done. She was the one who would get up at 5:00 a.m. to prepare a turkey for family gatherings and then be the one with a fresh smile and bright conversation when everyone arrived. When the 5 children had all started school, Lydia took night classes on medical terminology while working as a secretary at the Dundas Arena and soon got a job as medical secretary at McMaster University Medical Centre, working for gastroenterologist, Dr. Riddell. Lydia loved to curl, play golf, watch a myriad of sports on television, garden, and host dinner parties with family and friends. Lydia was the centre of social activity and a magnet to those around her – she was the consummate hostess, with a great sense of humour and quick wit, who was always impeccably stylish with her love of fashion, even sewing her own clothes. Lydia was also an avid music lover and enjoyed singing in the choir, along with the popular records at home, and in the car on long rides with the family. Lydia also passed on her zest for fitness to her children even signing the whole family up to walk 35 miles then 25 miles in the famous charity walk-a-thons, Miles for Millions.
Lydia and Mac vacationed with the family in Myrtle Beach, Florida, enjoyed many summer vacations with sister Luba and family at their cottage, relished annual Christmas dinners with sister Mary Armchuk and family that grew to include the Rubic’s, and many trips to Goderich and Auburn to see the Wilson side of the family – plus many large family reunions. On Lydia and Mac’s 50th anniversary, their children arranged a 2-week vacation at the Mayan Riviera in Mexico, and then for a later anniversary a trip to Hawaii as it was Lydia’s dream vacation destination and she had never been. As a couple, Lydia and Mac also travelled to Scotland, Martinique, Portugal, and Japan.
Over the years, Lydia’s children moved away - Diana and John to Canmore, Alberta, Linda to North Bay, Ontario, Cheryl to Vancouver, BC., and Bruce to Hamilton, Ontario. Lydia retired in 1995, and with Mac having retired a year early, they moved to Vancouver Island to be near Lydia's siblings, Rita Munro, Luba Mullens and husband Charles (Chuck), Vera Winter and husband Les, Peter Ushko and wife Dianne – and enjoyed get-togethers with their children, Noreen, Laurel and Shelly, and later, their spouses.
In BC, Lydia and Mac bought a home close to downtown Courtenay and close to church where they were active on various committees. Lydia and Mac continued playing golf, a real passion for them, joining Crown Isle Golf Course and then Mulligans. Lydia was a crack golfer with a perfect swing who golfed well into her mid 80s - she even made a hole in one!
In 1996, Lydia and Mac helped a church-sponsored family of 3 from Sarajevo find an apartment and over the years became very close friends and at one point, lived next door to each other. That year, St. George’s Church starting serving lunch to the less fortunate, and a year later, Lydia and Mac became Coordinators of the Wednesday group of The Sonshine Lunch Club for the next 20 years until 2017, while Mac also served as President. With a strong sense of community, doing for others and giving was in Lydia’s DNA.
Lydia had a life well lived with lots of loving family and friends. The family is very grateful to all the staff on Unit B1 Dementia Care Unit at the North Bay Regional Health Centre staff, with an amazing group of staff and caregivers who said on Lydia’s first day there in February 2023 that they treated all the residents as if they were their own family – and they did! What an amazing group of compassionate people who worked seamlessly as a team to make Lydia’s stay as bright as it could be. Caring, dedicated, thoughtful, and sincere - our deepest thanks.
A family gathering to remember Lydia will be organized later. Donations can be made to North Bay Regional Health Centre with a tag to apply directly to Unit B1 Dementia Care Unit.