Panko Family Stories
If you have a story that you would like to share,
please send it to us via our "contact" page.
Lena Kreshewski
excerpt from: Panko Kreshewski Family History with memories from Connie Roessing
Lena was born September 7, 1912 to John and Mary Pankow. She completed her grade eight school year at Riverbend School. As the eldest in the family it was her place to help on the farm.
On February 7 1932 Lena married Joseph Kreshewski. Lena and Joe had fourteen children. For four years, they farmed together north of Dauphin. Four chldren were born here: Peter, William, Alex and Louise. In 1936 with their children and ten head of cattle, Joe and Lena moved to Marco. They lived here for one year. In 1937 the family moved to land one and a half miles west of Rossburn. Marie, Florence, Edward, Shirley, Hazel, Michael, Elaine, Judy, Terence and Carol Ann were born here. Christmas was a special time in the Kreshewski home. Lena would prepare food by baking for weeks before the holidays. For days the house would be full of good Ukrainian food and people, and there were always presents under the tree.
Lena was a devoted wife, caring mother, helpful farmhand and a devout Catholic. To Lena, it was very important that the children get a good education - not only scholastic but also spiritual. Through Lena and Joe's donation, the alter at the Ukrainian Catholic Church was built. The tradition of using religious statues in the church was assisted by Lena's purchases of the Virgin Mary and Joseph.
Lena would get quite excited when she would get a letter of phone call from one of her brothers or sisters, saying they were coming to visit. She would get busy cleaning, painting and sewing to spruce up the home. When they would arrive, Lena would ensure that there was lots of food to eat and lots to drink. At times like these, her children were able to see another side to their mother, especially when Lena's sister, Marion, would visit. Lena would join Marion in some wine and a couple cigarettes while reminiscing about their younger years.
As a dutiful daughter-in-law, Lena willingly welcomed Joe's father as another family member. A separate house was set-up on the farm for Joe's father. Lena was responsible for his general well-being and food, which continued until his death. Later, as a dutiful daughter, Lena opened her house up for her mother. Even though Lena had many children and much work to do to assist Joe with the farm needs she also added the role of nursemaid for her mother.
They farmed at Rossburn, Manitoba until her death in 1967. Lena died at the age of 54 in the Russell Hospital on April 14, 1967. Joe lived on this farm until his illness in 1986. At that time he took up residency in the Rossburn Hospital Chronic Care Unit. Joe passed away on October 29, 1992.
Frances Willoughby
Frances was the second child born to John Pankow and Mary Federowicz. She was born at the Kaschuck farm, as Mary was staying with her sister Frances and brother-in-law Demko Kaschuck, while John was still working on the railroad.
Frances attended Riverbend School, which was located one mile from the Pankow farm. She took her nurses training in the Misericordia Hospital in Winnipeg, from about 1934 until graduating September 1, 1937. Upon completion of her course, Frances went to work in the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota in 1939. She later moved to Portland, Oregon where she worked part-time at Providence Hospital. It was here that she met her future husband, George Willoughby, who at that time was with the airforce. He served as a Captain in the army during WWII.
The two were married June 12, 1943 and settled in Portland, Oregon. Frances became a citizen of the United States of America on July 17, 1944. She continued to work as a nurse, and George was a manager for the Bonneville Power Administration, Ross Substation in Vancouver, Washington. Together, Frances and George had one son, Michael who was born July 20, 1948. While living in Oregon, Frances was visited by her mother, Mary Pankow, her sister-in-law Anne Panko and her four-year-old neice Margaret Panko in the fall of 1956. Anne remembers that Mary was bound and determined to visit her daughter Frances, though she never left the farm, even to go shopping. The three travelled from Dauphin by train, and visited in Portland for around three days before boarding the train back east to Manitoba. At the same time, Frances' sisters, Lena and her husband Joe Kreshewski and Marion and Art Harrison travelled by car and came to visit as well. Frances' brother Paul, and sister Lena returned to visit the following year.
On February 25, 1957, Michael Willoughby died tragically at the young age of eight years old. His mother, Frances, was found responsible for his death and spent the remainder of her life in the Eastern Oregon State Hospital in Pendleton, Umatilla, Oregon. Frances passed away December 19th, 1960 after a battle with breast cancer. She is buried in Dauphin, Manitoba, Canada.
Anne Williston
Memories of a Nine Year Old
This log house overlooking the valley of the Valley River was already built when Father, Mother, Lena and Frances came to live on the farm in 1915. One large downstairs room served as a kitchen, living room and bedroom. The large upstairs room served as a bedroom, playroom, and storage room.
In preparation for the winter, Father and Mother made certain to thickly plaster and smooth the log walls inside and outside with a mixture of straw and clay. A final coat of whitewash was applied, making everything clean and fresh smelling. The clay provided excellent insulation from the prairie cold.
We lived in this house for almost ten years. By then there were Father, Mother, and six children, as Anne, Peter, Michael and Marion were born there. Even with a growing family, the house always felt cozy, warm and roomy.
When we first moved into the newly built six room house, where Paul and Bill were born, five year old Michael cried for days to go back home. Some of us were old enough not to cry but in our hearts we also yearned to go back. Marion was the only one who laughed and did not mind at all - but then she was hardly one year old.
From Times & Transcript, Moncton, New Brusnwick
Born to immigrant parents in Dauphin, Manitoba, Anne (Panko) Williston brought that strong pioneer spirit here.
Anne Williston grew up on a farm in Dauphin, Manitoba, but moved to New Brunswick with her N.B.-born husband and settled in Bay-du-Vin. The third child of eight of a Ukrainian father and Polish mother, she grew up on a farm with lots of childhood fun.
"We used to play with dolls, and as we got older we played hide and go seek, Jacob and Rachel and had baseball games. There was always plenty of children around."
Anne excelled in school, becoming a teacher. It was while teaching in Manitoba that she met and married Norman Williston, stationed in Dauphin with the Air Force during the Second World War. Following the war they returned to the family farm in Norman's native New Brunswick. Norman worked as a fisherman in Bay du Vin.
It was a busy life for Anne as, in addition to farm chores and baking her own bread, she also had the long-term care (about 18 years) of her mother-in-law. Eventually there were three children as well: Brian, Marion and Frances, and her teaching career continued.
Anne initiated hot lunches in her one-room schools during the 1950s and 1960s. She brought her own ingredients and made potato scallop on the school's wood stove!
There were school concerts with encore performances requested throughout the community. She kept the children active with sports, weekly Red Cross sessions, much-loved end-of-term picnics - and she still hears from former students. Anne taught for several years at the Chatham Air Base. "I was able to make as much in one year as I'd get paid in two years to teach elsewhere in New Brunswick," she says. "That's why I went to the Airport (Air Base), to raise a few dollars for my children's university." Indeed, two of her three children, and three of her six grandchildren followed her into education. Anne retired from the classroom in 1975, and sadly, Norman Williston passed away in 1985.
Always pro-community, Anne sat on the advisory board for the establishment of Miramichi's NBCC campus, and on the advisory board for, and was a founding director of, the Bay-du-Vin Seniors Haven. She has lifetime membership on that board (and is still very much interested in being involved), and was responsible for setting up a number of grants for the local church and various organizations.
In addition to teaching, Anne was an avid gardener (flower and vegetable), and they had both strawberry and raspberry U-picks.
When first in New Brunswick, Anne experienced many cultural differences, given her community of origin, but being a woman of great faith she persevered - and thrived. After retirement she travelled, and visited her son in Vancouver as recently as 2008. She still lives in Bay-du-Vin with three of her grandchildren (Frances).
Overcoming a major vision setback, she quilts, knits and keeps abreast of world news. Now in her 90s and active, she's philosophical about her healthy longevity. "I think maybe I was busy all the time," she says, "and I just didn't have time to think of anything else."
* Time of Your Life, stories of people 80 years and older who aren't letting age slow them down, appears each Tuesday in Life & Times. If you'd like to nominate an active senior for this series, please contact the newsroom at 859-4982; or e-mail the nominee's name and some background on the nominee to life@timestranscript.com; or fax to 859-4904.
Peter Panko
Submitted by Bob Panko on June 10, 2015 with input from Anne Williston and Don Panko
Peter was born on June 25, 1918 to John and Mary Pankow. He was the 4th child of eight and the 1st male. It was said that because he was born the first male, his father John bought a new stroller so he could take him to town and show him off. The word was that he was spoiled. Because he was the first boy he was given added responsibilities while growing up on the farm. This included tending to the livestock, driving the tractor during harvest and fixing the fences and machinery. This is when he learned his mechanical knowledge.
Peter attended Riverbend School and graduated at Grade 9. While there, he was given added responsibilities to help the teacher and younger students. A story is told that while getting some water from the school well, he lost his glasses down the well. He knew his father would be upset so he told him that they were stolen. The reason he did not tell the truth was that he feared that his father would go down the well to get them and may drown. He took his punishment. WOW, what a thoughtful son!
Peter was a hard worker and was always looking for jobs to make some additional money. One job was “road skirting”. He and his sister Anne, who was very close (only 3 years older) to him, would cut the high grass along the township roads. She said that he would cut and she would read! This is one reason she went on to be a teacher. Peter was also known to be a good dancer as he and his sister would go to
the Saturday dances in town.
In 1939, Peter was conscripted to join the Army at the age of 21. He was the oldest son, and with older and younger siblings to tend to the farm, he was the first choice to go. After being in training for a few months, he was released for medical reasons (poor eye sight and leg problems). Both these problems precluded him from shooting well enough and marching long enough.
In 1940, Peter left the farm and headed to the big city of Toronto. His intentions were to work, save his money, and return to the farm and buy more land. This lasted about 2 years. While in Toronto during these early years, he started his work as a bus driver for the TTC. He then secured a production job at the Massey-Ferguson plant in west Toronto. In his spare time, he enjoyed going to dances and church. It
was at a dance in the Masonic Hall, where he met Kay Hnatyshyn who was a coat check girl and they fell in love. Kay came to Toronto from a farm near Melville Saskatchewan a few years earlier. She lived with her Aunt Elsie and Uncle Joe while working at various jobs. Kay did not want to return to farming. She liked the city life too much so it was either her or the farm. They were married in June 1942.
Peter and Kay bought their first house in 1949 on Hastings Avenue in East Toronto. They liked the area because it had a TTC street car route 5 minutes away, a large park for kids to play, and good schools nearby. Peter was always high on getting a good education and it was important to him that his children do better than he ever could. They had two boys, Donald (Don) John: born Mar. 31, 1946 and Robert (Bob) Michael: born Mar.9, 1949. Both graduated from the University of Toronto in Electrical Engineering.
Peter joined SKF, a ball bearing manufacturing company, in Scarborough in the late 50’s where he worked his way up to Foreman of Air Craft Bearing Production. Through his working years he would send money and bearings back to the farm to help with the upkeep and equipment maintenance. Peter, Kay and family visited Dauphin and the homestead many times to rekindle the past and check on his parents and siblings.
Peter left his mark on Toronto in many ways. He was a very strong church member of the Holy Eucharist Ukrainian Catholic Church in east Toronto. One of his legacies is his strong desire to relocate and rebuild the church after the original one on King Street was expropriated for city road expansion. He organized what then was called the Church Building Committee and headed a group of like mined volunteers to construct a modern Ukrainian church which opened its doors in 1967, Canada’s centennial year. In order to fund the construction, Peter was the manager for the church Bingo. Along with Kay, Bob and other church supporters, he helped raise over one million dollars and paid off the mortgage on the church.
Peter loved to own land and building, which was a desire he had as a young man. In the late 60’s he along with Kay purchased a rental building in Guildwood Village, Scarborough. He expanded it from a 4-plex to a 6-plex. The income from this rental apartment helped them buy a cottage lot on Lake Simcoe and build a beautiful four season home on it. Peter and Kay loved to go there and he was always doing a project or two while there. These buildings are still in the family and owned and run by Bob and his family.
Peter passed away at Scarborough General Hospital on June 1996 at the age of 78.
Kay passed away at Centenary Hospital on November 2002 at the age of 87.
God Bless them both.
Michael Pankow
Michael was born in the first home to be built on the Pankow homestead, on April 16, 1920. The home consisted of two rooms, and housed 2 adults and 5 small children. Michael was the fifth child born to John Pankow and Mary Federowicz.
Pauline Wilks, neighbour of the Pankow's, remembered Michael as the nicest member of the family. He used to pick her daughter, Emily, up and drive her to school after he had taken his younger brothers to Riverbend School by carriage. Michael's and Emily's fathers did not like this arrangement as the families did not get along at the time. If anyone was close enough to see, Emily had to jump out of the carriage and walk. Anne Panko (Toporowski) remembers Michael delivering vegetables to the Toporowski farm when the family first moved to Dauphin from Mayfair, Saskatchewan. Mary Panko would have Michael bring vegetables as the Toporowski's had not yet had a chance to establish a garden.
In 1943, at the age of 23, Michael passed away. As a child he had suffered from Rheumatic Fever, which damaged his heart. It has been said that Michael overheard the doctor telling his parents that he would not live much longer. After hearing this news, he ended the relationship with the young girl he had been courting, Nellie Litovitch, as he would not be around long enough to marry her.
Marion Harrison
Submitted March 19, 2015 by Roseanne Bazylewski
Marion was born September 14, 1924 to John and Mary (Federowicz) Panko. There were seven other children in her family. At the age of 15 she was diagnosed with Tuberculosis. She spent two years in Ninette hospital undergoing treatment. Many of those that were hospitalized did not make it out and died of the infection. As a result of the disease, Marion was left with one functioning lung. As one of the few survisors, she felt that life was a gift and that no matter what the future brought, she was thankful that she would be there to experience it. After completing high school, Marion attended Little's Business College. She then worked in an office for the top wage of $16 a week. Later, Marion became a teacher and taught at a number of rural schools, including Ripon. It was while teaching at Ripon that she met Art Harrison and married him. Marion and Art spent the rest of their lives in the area. She used to enjoy telling the story of how Art would sing "Candy Kisses" to her - she said he had a wonderful voice and it was very endearing.
Marion was a 4H leader for fifteen years. She was a member of the Dauphin Plains ladies club for over twenty years, and was a director of the Dauphin Fair Board for two years. Prior to her demise she was the founding member of the Dauphin chapter of the Breast Cancer Support group.
Marion was a very spiritual person and attended mass every Saturday night. She was always ready with a compassionate ear and wise advise. She was very generous with her time and always tried to help out when asked. Marion was an excellent cook and her kitchen was a favourite gathering place for family and friends. She enjoyed many crafts - from knitting to quilting. She would do amazing crocheting, reading the most complicated charts. She was very energetic and alway boasted that she could do as much when she was older as she did when she was younger - although she did admit it took a lot longer. When she was in her seventies she went back to school and completed computer courses in farm accounting. She then used these skills to keep the books for the family farm. She passed away November 10, 2005 in Dauphin, Manitoba.
Paul Panko
A collection of memories from his wife, children, neighbours and school teacher
Paul was born on November 27, 1927. He was the first Pankow child to be born in the new six room home on the farm. He was the seventh child of John and Mary Pankow. Paul attended Riverbend School, which was located on the second Pankow quarter section, SW 22-26-19. His first school teacher was Mary Prokopowich, who was also staying with the Pankow family at the farm. In her memoir, The Way We Were, Mary writes about her first day teaching at Riverbend School:
Paul first met Anne Toporowski while playing baseball. He was the pitcher for his team, and Pauline Wasylyshen was the backcatcher. Paul and Pauline's team used to win all the time, so Anne and her team would yell at Paul, "Go home, Farmer!" because he was so big.
Paul went to Toronto after harvest in 1950 by train. His brother Pete was there and was recently employed at Massey Ferguson. Pete wrote to Paul to tell him the Massey plant was looking for workers. Paul left for Toronto with the intentions of working for Massey and staying there. Shortly after, his brother Bill called to inform Paul that their father, while fixing the sliding barn door, had broken his leg (or hip?) and that there were still cows to tend to, and farm work to do, so Paul would have to come home and help. Shortly after returning home, Paul met his future wife, Anne, and he never did return to Toronto. Anne thought Paul was always sorry he was not able to stay in Toronto, because his intention was not to farm for a living.
The first time Paul and Anne met as adults was at a November dance in the Riverbend School. Anne had gone with her brother, Alex, who was playing with the Frank Ryz Band. Alex played both guitar and banjo, so Anne was able to get in to the dance for free by carrying one of his instruments. She also liked to go with her brother because she was not tied down to a date and could dance with whomever she wanted. While sitting there, Anne noticed Paul, who she thought was really good looking, and she couldn't figure out why he had not yet asked her to dance. Shortly after, Paul did ask her to dance. Once the dance was over, Paul asked Anne how she was getting home, and if he could drive her. Anne, of course said "Yes!" One year later (the following November) they were married.
Paul and Anne were supposed to have been married September long weekend, but due to harvest being late, their wedding was postponed until Novebmer 1, 1951. Anne remembers their wedding day being very cold. They honeymooned in Winnipeg for one week, and upon returning, Paul still had flax to thresh. Many crops stayed in that winter due to an early snowfall. The young married couple moved into the farmhouse at the Panko Homestead. Paul's mother, Mary, was also still living in the home. Pauline Wilkes remembered being asked by Mary, shortly after Paul and Anne were married, to go over to the Panko place and plant cabbages, as Paul's young wife, Anne, didn't know how. Pauline didn't want to do this, because she didn't want to intrude or overstep any boundaries, but she did eventually go over and plant cabbages like Mary asked.
Paul's son, John, remembers him being a very kind-hearted man. He was always the parent to ask if you wanted something, as he was more likely to say yes. He also remembers a few summers where Paul and Pete Yarema bought hay together. The catch was that they had to haul it from about 10 miles away. Paul, Pete and their eldest sons spent many long and hot summer days hauling this hay to their farms. The boys would end the day by jumping in the river to cool off. One particularly hot day, Paul and Pete surprised their sons by joining them in the river. Both boys couldn't believe that their fathers jumped in.
"Quiet had descended over the room and I took this opportunity to list some future assignments on the blackboard for the higher grades. Absorbed as I was, and nervous to boot, I never noticed that one of my little beginners had got up, walked to the front door, and kept on going. Home was never like this!
When I did look around, I noticed that Paul Panko, a beginner and the child of the people with who I was boarding, was missing from his double desk. His partner was calmly drawing flowers all over his page, not bothering to indicate to me that Paul had become bored with the process and decided to leave.
Hurrying to the front door, I saw Paul frantically trying to untie the link chain which held together the large gate in front of the school.
This would call for some tact, I reasoned. I couldn't afford to have a drop-out on my first day of teaching!
So I spoke to him - in Ukrainian. " Where are you going, Paul?" I asked.
And he answered me - in Ukrainian. "I'm going home, because I don't understand anything here."
I explained to him, that if he would come back with me, I would try very hard to teach him the strange language.
Reluctantly, he let me lead him back into the school."
Wasyl Pankow
I was born at Dauphin, Manitoba to John Pankow & Mary Fedorowich on September 8th 1932, the youngest of eight children which was a nice size family in those days. Dad passed away March 1951 & mother passed away August 1959. My three brothers, Peter passed away June 1996, Michael passed away December 1943, & Paul passed away February 1983 and three sisters, Lena passed away April 1967, Frances passed away August 1960 and Marion passed away 2005. Still living is my sister, Ann Williston in Bay du Vin, New Brunswick.
My junior grades were at a little farm school called Riverbend which was located one mile from our home. In 1952 I graduated from the Dauphin Collegiate High School. During my high school years I took wood work and metal. I was really going to be a big Trades Man but I ended up being a meat cutter, working thirteen years for Eaton’s and twenty-eight years with Canada Safeway in Calgary, Alberta.
My first job after I finished high school in 1951 was at Bissett, Manitoba in a Gold Mine. That only lasted about three months as I got home sick. I came home for Christmas and did not go back to the mines. I went to Toronto and spent three months there with my brother, Peter. He got me a job at the Massey Harris Company in the stock department, where we made combines. That spring I came back home and bought myself a farm. My brother, Paul, and I farmed together for a couple of years. In the mean time I got on with Eaton’s in Dauphin and there I took my meat cutting apprenticeship. I was married July long weekend, 1956.
I have two lovely daughters, Cindy Marie born December 10th 1957 at Dauphin General Hospital & Desaree Lynn born November 15th 1967 here in Calgary Alberta at the Holy Cross Hospital. Cindy gave me three nice grandsons, Jean born August 1st, 1976, Chris born January 27th 1980 and Ryan born February 7th 1984. Great-grandson, Kolton Lyle was born November 2008 and great-granddaughter Kinley Cindy born November 14, 2010. Desaree gave me one beautiful granddaughter Breann Lynn born March 21st 1992, and two nice grandsons, Trevan Russell born April 28th 1994 and Brycen Michael born February 5th 1998. I am also blessed with a great-grandson Conner Christopher born to my grand son Chris and Jenna Angela Fontaine on October 5th 2004 and a great-granddaughter Ava born Dec. 2011
In 1957 I joined the Dauphin Elks Lodge #52. I became the Exulted Ruler in 1964 and that year I was presented with a Passed Exulted Rulers Jewel which I am still proud of.
In 1990 I joined the Knights of Columbus Archbishop Monahan Council 4878 in Calgary, Alberta to follow my brother Paul’s footsteps. Paul was a Knight at the Dauphin Council and died February 1983 at a meeting at the age of 52 from a massive heart attack. In November 1991 I was Exemplified into the Forth Degree of the Knights of Columbus. In 2003 and 2004 I served our Council 4878 as their Grand Knight. We were awarded the Star Council Award and that made my year very rewarding.
I also have had the pleasure to do pastoral work within our church and community for the past seventeen years. By doing this, it opened up another avenue in my life by giving my free time to the sick at South Wood Nursing Home. Each week we took some of the patients out bowling, shopping or maybe just sitting with them and talking or even joining them for lunch on different occasions.
I belong to St. Cecilia’s Church in Calgary. For eight years I was in charge of the ushers, hospitality, readers, and Eucharistic Minister's schedules. I helped out as an Alter Server Eucharistic Minister and sang in the Senior Choir just about every Sunday at the eleven am mass. My hobbies were boating, fishing, videoing weddings, birthday parties and family anniversaries.
The Yarema Family
Submitted by Willie Yarema
The Yarema and Panko families go back many years. It all started when my great grandfather, Wasyl Yarema (whom I was named after but under a Canadian version which was Willie) brought John Panko home with him as the two had worked together on the railroad in Neepawa. Wasyl introduced John to his young sister-in-law, Mary Federowich. As they were both good cooks, together Mary and her sister Nellie (the oldest sibling in the Fedorowicz family) prepared a delicious meal. With a little persuassion for Nellie, Mary was instantly in love with John and one thing led to another . The two were soon married. From there they both Wasyl and John bought farms in the Riverbend school district. John Panko bought the SE22-26-19 and Wasyl Yarema bought NE22-26-19 just a 1/2 a mile away and so the family connection continued. Wasyl and Nellie lived with John and Mary the first year as there was a small house on the Panko place and the Yarema's had yet to build there home. Then when my dad Peter(who was Wasyl's and Nellie's grandson)took over the farm and John and Mary's son Paul took over the connetion continued. When I took over from my dad, Paul Panko was a mentor to me just as John was a mentor to my dad. The connection continued even further when John(jr) and George took over after Paul passed away. Many good memories were made over the years from helping each family break the land, build buildings to house their animals and hold their grain, to helping each other hay and harvest, or having Christmas dinners and celebrating special occasions together. I could go on an on about stories about the Panko and Yarema connection, which I hope will continue with the next generation. One thing I would really like to share, which I think is really interesting, is that in the early 1900s, Wasyl Yarema introdouced John Panko to his wife Mary and in 1974 John Panko(grandson of John) introduced Willie(Wasyl) Yarema to his wife Evelyn. That show just how close the Yarema/Panko connection is. Congratulation to the Panko family on your Hundred Year Farm Anniversary.