Irene Kruppi
January 8, 1925 – November 9, 2015

The passing of Irene (nee Szankar) Kruppi of Bethany Pioneer Village, Middle Lake, SK , (and formerly of Yellow Creek, SK), occurred at her residence, on Monday, November 9, 2015.  She was 90 years of age.  Irene was born to Joseph and Elizabeth (nee Szakacs) Szankar on January 8, 1925, in Révaranyos Szabolcs, Hungary.  At the age of four-and-a-half years, along with her mother, they immigrated by boat to Canada to join her father, who had arrived three years prior. They arrived in August of 1929 and settled in the Rhona Lake District, where Irene attended Rhona Lake School until Grade 8. Upon completing school, Irene helped out on the family farm with the gardening, chores and minding her younger siblings.  On October 16, 1944, Irene married Joseph Kruppi at St. Phillips R.C. Church (Little Moose).  For the first few years of their marriage, Irene and Joseph lived with his parents, Ignace and Barbara Kruppi, where their first two children, Ernest and Grace, were born.  They then moved onto their own homestead and into their first home, a two-room house, where their third child Terry was born. In 1958, with an expanding family, they built a larger home, which is still there today; there Jim, Leonard and Lloyd, were born to them. On October 8, 1975, Joseph died suddenly.  Irene then continued to operate the farm with the help of her son Jim and later on, Leonard and Lloyd.  Throughout her lifetime of living on the farm, Irene worked countless hours in her gardens planting, weeding and harvesting, as well as tending to her numerous chickens, goats, and turkeys.  Irene also spent countless hours quilting, sewing, doing embroidery, cooking, canning, baking, making her infamous homemade wine, or working in her flower gardens.  During hunting season, she always had coffee ready for the hunters first thing in the morning, and always had something ready in case visitors stopped in, whether it was fresh bread or baking, and no one ever left hungry.  Irene always enjoyed get-togethers, whether it was with friends and neighbors or with her family, especially when her grandchildren and great- grandchildren were around.   She had a way of making each one feel special in their own way.  In March 2010, Irene moved into Birch Manor at Bethany Pioneer Village and, in 2012, she moved into Aspen Manor.  Irene will always be remembered for her loving smile which would light up the room whenever someone stopped in to see her, and she loved hearing about what was going on in every ones lives. Irene made a point of always finding out what was going on back at home on the farm, and could always tell you what was going on there, whether it was how many calves were born to how much of the crops were in.  Even though she left the farm, it was always with her in her heart, and although she isn’t there in body, her impression will always be left there… with the memories she gave each one of us.  Irene will be lovingly remembered by her six children, 15 grandchildren, and 21 great-grandchildren (and one on the way):  Ernest (Denise) Kruppi and family, Nicole (Terry) [Avery and Aurey], Kelly (Erryn) [Hanna and Leyton], and Cameron (Heather) [Dynamite];  Grace (Buzzy) Garrison and family, Shelly (Jess) [Ryley, Sydney, Tyson and Brody], and Keith (Renee) [Nohl and Gracie];  Terry (Murray) Meszaros and family, Mark (Denise) [Brooklyn and Nolan], Aaron (Cassandra), Deryk (Elizabeth) [Lucas], and Adam (Kristi) [Lilly and Maddie]; Jim (Yvonne) Kruppi and family, Steven (Stacey) [Kail and Alexa], and Richard (Christie) [Erik]; Leonard (Terry) Kruppi and family,  Lisa (Shawn) [Arlen], Joey (Lyza), Jeffrey (Rae-Lynn) [Rhys], and Lloyd (Judy) Kruppi and daughter, Addison; one sister, Mathilda Bedard and one brother Joseph (Louise) Szankar, and numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.  She was predeceased by her husband, Joseph Kruppi; her parents Joseph and Elizabeth (nee Szakacs) Szankar; sister Margaret Meszaros, and brothers in law: Leslie Bedard and Eugene Meszaros.  A Public Visitation was held at Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel, Humboldt, SK, on Friday, November 13, 2015, from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m.  The Funeral Mass was offered at St. Brieux R.C. Church, St. Brieux, SK, on Saturday, November 14, 2015, at 1:00 p.m., celebrated by Fr. George Canto.  Others taking part were: Lucas Sosnowski, crossbearer; Murray Meszaros and Denise Kruppi, scripture readers; Nicole Kruppi, intentions; Shelly Garrison, Nicole Kruppi and Lisa Rindero, giftbearers; Betty Ann Godart, eulogist.  Honarary pallbearers were Irene’s grandchildren and great-grandchildren.  Active pallbearers were: Mark Kruppi, Kelly Kruppi, Joey Kruppi, Blair Szankar, Keith Garrison, Ryley Prokopetz and Richard Green.  Interment followed at St. Phillip’s (Little Moose) R.C. Cemetery in the St. Brieux district.  Memorial donations may be directed to either the St. Phillip’s (Little Moose) R.C. Cemetery Fund or Bethany Pioneer Village. 

This Notice Is Courtesy Of
Schuler-Lefebvre Funeral Chapel Humboldt, Saskatchewan
(306-682-4114)