Mary Pirhalla

Mary Margaret (Stefina) Pirhalla of Blenheim passed away peacefully at the Blenheim Community Village on Good Friday, April 3, 2015 at the age of 91 years after a courageous battle with cancer. Mary was born in Strezenice, Slovakia on November 19, 1923 to her late parents Anna (Gazova) & Andrew Stefina Sr. She was predeceased by her husband, Karl (October 2014) of almost 65 years, her sister, Anne Janicek, her brothers Joseph, Steve, Frank, Andy Jr. and Stan, her brother-in-law Steve Janicek, and her sisters-in-law , Hilda, MaryAnn and Emma. Their surviving daughter Patricia Pirhalla lives on part of the family farm near Blenheim. Their second daughter Nancy Susan Pirhalla (1956) passed away as an infant. Mary is survived by several sisters-in-law and many nieces and nephews throughout Ontario, New Jersey and Slovakia. She was the last surviving member of the original Stefina family that came to Canada in 1936 and came to settle in Blenheim shortly thereafter. She met her husband Karl, (known to many as Charlie) at a picnic that was held by the Slovak community in a bush outside Blenheim and six months later, on her birthday in 1949, they were married. Mary was a homemaker, mother and worked together side by side with her husband on their farm all her life. She loved to garden and the garden we had could have fed half of Blenheim. She cooked, pickled, canned and preserved everything from that garden. Anyone (family or friend) that visited our home or cottage never left hungry or thirsty. It was Mary`s wish that no visitation take place, but family and friends are welcomed to attend a Funeral Mass to celebrate her life at St. Mary’s Church, Blenheim on Saturday April 11, 2015 at 11:00 a.m. followed by interment in Evergreen Cemetery and a luncheon at St. Mary’s Hall. Blenheim Community Funeral Home has been entrusted with arrangements. Friends wishing to remember Mary with a Memorial Donation are asked to consider the Canadian Breast Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke or the Karl and Mary Pirhalla Family Burse through the Capuchins at St Mary’s Church. I would like to thank the staff at Blenheim Community Village, Dr. Perkin, and especially, Dr. Haddad for showing my mom such loving care during her stay.