Pearl (Olson) Karcha

The family of Pearl Mable Adeline Karcha, beloved wife of the Late John Karcha of Sturgis, announce her passing on Thursday, November 4, 2021. She was 98 years old.

The Funeral Service will be held Tuesday, November 9th at 2:00 p.m. at Grace United Church in Sturgis.

Pearl Mable Adeline Karcha was born June 1, 1923 during a thunderstorm in Sturgis Saskatchewan at the home of Mrs. Hollingsworth, a midwife. She was the sixth child born to Oscar and Winnifred (nee Wright) Olson. Pearl was raised on the mixed farm of her parents north of Sturgis and attended a rural school, Kopje, three and a half miles from the farm. She subsequently studied correspondence courses in order to obtain her grade twelve. She attended Normal School in Regina and taught for a short time at a rural school near Kisbey but returned home to the farm as her help was needed there. Pearl always wished that she had continued teaching but also expressed regret that she had never pursued nursing as that was a passion of hers.

Pearl grew up during the thirties, a time when money was scarce but the family never felt deprived as everyone was in the same situation. They raised their own beef, chickens, lamb, pork and a large garden so they never went without.  Grandpa Olson passed away in 1940 and the girls together with their Mother continued to maintain the farm. Their brother Stanley was not yet a teenager. The girls learned both inside and outside work . They farmed with horses and later tractors.

Pearl married John  (she always called him Johnnie) Karcha  October 25, 1948 at the United Church in Sturgis. They settled on a farm one-half mile north of Lady Lake where they lived until 2003 when Johnnie passed away and Pearl purchased a home in Sturgis. Life was hard on the farm, no power until the early 1960s and no water and sewer until 1970. Pearl not only ran her household but also helped with haying, running the binder and milking cows by hand. That generation was extremely tough and the women never received the credit and appreciation they deserved for their perseverance in not only raising children, but also the hard farm work, often staying up mending and canning  long after everyone else was in bed.

Johnnie and Pearl raised two sons on the farm, Wade born May 31, 1953 and Duane February 28, 1961. Pearl had her health challenges later in life, a bout with cancer when she was 88 and a hip replacement when she was 90. She recovered from these obstacles but could not beat the cruel and devastating, dignity robbing disease, Dementia. Pearl was able to live at home with her beloved "little girl" Susie until she was 92 at which time she moved to the Preeceville Personal Care Home. During her stay in Sturgis she enjoyed the friendship of her next door neighbors Liz  and Larry Surcon who did so much for her.  She looked forward to the many visits of her sister-in-law Anne and friend Dianne Law .

Pearl was a dedicated Toronto Blue Jays fan rarely missing a televised game and faithfully kept players' statistics. She looked forward to many bus trips with Wade and Judy to watch her favorite team play the Minnesota Twins. Mom and Dad went on many fishing trips,  camping trips and an Aaskan cruise with  either the Yaremchuks or Fagervolds . Mom also took a trip to Hawaii with the Ebels and a bus trip to Branson.

Pearl is predeceased by her husband of almost 55 years, John;  parents Oscar and Winnifred, little brothers Winford and James, four sisters and brothers-in-law, Nellie (Alvar) Christopherson, Myrtle (Jim) Yaremchuk, Lily (John) Hamilton, Emily (Rudy) Fagervold and brother Stanley Olson, brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law George (Lena) Karcha, Dmytro (Matt) (Bernice) Karcha, Gordon Karcha, Paul Karcha, Anne (Bill) Bilokrely, Tina (Joe) Romanchuk, Irene (August) Gogal and Ed Hertes.

She leaves to cherish her memory two sons, Wade (Judy) and Duane (Sharon); seven grandchildren, Carl (Melissa), Garrett (Kristin), Kurt (Michelle), Joel (Brittany), Ben (Emmarie), Nathan (Taylor) and Charity (Adam ). Six great- grandchildren Keegan,  Kamdyn,   Daniel , Eve, Luke, Abigail, a new arrival in November and two step great-grandchildren Madison and Jordan, sisters-in-law Anne Olson, Mary Hertes, Mary Karcha,  Rose Karcha and "my little girl" Susie.

Memorial donations in memory of Pearl can be made to the Sturgis READ Club as gifts of remembrance. 

Arrangements were entrusted to Preeceville Funeral Home, Ray Bailey, Funeral Director.