Rose Josephine Konjolka

Rose Josephine Lutzko was born Oct 8, 1924, on the farm in Goodeve.  Rosie attended school up to Grade 6 at the Robert School, south of Goodeve.

When Rosie turned 16, she left school and went to work in Melville. In Rosie’s words: “I went to Melville to get a tooth pulled, by jumping in the Cream Truck that was going to Melville. I ended up staying there with my cousin Mary and got a job at the White Lunch Café.”  I worked there for the Winter.  The following summer she went to work for Sheldon Ward Farms near Lemberg, SK.  She worked there for 3 months, earned about $45.00 and bought many nice items of clothing for herself. After that, she came home and helped her Mom and Dad on the farm.

Now Rosie was about 21 years old and thinking of her future as a wife and mother, but her criteria for a perfect husband was to marry a man who was Catholic, Polish, tall, dark, and handsome.

She knew of the “Penpal” section in the “Western Producer” newspaper.  So, as she was reading through the list of names, she found someone there that she may be interested in. His name was Joseph Peter Konjolka and in his write-up, he said he was Polish and Catholic, so two out of the five criteria had been met. 

This man piqued her interest and so she started writing to him.   Soon after, he wrote back.

In the Spring of 1945, Joseph drove up in his 1935 Ford Car to meet up with Rosie for the first time.  When she first set eyes on him, he was “Absolutely” tall, dark, and handsome!  However, he had a “Brush Cut” hair style – which she did not like – and baggy pants – which she did not like.  Their first date went well.  So, when he returned for a second time; to her delight his hair was longer, and his pants were tighter.  They kept on writing to one another as they lived quite far from one another. 

The relationship grew to the point where Joseph proposed to her, BY MAIL, and sent the engagement ring BY MAIL!!  And Rosie said “Yes”, BY MAIL…. the wedding day was set for October 28, 1947.

The night before the wedding, Rosie had her hair tied with rags to hopefully make some nice waves in her hair for her wedding day.  Well that just made her hair so fluffy that she just wet her hair again and proceeded to make her own “waves” in her hair.  Her hair was beautiful for her wedding day, as you can see in her wedding pictures.

They were married on Tuesday, October 28, 1947, in Goodeve. Their first winter of marriage they stayed in Winnipeg with relatives to search for employment but decided to come back home.  They lived with Joseph’s mother while their house was being built.

They had 4 children: Allan, Lorraine, Barb and Theresa, and continued farming until Joseph’s passing in 1984. Rose then moved to Invermay in 1985 where she lived for many years before moving to Sturgis then the Preeceville Nursing Home.

Rose was predeceased by her husband Joe, her parents Pearl and John Lutzko, her brothers Henry, Joe (Elsie), Nick (Sophie), Allan (Mary), and Eddie, and brother-in-law Joseph Schinborn.

She is survived by her sister Pauline Schinborn, and sister-in-law Julie Lutzko.

Her four children and their families, Allan (Faye), Dawn; Kimberley (Don Chisholm), Hayden, Taylor and Lita; Christine (Ian Loverick) William, Wyatt and Ryan; Krystal (Jeff Hrabia); Kelsey (Jim); Morgan (Ron) Jayde, Ajax.

Lorraine (Curtis Strijak) Dallas Dareichuk (Karla) Gracie, Paxton, Max; Brandy (Rob McKeen); Amanda (Darren Zuravloff) Dawson and Bailee.

Barb (Chris Barteski) Lindsay (Jeff Rock); Meagan (Geoff Stringfellow) Luke and Katy; Samantha (Tyler Gorrell) Blake, Beckham, Rory, and Sawyer.

Theresa (Garry Gray) Jeremy and Paislee, Josh (Kayla); Owen, Scarlett, and Aria.

And many nieces, nephews, and numerous friends whom she loved and welcomed with open arms into her home.  She also kept in contact with her flower girl, Virgie.

Memorials in memory of Rose Konjolka may be made to St. Andrew Babola Roman Catholic Cemetery Fund as gifts of remembrance.