Obituary of Constance Gherasim

Just like everyone Connee had good and bad times in her 91 years of life!  She was born at a time of great change from horse and buggy to cell phones and space travel!

Our family came from Romania, the Dumba’s in 1901 and the Gherasim’s in 1903.  Both families settled in the Dysart area and began farming.  As a note of history, great-grandfather Dumba and his two sons, Constantine and Vasil, helped to build the original St. Nicholas Church, which is the oldest Romanian Orthodox Church in North America, still in service today.  They were married in St. Nicholas in February 1904, then helped to build St. George Church in Dysart in 1906.

Our parents first child, Mary passed away at 6 months old.  In 1930, Constance was born, then came Elena (Elaine), Edward, Margarita, Marilyn, Melinda and Neil.   After service in the Canadian Army, Dad built a garage back in Dysart, where Connee finished her schooling.

Her first job in Regina was Simpson’s Mail Order department on Broad Street.  The next job was with Minneapolis-Moline farm machinery company.   Connee was married in 1951 and divorced 17 years later.   In 1952, she moved to Lipton where Dad owned a hotel.  Connee ran the restaurant there, but in 1954 moved back to Regina and worked in accounting at the Leader Post and CKCK Radio.

Over the years, she worked at an auto dealership in Saskatoon, then started her own business, The Yarn Shop which she had there, and later in Vancouver on Robson Street.  After selling that business, she worked at ICBC in Vancouver as Supervisor of Revenue Accounting for 10 years.

In 1983, Connee moved back to Regina, and started a salt company, and later an inflatable cushion company which she owned for 13 years.  She then worked for her brother Ed at his Dental Clinic on Pasqua Street until she retired at age 79.

Over the years, she was active in St. George Church as Secretary for five years with Father Dan Suciu, Council presidents and cooks like Mary Gettle, Mary Banda, Mary Moldovan and her friend Kae Banda.  She said they were the best years of her life. 

Connee had 13 nieces and nephews, scattered all over the world; 22 great-nieces and nephews and 16 Godchildren, the first being Donna Davies, when she was 16 years old.

Connee considered herself very blessed through good times and bad times because of her Faith in the Lord.

A private funeral service will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, January 8, 2021.   Connee will be laid to rest in Dysart, SK.   The funeral will be livestreamed, please join us at:  https://youtu.be/m99eW1Yvad0.