Obituary of VALERIE MALAZDREWICZ

VALERIE MALAZDREWICZ On October 26, 2012, surrounded by family, Valerie Malazdrewicz passed away peacefully in Ottawa, Ontario, after a long, tenacious battle against breast cancer.She maintained her fierce independence, dignity and will to live, right up to the very end. For nearly 15 years, Valerie fought her disease, undertaking each treatment phase with unflagging courage and determination. During her illness, she also volunteered for numerous research studies aimed at finding new treatments for breast cancer. Pre-deceased by her father, Anthony Malazdrewicz, Valerie is survived by her mother, Frances; sister, Lois; brothers, Chris, Glenn and Andrew; sisters-in-law Christine, Ronda and Shirley; 10 nieces and nephews, plus one brand-new grand-nephew. Valerie is also survived by a host of family and close friends right across the country, particularly, the "Winnipeg Girls": Bev, Marie, Desiree, Maureen and Lorraine. She will be sadly missed by all.A Manitoba native, Valerie was born in Winnipeg on March 1st, 1957, and raised in Woodridge, Ochre River and Brandon. She was the second eldest of 5 children, and the oldest girl in the family. She pursued a career in Dental Health within the Manitoba Provincial and Canadian Federal Governments. Throughout that career, she was an integral member of the teams that serve Canada's First Nations communities. She worked with dedication, passion and integrity, and her efforts helped improve the quality of life for thousands of people. She was also very active in many professional organizations related to Dental Health Sciences. Val had many other passions as well, including: travel, home decoration, curling, crocheting and – of course – talking about politics. But ahead of everything else, was the deep, unconditional love she had for her family and friends. That love and energy endures and continues to inspire those who were fortunate enough to feel its warmth. Cremation will be followed by memorial service in Ottawa at the Garden Chapel of Tubman Funeral Homes, 3440 Richmond Rd. (between Bayshore and Baseline Rd.) Nepean on Saturday, November 3, 2012 at 2 p.m. followed by a reception and in Winnipeg at a later date. Valerie’s ashes will be interred in private ceremonies in both Ottawa and Brandon. The family would like to thank all the Ottawa health care professionals who, over the years, helped Valerie in her fight against breast cancer. Special thanks go out to the nurses and doctors at the Queensway Carleton Hospital, who helped bring peace to her final days. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that - in Valerie's memory - donations be made to the breast cancer research foundation of your choice. Cremation has taken place. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, November 24 at 1:00 p.m. in the Cropo Funeral Chapel, 1442 Main Street. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that, in Valerie's memory, donations be made to the breast cancer research foundation of your choice. A complete obituary may be seen at www.cropo.com.