Sharon Prpick
Social convener, story-teller, charmer, networker, best friend, sister, aunt, mother and grandmother, former Kenaston-area woman Sharon Prpick has died. Sharon passed away in Medicine Hat, Alta., on December 16, 2016. She was 85 years old.
Sharon was born in Regina on the eve of Autumn Equinox in 1931 to Mary Isobel (Holmes) Scarfe and George William Scarfe.
There was a clear inter-generational transfer of personal qualities, like incredible charm and friendliness from mother-to-daughter. Although Belle, as everyone called her mother, seemed closer to her ethnic roots because she was blessed with even more Irish blarney. You wouldn’t know it to look at Sharon, though. The bright red hair that she kept all her life made her look much like a typical resident of the Emerald Isle.
Sharon was the only girl in a family that included three brainy, bold boys: Jack, Albert and Jimmy. She more than held her own among all these strong personalities growing up and gave as good as she got. Family arguments were loud, passionate and loving, and Sharon’s voice was definitely heard above the din.
When she finished school and joined the corporate world in the mid ‘50s — not a common choice for young women in this period — she made her mark in rapidly expanding SaskPower as it scrambled to implement what Tommy Douglas said was his proudest accomplishment — better even than Medicare — electrifying rural Saskatchewan. Sharon’s job was to estimate the number of power poles and miles of power line to complete specific projects, a job she did with excellence and precision. She left the company to marry in the late ‘50s. The man she trained to replace her eventually ran SaskPower (she was kidded later that she should have stuck around!).
Her life became richer, more interesting and rewarding when she met a handsome, Bladworth-area farm boy, Joe Prpick. Over the course of their life on the farm, situated between Kenaston and Bladworth, Joe and Sharon raised enough food to feed hundreds of thousands of people and, oh yes, four kids, too; Danica, Paula, Luke and Sean. None of those kids remained on the farm, but struck out on their own to lead fulfilling lives with the loving support of Sharon and Joe.
During her life, no one crossed Sharon’s threshold without being fed or entertained, no baby left without being rocked and cuddled, and no life was left unchanged by her goodness and warmth.
Sharon lived well and despite her increasing infirmities in old age she never missed a chance for fun. Just days before she died, she went gambling and was up $84 at the Medicine Hat Casino before she left us. We should all be so lucky! In fact, anyone who met her was genuinely lucky and probably counted her as a friend by the end of their first meeting.
Sharon was predeceased by her parents “Scarfe” and “Belle”, husband Joe, infant son Matthew and her brothers Jack and Albert. She is survived by her children, brother Jimmy, grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and a huge cast of friends too numerous to mention.
A celebration of her life was held at Christ the King Catholic Church in Regina on Friday, December 30, 2016. A burial service will be held at the Kenaston Cemetery come spring.
In closing, in memory of Sharon, please consider donating to either of her favourite charities: Autism Canada (which you can find online at AutisimCanada.org), or to St. Andrew’s Catholic Church Cemetery Fund in Kenaston. Email etowen@sasktel.net for details on the cemetery fund.