Marilyn Ann Chopiuk (nee Slobodian) of Melville passed away on Thursday, December 15, 2016 at the age of 63 years following a brief encounter with ALS that she faced with the same positive attitude, grace and dignity with which she lived her life.

Marilyn was born on September 24, 1953 to Michael and Olga (Pidskalny) Slobodian and was raised on the family farm in the Cudworth area. She graduated high school in 1972 and moved to Saskatoon, where she found employment at SaskTel, starting as a Directory Assistance Operator. She held this position for two years and then was promoted to the engineering department as the office manager for the next five years.

In the fall of 1979, Marilyn left the city life, and on November 10, 1979 became Mrs. David William Chopiuk. A year later, they built a new home, and for the next five years, Marilyn enjoyed the lifestyle as a farmer’s wife. Marilyn would plant, harvest and preserve the big garden, usually producing more than was required, but it allowed her to be very generous with her harvest. She was very active in the community, helping with 4H, curling, bowling and even joined the Ukrainian dance club. In the peak seasons on the farm, Marilyn would help David out in the field. She mentioned that David taught her how to drive the combine in the fall just before they were married, a kind of a test? She must have passed it or so it seemed, as it became her job to run the combine every harvest.

In the fall of 1985, Marilyn lost her husband in a fatal farming accident. She then chose to take a year off from farming to work at the Wakaw RCMP detachment as the office manager. In 1986 she went back to farming, overseeing the day-to-day operation. In the late 1990s, Marilyn chose to sell the farm, moved to Moose Jaw and entered into the career of retail. She was employed in a wide variety of businesses, from furniture to bridal and ladies fashion and jewellery, as well as at all levels, from sales clerk to office management and even marketing with the Moose Jaw Diamond Dogs. It was with the store Winners that she shone - with both her ability to organize and run an efficient and profitable department store along with her flare for fashion, she was promoted to management and became quite successful, receiving several awards.

In October 2007 Marilyn made another career change, moving to Melville and opening the city’s first Bed and Breakfast, Lotter’s Landing. With Marilyn’s tasteful decorating skills, the B&B became people’s home away from home. It was known that if you stayed at Lotter’s Landing, you entered as a guest but left as a family member. In 2010 Marilyn took a job opportunity with Saskatchewan Crop Insurance Corporation, and a few years later closed the B&B.

Marilyn was predeceased by her husband David, her father Michael and her nephew Cori Trischuk. She leaves to celebrate her life her dear friend, Dave Thomlinson, her mother Olga Slobodian, sisters Judy (Tracy) Trischuk and Joyce (Frank) Blush, brothers Edwin, Randy (Gale), Gerald (Corrine) and Brian (Donna), as well as numerous nieces and nephews. She was blessed to have in her life a cat named Missy and her newfound friend, a dog named William.

We will all miss our Marilyn; she was a woman with flare and finesse who could warm up a room with her smile, her style for fashion and her loving, caring personality. She will be missed. The following was an email sent in memory of Marilyn: A saying comes to mind when I think of working with her and being a friend. “Don’t be sad that it is over, be happy that it happened.” Yes, that would be something Marilyn would say.