A Century of Life

Avonlea, SK - Avonlea's Veronica Schikowsky recently celebrated a milestone in her life. On July 1st she turned 100 years old. A celebration was held at Coteau Range Manor on Saturday, June 28th where several family members, friends and fellow residents gathered to celebrate. Five of her six children were present, as well as one of her sisters, several grandchildren, great-grandchildren and nieces and nephews. One of her grandsons and his wife came all the way from the Philippines for the special occasion.

"It was just so overwhelming," said Veronica of the party. "It was packed! It turned out so well, a beautiful party." She was presented with many gifts including a centennial rosebush, a hand made quilt and a shawl from India. Her son Toney and some of her grandchildren performed songs, including one they'd written just for the occasion.

Veronica was born July 1, 1908 on a farm 2 1/2 miles southwest of Claybank, at the foot of the hills, to to Markus and Enerentanna (Ana) Bornowsky, who had immigrated to Saskatchewan from southern Ukraine in 1906 when they were only 18 and 16 years old. They settled in the Claybank area where they homesteaded and began farming.

Veronica grew up speaking German and didn't learn English until she started school at the age of 6. She was the eldest of twelve children, so much of her childhood was spent helping her mother in the house and her father out on the farm. Her chores included milking cows, slopping pigs, tending chickens, baking bread, helping care for her younger siblings, and looking after the huge garden.

Veronica's memories have not faded with time. "I still remember when I was five years old," said Veronica.

There wasn't a lot of time for recreation in those days - running a farm was a lot of work, but there were still ways to have fun while doing chores. "One thing I'll always cherish," remembers Veronica, "was when I was eight years old, my dad brought me home a pony. I spent all my time on horseback." She got up early in the mornings to bring the horses home from the pasture where they spent the night, and then took them back in the evenings. "I was on that pony day in and day out," she said.

After finishing Grade 10 at Claybank, Veronica went to school for a few years in Gravelbourg at the convent there. When she was eighteen she married Peter Schikowsky who had come to Avonlea from the Humboldt region. The two bought a farm together which Veronica still owns to this day.

They had to start from scratch, breaking land with horses, and in their first year, 1928, Veronica remembers that they had a beautiful crop. Veronica and Peter were only married a couple of years when the Great Depression took hold. She remembers the bad dust storms and having to hang cloths on the windows and stuff the sills with rags to keep the choking dust out of the house.

Despite the hardships of the "Dirty Thirties," the couple managed to get through. They were thankful that they always had enough to eat. "I felt sorry for the people in town," she said. "They had a hard time. Out on the farm we had cows, chickens, pigs, big gardens. All we had to buy was sugar."

Together the couple raised six children: Loretta, Bert, Bernard, Toney, Louis and Janette. The kids all grew up helping around the farm, and four of them attended high school at the Athol College of Notre Dame in Wilcox. All six children are still living today, and her son Bert farms at Avonlea in the summer, making his home in Regina in the winter.

Her husband, Pete, died in 1960. Veronica continued to farm, eventually joining forces with her nephew Jake.

In the 1970s Veronica decided she wanted to see the world, and she embarked on several tours, eventually totalling five which took her to: Spain, Portugal, Italy, Greece, England, Ireland, Israel, Brazil, Argentina, Peru, Mexico and eastern Canada.

Throughout her long life, Veronica has enjoyed reading, crocheting, gardening, and travelling, but more than anything else, Veronica loves her farm. She farmed nearly her entire life, and up until a few months ago she lived out at her farm part of the time. She has also demonstrated a strong faith throughout her life, and has been member of St. Joseph's Parish in Claybank her entire life. She never missed a mass if she could help it.

She hurt her hip during a fall a few months ago which forced her to live in a care home. She enjoys it at Coteau Range Manor, but she misses being out on the farm. Whenever family members come out to visit, she likes to go out there and stay a night or two.

The world has changed a lot during Veronica's lifetime, and she's not certain it's for the better. "It's not a happy world," she said. "Everyone is so discontented. Everything moves too fast." She also notes that social behaviour has changed. "When I was young, we seemed to listen better than kids do now. We did as we were told. And kids now aren't as polite as they used to be."

Veronica is still enjoying good health. She uses a wheelchair to get around, but she is not lacking in energy. "I eat well and I sleep well," she says.

When asked what the secret to her long life is, Veronica answered, "A lot of prayer and hard work."

"God's been good to me. I've had a good life with a lot of friends. A lot of friends," she says.

Veronica has lived a remarkable life, and has a wonderful personality. After a century of living, Veronica still has plenty of life left.