Obituary of May Wasalena Koziel

May 24, 1936 - Two Hills, Alberta

August 15, 2024 - Calgary, Alberta

May Koziel, 88, passed away peacefully from complications due to Covid, and frailty on Thursday, August 15, 2024, in Calgary, AB.  She was born Wasalena May Boyda, the middle child of Katie and William on a farm in May of 1936 near Two Hills, AB. 

May shared fond memories of farm life with stories of her favourite cow (who she insists was pink), and sleigh rides to school (she didn’t have to walk very often). May liked school and excelled at it, deciding to earn a teaching certificate and then her Bachelor of Education from the University of Alberta in 1958.

May worked as a teacher in Two Hills, Camrose, Lethbridge, and finally Calgary, where she taught at Queen Elizabeth School. She was interested in the cutting-edge of note taking technology, and often was found fixing the mimeograph machine, because she believed her exceptionally clear handwriting to be “poor”. 

In 1969, she decided to buy a house, despite the advice of bank managers to “get a husband to buy you one”, she found one who gave her a mortgage. She didn’t live in her hard-won house long, because she met Ted Koziel to whom she married in 1970.

May stopped teaching as a paid position when her first daughter, Susan was born, and once Rosemary arrived and became more independent, she spent a lot of time volunteering as a leader in Girl Guides and was pivotal in keeping Glendale elementary school from closing. For years she could be found in the halls and back rooms of Glendale helping wherever she was asked, which also included at first fixing the mimeograph, and then later teaching the staff how to use and fill the new xerox machine.

May continued with Guiding in various capacities including district commissioner even after both her girls left the organization. She volunteered teaching English to new immigrants and enjoyed traveling cross-country with friends, visiting all the small towns to expand their pin collection. In later years she could be found hanging out with neighbours getting up to various shenanigans, helping Ted maintain bluebird boxes, and was active in numerous local political campaigns. She was well known to be the main supplier of homemade cookies for many NDP meetings. 

In 2011 her grandson, Newton, was born, and she couldn’t have been happier to gain the roll of grandparent.  When she was asked HOW she managed to get an inconsolable bottle-refusing 2-month-old to take a bottle, she said “I just loved him”. 

May will be remembered by her friends and family for her heavy preference for turkey at holiday gatherings; her consistent requirement that everyone be fed and supplied with tea, and her gifts of sauerkraut.

She is survived by her husband, Ted, her daughters Susan and Rosemary, and her grandchild, Newton.

An informal Celebration of May’s life will be held at North Glenmore Park, Snowy Owl Picnic Site (7305 Crowchild Trail SW, Calgary, AB) on Monday, August 19, 2024, from 5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Graveside Service will be held at Prairie Sky Cemetery (12800 100 St SE, Calgary, AB) on Tuesday, August 20, 2024 at 10:00 a.m.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to Doctors Without Borders, 720 Spandina Avenue, Suite 402, Toronto, ON M5S 2T9 Telephone: 1-800-982-7903, www.msf.ca

Condolences, memories, and photos may be shared and viewed with May’s family here.

In living memory of May Koziel, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.