Sister Valerie Sophie Krochenski, SSMI

1927-2023

Sister Valerie Krochenski passed to her eternal reward on May 22, 2023, at Mary Immaculate Health Care Centre in Mundare, AB, at 95 years of age and 76 years in religious life. She was a woman of deep faith and love for the Lord, very compassionate, had a great sense of humour and common sense, and not afraid to stand up for her principles.

Sophie Krochenski was born in Kindersley, Saskatchewan, on July 17, 1927, the youngest of eight children of Ignatius Krochenski and Natalia Mady (Madaj). She completed her Grade 12 standing in Kindersley in 1946. Following her graduation, she enrolled and began a year of business college in Saskatoon, where she lived at the student residence owned and run by the Sisters Servants of Mary Immaculate. In coming to know the Sisters and observing their dedication and way of life, she experienced the call of the Lord to become an SSMI and applied to enter their Community. She was accepted, and arrived at their novitiate in Ancaster, ON, on March 21, 1947; she received her habit on September 22 of that year, taking the religious name, Sister Valerie. She pronounced her first profession of vows on September 24, 1949, and final profession of vows on August 15, 1956.

Following the completion of her Novitiate, Sister Valerie attended Normal School (Teacher Training) in Hamilton, ON, and soon after, began a life-long teaching career. She taught grade 1 in Detroit, Michigan, and later, kindergarten in Toronto. In 1952, she was transferred to Edmonton, where she taught grades 5 and 6 for eight years while also taking summer courses at the University of Alberta. After only four years of teaching, she was already receiving glowing reports from the Department of Education. A concluding statement from a detailed report on her class reads:

“Her rapport with the class and her understanding of their needs are of a high order. The students are progressing very well, and Sister Valerie has developed their ability to use materials, accept responsibility and conduct themselves acceptable in the classroom very successfully.”

To this day, many of these students still have fond memories of her.

During the 1959-60 school year Sister Valerie had the opportunity to study full time at the University of Saskatchewan in Saskatoon, receiving her Standard Certificate in Teaching. She then resumed teaching but now at the high school level at Sacred Heart Academy, later re-named Sacred Heart High School, which was owned and operated by the SSMI, in Yorkton, SK. She continued through summer courses to complete her Bachelor of Education in 1964, from the University of SK.

Sr. Valerie spent the rest of her teaching career at Sacred Heart. Her rapport with her students continued to be exceptional. Her lessons were engaging and challenging, and always brought out the best in her students. Her preferred courses were Biology, History and Christian Ethics. Today, although the Sisters no longer operate Sacred Heart High School, there is an annual award in Sister Valerie’s name given for proficiency in Biology.

But it was in the extracurricular activities that she was involved in, particularly the musicals, where she was best able to bring out the gifts and talents of her students. She was the director and acting coach of many musicalssuch as The King and I, The Sound of Music, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, to name only a few.

Following her retirement, (after 32 years of teaching), she maintained many close and dear friendships with her students and with the staff with whom she had worked. She was known for the love she showed to those whom and with whom she taught, and for her good common sense. At her retirement, a staff member spoke these words: “[W]e will remember you always, for your dedication to your students and profession, for your optimism in difficult times, for your rational thinking and opinions in times of controversy … for your devotion to the true purpose of a Catholic school, for your skill at immobilizing a frog for the purposes of dissection, and for your conviction that, despite radical obstacles, the multitude of Christ’s followers will never diminish.”

Sr. Valerie also served her Community in several leadership positions. She served as Superior in Edmonton, Yorkton, Toronto, Saskatoon, Ancaster and Mundare; as Provincial Secretary, Provincial Councillor and Vice-Provincial Superior on the Administrative team of the Congregation. She was a moderator of the SSMI Associates in Saskatoon, and worked at the Ukrainian Catholic Religious Education Centres in Saskatoon and Winnipeg. In Ancaster, she was administrator of Mount Mary Retreat Centre, and was able to offer spiritual direction on request as well.

Family was very important to Sister Valerie, and her vacation time was often spent with them. In the earlier years, she visited with her parents in Kindersley, SK, until they passed on. on, and later, with her siblings and in-laws, in Kindersley, and in British Columbia, Alberta and Arizona. But she would also enjoy relaxing times with her SSMI family, in various parts of Canada and the United States. She also enjoyed visiting Europe and later, Ukraine, with her family.

Underlying all her activities as a deep sense of her call by the Lord to the consecrated life and it grounded her journey through life. She participated in the 30-day silent Ignatian retreat in Guelph, ON, in 1970 and every year thereafter made an annual 8-day silent retreat. She spent a year of studies at Gonzaga University in Spokane, WA, and a memorable 10 months of studies in the Holy Land. All these experiences, she applied to her personal and communal life.

These last number of years have been difficult ones on her journey of life. But her time of trial and suffering is now over. She would, no doubt, joyfully recite these words from the psalms:

“Awake, awake, my soul, my heart is ready, O God, my heart is ready. I will sing and make music to your glory.”

Sister Valerie was predeceased by her parents, sisters Helen Kuz, Mary Grocholski and Ann Mazzei, and brothers Paul, Peter, Stanley and Walter and their spouses. She is survived by many nieces and nephews with their families, and the Sisters in the SSMI Congregation.

May her memory be eternal. Вічная Пам’ять!