Obituaries & Tributes

Mary Wytoski: June 5, 1929 – April 4, 2021

On April 4, 2021, a beautiful Easter Sunday, Mary Wytoski, after 91 well-lived years, passed away peacefully, surrounded by the love of her family and friends. She will be greatly missed.

Mary was born on June 5, 1929 to Anany and Magdeline Kapustinsky on their 160-acre homestead in the rural district of Strong Pine, Saskatchewan, Canada. Mary learned the value of working hard and working smart while tending to routine farm chores and fields of wheat, barley and oats alongside the family’s team of horses. 

She learned English at a local schoolhouse as well as Ukrainian and Russian at the small country church built by her father and grandfather. As a young adult, Mary drove a two-ton flatbed truck and tried her hand at logging in bear and moose territory in the forests of Saskatchewan.

Mary married John Wytoski in 1951 and started a family shortly thereafter. Mary joined her husband in local mission work, gathering with people in homes, campsites and open fields. With a portable generator, a 16mm projector named “Miracle” and a large screen, the message of God’s love was shared.

In 1963, a moderate climate and better working conditions pulled the family to the Willamette Valley and they settled in Springfield, Ore. Trinity Baptist Church became the extended family and provided many years of wonderful adventures. In her spare time, Mary enjoyed gardening, flowers, canning, sewing, embroidery, baking, walking on the beach, going to church and family campouts, and reading her Bible and Sunday School lessons. Her passion has always been working with children, raising her family, teaching in Sunday and Bible School, and enjoying other activities with youth but especially her role as a mother, aunt and grandmother.

Mary is preceded in death by her parents of Saskatchewan, husband John of Springfield, younger brother Mathew of Saskatchewan, two infant siblings of Saskatchewan, and youngest daughter, Donna of Springfield. She is survived by her son, George (Robin) of Springfield, son Gordan (Norma) of Salem, and daughter Carol (Jim) of Salem. She is also survived by her legacy of 14 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at Trinity Baptist Church, Springfield, on May 22 at 1 p.m.

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