Obituary of Aloyzia Valentine Atalick

Aloyzia Valentine Atalick (nee Cesar) died peacefully at Niagara Falls Hospital Sunday, April 30, 2023 six weeks before her 98^th birthday. Beloved wife of 58 years to the late Ernest Atalick.(2005). Predeceased by her parents, Mary and John Cesar, and her siblings, Ivan and Emily.

She will be sadly missed by her 4 children John (Earla Mae), Nick (Kelly), Loyz (Tony), and Ernie (Luba).  Grandmother to 13 grandchildren, Michael (Tamara), Stefan (Christina), Martin (Monica), Alexander (Claudia), Anthony, Yvon (Lisa), Nicholas (Dreanna), Robbie (Ralitsa), Lacy (Owain), Steven, Dahli, Alexandrea (Mike) and Johnny. Great-grandmother to 16 great-grandchildren, Mykyta, Adrian, Martin Jr., Vincent, Jacob, Dominic, Maxwell, Emylia, Lillianna, Stella, Jude, Ruth, Jonah, Thora and Remington.

She was born in Radovica, Slovenia on June 13, 1925, and came to Canada in 1935 with her mother and siblings settling initially in Schumacher, Ontario where her father who had arrived a couple of years prior was employed in the gold mining industry. In the early 40s her family moved to the St. Catharines area where her father took up farming on several acres just west of the town at Ninth Street Louth.

During WWII she worked at the former Thompson Products assembling artillery shells as did many other young women of that era. Soon after the war she met and married her husband Ernest in 1947 and they started a bakery in Welland which later became Homestead Donuts, a well-known landmark on St.Paul Street for many years. Aloyzia helped with the 5-plex rental building they bought on St. Patrick Street where they also lived for many years until they purchased a home on Scott Street in about 1958. There she planted a garden that covered more than an acre including a strawberry patch with a gaggle of geese. The geese failed to perform adequately and were eventually deported to Bowmanville where they became the centrepiece of several dinners for the Hanc family. Later she became a real estate agent and loved the work. She seemed to have a knack for envisioning the value of various properties that would later become valuable development opportunities for their purchasers. She designed the house that was built in west St. Catharines where the family lived from 1969.

In 2018 she became a resident at Extendicare. With the onset of the pandemic, she returned to her home. In November 2022 she moved to Oakwood retirement home in Nagara Falls. She loved her Slovenian heritage and Slovenian music and was a long-time member of Lipa Park. She taught all her grandchildren how to make homemade noodles which are a key ingredient in Slovenian style soup. Not surprisingly, her soups are legendary and always well received and her grandchildren all share fond memories of breakfasts with endless servings of “palachinke” (Slovenian style crepes) dressed with all their favourite toppings. Those in her immediate family knew her as a devoted and considerate wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother and an active and energetic participant in advancing practical family interests particularly where real estate was involved. She was equally known for hard work, drive, and discipline and instilled these values in all her children and, indeed, her whole family. Although she has passed her influence on the three generations of family members will go on.  In more recent years Aloyzia’s connection with her cats was stronger and she was able to communicate with them in unspoken ways which was amazing to see.

Friends are invited to join the family for visitation at Tallman Funeral Home (3277 King Street, Vineland) Thursday May 4, 6 to 8 p.m. and Friday May 5, 10 a.m. to 11 followed by a Funeral Service.  Interment to follow at Victoria Lawn Cemetery. In memory of Aloyzia, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice Niagara or to Lincoln County Humane Society.