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Olga Ploen
June 12, 1924 - December 7, 2015
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<div itemprop="description">Olga died peacefully at the Joseph Brant Hospital, Burlington on Monday December 7, 2015. <br /> <br />Olga's parents were Ukrainian and emigrated to Canada to find freedom, economic opportunities and a better life. Although they all eventually identified as Ukrainian, there were over 200,000 people from many eastern European cultures who emigrated to Canada and settled in the prairies in the early 1900s. Her father Nikola Hodnik first arrived in 1909 and was able to gain employment on the railroad in Saskatchewan. During the Great War of 1914-18, having returned to Canada a second time to settle permanently, his wife, Anna (Olga&rsquo;s mother) still back in the Ukraine, was rounded up by the Russians and interred for years in a forced labour camp in Siberia. She eventually made her way to Canada in 1922 to join her husband, following eight years of separation. <br /> <br />Olga and her two brothers were born in quick succession in Saskatchewan. Olga was born 1924 in Delisle in a C.N.R. section house, with her mother&rsquo;s friend acting as a midwife. She met her husband Bill Ploen in 1944, at an airforce training base dance in Saskatoon. He was the one with the Norwegian flag sewn onto the shoulder of his uniform, which impressed her greatly. She also found him to be an excellent dancer so they married in 1945. I&rsquo;m not kidding...this was what she said! Bill died in 1986. They had three children-Terry (Linda), Rick (Pat), Nancy (Bill Ecclestone) and six grandchildren-Eric, Jeff, Bryan, Tanya, Dale and Amy. Burlington has been her home for fifty-seven years. <br /> <br /> Olga enjoyed her neighbours, especially the Rummoli group who met regularly. She held a life long interest in the weather, recording the temperature every day on her kitchen calendar. Terry has a funny memory of receiving letters from his mom at university and each one would begin with a weather report. Being Terry, he would read them aloud to his room mates and they always had a good laugh. Studying ceased when a letter arrived from Olga. She was a precursor to the weather channel. <br /> <br />On one of his visits to his mom in hospital this week, one son mentioned that he needed to finish tidying the gardens for winter. He wasn&rsquo;t sure if she heard him but suddenly without opening her eyes, she said, &ldquo;No rest for the wicked.&quot; <br /> <br /> While in hospital last week, we put lipstick on her which was always such a fixture with her. And combed her hair. Another priority. She appreciated the primping. She was able to read aloud a Christmas card that we gave her which said, &ldquo;You have given us many wonderful memories.&rdquo; <br /> <br />The family will have a visitation to celebrate her life through Dodsworth and Brown Funeral Home, 2241 New Street, Burlington, on Saturday December 12, from 2-4 pm. We respectfully decline floral arrangements but if you wish, a donation to your choice of charity would be a lovely way to recognize Olga and her long life with many rewards. On line condolences may be made at www.dbburlington.ca <br /> <br /> <br /> <br /></div>