Lois Romanchuk

Margaret (Lois) Romanchuk, 85, died on Saturday, December 17, 2011 at Peace Hospice as a result of a stroke. Her vigil service will be at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Tuesday, December 20, 2011 at 7:00 p.m. The funeral liturgy will be held at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Wednesday, December 21, 2011 at 10:00 a.m., with inurnment to follow in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Schnider Funeral Home is handling arrangements.Lois was originally from Sand Coulee and graduated from Centerville High School where she was an excellent student and a star basketball player. During her life in Sand Coulee, Lois was constantly called upon to provide numerous, beautifully decorated cakes for various occasions including weddings, birthdays and cursillos. Her delicious pastries and particularly her lemon meringue pies were always in demand. Most of these were always presented to the recipient as a gift without any charge.After graduating from high school Lois worked as a clerk at a retail store for about a year and then began working for the Great Falls Tribune as a book binder which she worked at for over 30 years. She then worked as office manager for Artcraft Printers after they purchased the Tribunes printing business until she retired after more than 40 years in the business. She was a member of the Graphic Printers Union for all of her career in the printing business.Lois never married and was extremely devoted to all the members of her family; especially her numerous nieces and nephews whom she treated as her own children. She was also devoted to her many friends and neighbors who also benefited from her loving generosity and kindness to all she met. She always unhesitatingly made herself available to assist any of them whenever the need arose despite extensive sacrifices on her part at times to accomplish whatever the task.For many years Lois lived with her parents in the family home in Sand Coulee and cared for them through all of their problems and ill health. After her father died she continued to care for Mom until, due to extreme health problems, her Mom had to be placed in a nursing home in Great Falls. Lois was still working, but always took the time to visit with Mom and spent many lunch hours and evenings before going home to Sand Coulee. Very frequently, Mom would give Lois a list of goodies to make, bake or pick up at the store to bring to the nursing home so Mom could share them with the other residents and care givers; sometimes even as rewards or bribes such as giving gum to one resident if Mom thought she was singing too much as she couldnt chew gum and sing at the same time. Without fail or any complaint, Lois would always supply Mom with her goodies the next day during her visit. Needless to say, Mom was always treated with extra special care and love due to Loiss generosity of supplies.In 1994, Lois moved to Great Falls to help take care of her sister Evie and in 1995 Julie retired and moved to Great Falls to live with her sisters.Lois was a devout Catholic who devoted countless hours of her time to support her church. She served in several ministries for the church throughout the years, such as Sacristan at Holy Spirit Church, Holy Family Church and previously in Sand Coulee; also at two of the local nursing homes for their church services. She has also served as Lector, Eucharistic Minister, Greeter, office help, flower arranger, altar society member, church dinners and so many more whenever she was needed. She taught CCD for many years at the church in Centerville and also supplied all the decorations for the senior graduation dinners at the church in Centerville until she was no longer able to do the work. She devoted many hours washing and ironing altar linens at Centerville and also here at Holy Family Church as well as the three nursing homes. She was an extremely active and faithful participant on the church prayer chain for Holy Spirit Church, spending many hours praying for the needs of others who had expressed their need for payer.Loiss whole life was dominated by self sacrifice and devotion to God and satisfying the needs of others without any hesitations. If God was recruiting another angel, he certainly found a supreme one in Lois for she certainly fulfilled all the requirements necessary. Rest in Gods peace, Lois until we meet again and thank you for the time God gave you to us. We will always remember you with love and gratitude.Lois is survived by her sister Julie Witham of Great Falls; three brothers Tom, Mick and his wife Ty all of Great Falls and Pete Romanchuk of Aurora, CO.Lois was preceded in death by her parents, Pete and Margaret (Reet) Romanchuk; two brothers, Jack (Jake) and his wife Alice, Jerry and his wife Marti; one sister Evie and her husband Johnie Broquist; two infant brothers Nicholas and Donald; sister-in-laws Dorothy and Millie Romanchuk; nephews James and Michael Romanchuk; and very close cousins Kathleen Cosgriff and Fran Zipperian.Donations are suggested in Loiss name to the Columbarium Fund at Holy Spirit Church, 201 44th St S, Great Falls, MT 59405.