Obituary of Bettie Faye Ogryzlo

Bettie Faye Ogryzlo "A Pioneer Woman" "Faye" passed away peacefully this Monday May 27th just before her 101st birthday after a very short illness. She had been residing at The Donway retirement Home in Don Mills. Faye was born in Pomona Missouri on June 18th. 1912. Her mother was Estelle Myrtle Stepp and her father was Charles Wesley Brooner, (whose mother was Martha McCoy and father was Henry Brooner who was a childhood friend of Abraham Lincoln in Illinois).Faye was pre-deceased by brothers, Carl and Bill. Faye was a telephone operator and a public school teacher for several years, but always exhibited an adventurous pioneering spirit, and at the age of 23 she and a girlfriend drove the twenty three hundred kilometers from her Missouri home to the far Northern gold mining Town of Kirkland Lake. There she met, fell in love with, and shortly thereafter, on December 31 St., 1935, married her lifelong partner, and future Canadian Mining Hall of fame husband, Dr. Stephen Peter Ogryzlo (Steve). Together they lived on the Toburn property of ASARCO Mining, (formerly Sir Harry Oakes property) and established themselves as fixtures in the Northern Ontario mining society, raising three children, and being deeply involved in the community. Faye was a very active person who loved the outdoors, including hiking, fishing, and hunting. She was an avid swimmer and walker well into her mid 90's, loved to cook, and became a qualified ambulance driver during the World War Two. She thought nothing of driving thousands of kilometers to take her children on family visits to Missouri, or holidays to Florida. Later, Faye also doted on her grandchildren and great grandchildren and often took them on exciting trips. In 1953, Faye followed Steve to the asbestos mining area of the Eastern Townships of Quebec, settling in Thedford Mines in 1954 where Steve was developing and managing the "Lake Asbestos" property of ASARCO Mining at Black Lake. In 1957 Steve went to work for Patino Mining and they moved to Toronto where they again became fixtures in the Mining Community, with Faye being active in the American Woman's Club (from 1958), The Woman's Association of the Mining Industry of Canada, and The Engineers Club of Toronto. She also was a member of the "21" group of St John's Anglican church, a member for over 50 Years of The Old Yonge Estates Group (supporting many Toronto causes and charities), volunteered at the Toronto Rehabilitation Center for 20 years, and was a member of the H2Fit Club where she participated in aqua fit . Faye travelled the world with Steve and saw all but one continent, visiting many countries. She often saw the remote parts seldom seen by most travelers. After Steve passed in 2000, Faye continued to travel well into her late 90's, visiting family in Costa Rica, The Bahamas, Oregon and spending many summer weeks at her children's cottages in Muskoka and Parry Sound. She lived in her York Mills home for over 50 years. Faye is survived by sons Charles Thomas (Tom), James Stephen (Jim) and daughter Linda Sharon (Stoddart), all born in Kirkland Lake , Grandchildren Michael, David, Karen and Cynthia and Great Grandchildren Mathew, Kelby, Levi, Eric, Alex , Ember, and Ronan as well American nieces Velda Grela, Sue Fry and Nephew William Brooner. Visitations will be at 2:00 to 4:00 PM and 6:00 to 8:00 PM this Friday May 31st at the Humphreys Funeral Home, A.W.Miles Chapel, 1403 Bayview Ave. Toronto, Telephone 416- 487-4523 for further information. The funeral will be at St. John's Anglican Church, 19 Don Ridge drive (off Old Yonge St.) 416-225-6611 on this Saturday June 1st at 11:00 AM followed by a celebration of life in the church basement from noon until 2:00 PM. Pallbearers will be the great grandchildren and their spouses. The presiding minister will be the Rev. Catherine Keating. Interment will be at the church following the service. The family would like to thank the staff at Lifestyles and especially her Caregivers at Lifestyles, and the St. John's Church Society for their attentive care and compassion. If desired, donations made to St. John's York Mills Anglican Church (M2P 1H3) or to the Sunnybrook Hospital Foundation, 2075 Bayview Avenue, Toronto M4N 3M5 would be appreciated. "FAYE LIVED 100 YEARS OF LIFE TO THE FULLEST"