Memories & Celebrations: Obituary

Bridget Julia (Julie) Wilson

August 10, 1929 - January 23, 2025

Julie went into the presence of her Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ January 23, 2025. She will be remembered as a lady that was friendly to all she met. She leaves behind her three children Brian (Ingrid) Sandra (Colin Williams) and Darryl (Connie); grandchildren Christopher, Trevor, April, Ginette, Angela, Daniel, Matthew and 17 great-grandchildren.

She is predeceased by her parents, Stephan and Johanna Kashak, siblings John, Margaret, Cecile, and Leonard. Sister Irene is Julie’s only surviving sibling, who resides in Winnipeg.

Most of her entire life Julie lived in Northwestern Ontario and always along the Canadian National Railway because her father Stephan worked as a section foreman. She was born in Sowden, Ontario’s train station. Her family eventually moved not far down the tracks to Superior Junction to be closer to a school. Their family’s next move was to Sleeman, Ontario where her dad continued to work until his retirement.

She married Milon Wilson in 1949 and made Sioux Lookout their home. During the raising of their three children the marriage dissolved, and so to make ends meet she worked multiple jobs; Seamstress at Sioux Lookout General and the Zone Hospital, providing hot cooked meals and a room to her boarders. Once her children were on their own, she started working night shift making breads and pies at the local bakery. She would then walk a mile to babysit two preschoolers.

Upon retirement she moved to Kamloops B.C. to be near her daughter Sandra, husband Colin and 2 grandchildren. After a few years in B.C. she relocated to Steinbach, Manitoba where her eldest son, Brian, daughter in-law Ingrid and three of her grandchildren resided. Her final move was to Thunder Bay where youngest son Darryl, his wife Connie and two grandchildren lived.

Julie’s interest in picking blueberries came from her mother when the two spent many hours in the patch together. Apart from berry picking, her other enjoyment came from making perfect perogies. The perogy making tradition lives on in the family. Julie shared the blueberries and perogies with many. She often told of picking and selling blueberries to make enough money to travel, by train of course, to Fort William to attend the Canadian Lakehead Exhibition each year. A spousal employment benefit meant a lifetime pass to travel free on the passenger CNR railway lines. After a heart attack in 2020 Julie moved into Chartwell’s Glacier Ridge Retirement Residence in Thunder Bay, a place she loved and lived until she went to her heavenly home.

No matter where Julie lived, she was always an active member of her church, especially Calvary Baptist Church in Sioux Lookout and the Salvation Army Community Church in Thunder Bay. Julie will be dearly missed by her family and many friends.

Funeral Services for Julie were held in the Chapel of Harbourview Funeral Centre on Friday, January 31,2025 presided by Lieut. Nancy Harrison of the Salvation Army. Condolences may be offered at www.harbourviewfuneral.ca. Charitable donations in lieu of flowers in Julie’s name can be mailed to: Salvation Army. 2621 Victoria Ave East, Thunder Bay, Ontario, P7C 1E8. Or on-line salvationarmy/donate.