Obituary of Anne Chura Bapst

The daughter of Ukrainian immigrants to Canada, Anne Bapst was born on April 30, 1930, in Great Deer, Saskatchewan. She grew up on a farm and as a young woman moved to Saskatoon, where she worked as a hospital switchboard operator for about ten years until she married Vern Bapst, an American businessman who had served in the United States Marine Corp during World War II. They moved to Punta Gorda, Florida, where Anne was a homemaker and assisted her husband in his construction and other businesses. In 1996, Anne became a proud naturalized citizen of the United States. After retirement, Anne and Vern divided their time between Punta Gorda and Cody, Wyoming. Anne is survived by her daughter Karen of Punta Gorda; son Mark and daughter-in-law Donna of South Barrington, Illinois, their son Aleksander, and their daughter Natalya Kousari; son Randall and daughter-in-law Alison of Punta Gorda and their twin sons Conner and Collin. She is predeceased by her husband Vernon and by her daughter Maureen Melinda Martin, whose son Teagan Martin resides in Cartersville, Georgia. The last surviving member of her generation on both sides of the family, Anne is fondly remembered by numerous nieces and nephews in Canada and Michigan. Anne was known for her beauty and glamour, her style, her hard work, her excellent embroidery and cooking skills, her generosity, and her kindness. She remained fiercely independent and active until the last day of her life. She will be dearly missed as the matriarch and bedrock of her family.