Sadly and with heavy hearts the family of Katie Laktin of Castlegar wishes to announce her passing at Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital, with her family by her side, on Saturday, May 10, 2014 blessed with 65 years of life.
Katie was born in Nelson on December 25, 1948, a Christmas baby, to parents Polly and Tim Ribalkin. In Perry’s Siding, she started school and enjoyed a country life-style. At age 7, Katie was taken to New Denver and for the next 1½ years lived in a dormitory. After her release the family left for the coast, settling in Agassiz, where Katie got most of her education. When she was in grade 11 the family moved to Vancouver and Katie worked in a clothing factory and in a factory building ship to shore radios. After the family moved to Grand Forks, she worked at the Sunshine Valley Co-op and while visiting her sister in Nelson, Katie met the love of her life, Jim Laktin and on June 3, 1972 they were married.
The young couple started their married life in Cranbrook, where Katie worked for BC Tel as a telephone operator and two years later they moved to Shoreacres. They were blessed with 3 sons. The family then built a home in the Voykin sub-division where they lived for 25 years. After her children went to school, she opened and operated a day care for 9 years and after closing it, she went to work at Brent Kennedy Day Care Centre. Katie loved kids and her whole life centered on taking care of her own children and all others that came her way. She was also a long time member of the Doukhobour Cultural Association. In 2001, Katie and Jim sold their house and moved to the Okanagan and then to Squamish for 8 years. They moved back to the Kootenays and Katie started helping her son Jamie’s fruit stand business by cooking Doukhobour food for him to sell. She has four grandchildren and was extremely proud of them and dedicated her life to her family. Katie devoted much of her time to her sons’ sport activities and she liked to travel and also be on their houseboat on the water.
Katie was predeceased by her sister Nina Hoodikoff, her mother and her brother-in-law Harry Plotnikoff.
Left to deeply mourn her loss is her loving husband of 42 years Jim; her son Jamie and granddaughter Niya, her son Theo (Kim) and their triplets Polly, Marley and Thea and her son Michael; her father Tim; her sisters Naida (Peter) Nazaroff, Winnie Plotnikoff and Marge (Harry) Bojey; a large extended family and a huge circle of friends.
Funeral services were officiated by Fred Makortoff at Castlegar Funeral Chapel on Friday, May 16, 2014 followed by cremation and a Celebration of Life was held at the family home on Saturday, May 17, 2014
“MAY SHE REST IN PEACE IN GOD’S HEAVENLY KINGDOM.”
The family would like to express their deepest gratitude for the loving, compassionate and professional care given to Katie by Dr. Lesperance, the staff at the Kootenay Boundary Regional Hospital the BC Ambulance Medevac teams and all of the Specialists and professional staff at the Vancouver General Hospital and at the BC Cancer Clinic.
They would also like to thank Bill Strilaeff of Castlegar Funeral Chapel for his caring and professional services, Fred Makortoff for officiating the service as well as the huge number of family and friends for all their love, help, food and emotional support.
Donations in Katie’s Memory may be made to BC Children’s Hospital, 4480 Oak Street, Vancouver
BC V6H 3V4.