It is with great sadness that we share the news that Helen Glugosh passed away peacefully on February 7th 2025, surrounded by her family. She was 87 years young. She leaves her former husband Ronald, her son Stephen and his wife Malinda, her daughter Diane and her husband Andrew and her son Larry and his wife Susanna. She also leaves her ten (10) grandchildren Ryan, Amanda, Jennifer, Jessica, Rachel, Ryan, Julianne, Elisa, Anthony and Joanna. Helen also leaves her sister-in-law Margaret and many nephews and nieces.

Helen was born February 9th 1937 in Sudbury Ontario. Her parents, Mary and George Gombita, emigrated to Canada (with their two oldest children) about a decade earlier, from their home town in Košice, Czechoslovakia (now the Slovak Republic). Helen was the 4th child born in her family and the last of her siblings to enter the gates of Heaven. She is pre-deceased by her parents and her siblings (by birth order): Marie, Michael, George, and John, as well as her late daughter in law, Krista.

Similar to many immigrant families, the Gombita parents (and eventually their children) worked honestly and diligently in a variety of labour jobs. English (as a second language) was learned to function effectively in their new country, but the parents spoke Slovak to their five children, plus continued many cherished cultural customs and traditions, within their home. Helen was only 14 when her father died but he had her older brothers and sister to help to fill in the paternal role, together with her mother.

Helen went to Mimico high school where she excelled in many sports, including cheerleading and track and field. She was highly competitive and even at Slovak picnics, when they would ask the parents to run, Helen was always first to volunteer and first in her race. After high school, mom went to secretary school and later found employment at Cassidy’s which was a prominent place for secretaries to work in Etobicoke. Later in life, she left that position to become a full time stay at home mother but would take part time jobs at Mary Paula’s junior fashion store and eventually a full time role at Walmart Canada. Helen worked for over 30 years as a cashier, floor clerk and eventually a floor manager. Helen loved her friends at Walmart and spent many special days with her work colleagues over lunch or coffee.

However, Helen’s ultimate joy, happiness and accomplishments did not come from work but rather her family and friends. She was highly respected in her Catholic Slovak community and held several positions in the local group 19 Toronto Canada Assembly 227 for the Slovak Catholic Sokol. She loved attending local and International tournaments in bowling, golf and at numerous track/field/gymnastic/calisthenic meets. She was Group 19’s first Physical Directress, a position she held proudly and accomplished so much for our Canadian fraternal community. She was a highly successful bowler and won the all around top female bowler title in 1977 in Pittsburgh, PA. She later bowled semi professionally with Wally Gay and was awarded the Frank Petruff memorial sports award for bowling in 2000. It was a life time achievement award that she cherished and proudly displayed in her home.

Apart from her personal accomplishments, Helen loved attending many sporting, cultural and community events for her children. You could always hear her voice above everyone else around her in hockey arenas, track meets, gymnastic competitions and baseball games. She also cheered the loudest and proudest for her beloved Toronto Argonauts, Maple Leaf’s and Blue Jays. Often we would find Helen listening on the radio to her local sports team in the dark, in her living room. You always knew when they did something right but when they messed up, you would often hear her say, “Jesus, Mary and Joseph, come on guys”. She was a diehard fan.

Perhaps Helen’s greatest gift was her generosity. She would never show up at any event or family gathering without a trunk full of goodies from children’s clothes, to groceries that she bought on sale at Walmart or her homemade chicken soup, when someone was not feeling well. The family was never out of her thoughts when she worked and we were all the better for it. Oddly enough, in a world full of social media, AI applications and cell phones, Hellen never owed a computer or used a mobile phone. She was old school and would rather call over the house phone. She was a great talker but even a better listener and her family and friends all benefited from her ability to distill down our life challenges, stresses and provide a calm and insightful perspective.

Helen was married to Ronald at the early age of 21 and raised their three children together. Their marriage ended after many years together but she continued to be a great mother and grandmother and devoted the balance of her life to her children and grandchildren. Later in life, Helen would attend family functions with Ronald and they talked about their lives and how good it was to see their family grow up. She was a big believer in post high school education because it was something that was not an option for her in her youth. She pushed all of her children and grandchildren to always “do your best” and she knew that would enable everyone to succeed in university and help enable meaningful employment. She was proud that all of her family was doing well at work but more importantly in life. Afterall work is important but she always felt it was more important to be honest, compassionate, caring and loving to those around her. She was a pioneer for humility and was fiercely independent, strong willed and tenacious. These qualities are the main reason she endured and remained passionate, after so many setbacks in her entire life.

She loved the Gombita family gatherings, especially the annual Christmas party and was always smiling and talking to the family about their lives, work and provided guidance to many that took the time to listen. For years, she hosted the event but as the numbers grew, the tradition was passed to other family members but she never missed an event, unless she was sick. She enjoyed her food, especially her fish and chips on special occasions, Chinese food (especially the sweet and sour pork), her pizza from IL Paesano and most of all, her Slovak dishes like perogies, cabbage rolls, ponena and meat on sticks. Helen also loved her desserts and always brought her famous chocolate chip cookies or butter tarts. Yes, it is safe to say that Helen was a “foodie” long before it became a popular phase.

She was extremely proud of her Slovak heritage, and greatly loved her extended family. She talked often about her upbringing; in particular, the love, traditions and spirit that filled their family home. It was these grounded, European traditions learned from her parents, that she carried forward and shared with the next generations. Now her family (children, grandchildren and numerous nephews and nieces) are passing them along to our own families.

Her family asks that you keep Helen Glugosh close in your prayers and thoughts. She was a special soul and a deeply devoted and loving wife, mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend to many in her Alderwood community, Slovak church, Walmart colleagues and fraternal society of the Slovak Catholic Sokol.

A special thank you to all the wonderful health care staff at the Trillium hospital in Mississauga, that took care of Helen over the past few years, especially the nurses, physio and speech therapists and the doctors. In particular, the special people that worked in the palliative care section, especially her caring and compassionate Dr. Szeto.

When a memory of Helen surfaces, please hold up a glass of white wine and cheer her tremendous life of giving and sacrifice. She will be greatly missed, but never forgotten, by those who knew her best.