Memorable Manitobans: Mary Rosalia Prokopowich (1916-2003)

Educator.

Born in 1916, daughter of John Urbanovitch (1881-1961) and Rosalia Grandis (1891-1975), she attended the Dauphin Normal School. She was a teacher for 27 years, working at Riverbend School (1930s), Dublin Bay School (1934-1939, 1940-1942), Trembowla School (?-?), Fairville School (1957-1961, 1965-1966), Macneill School (?-?), and serving as the Principal of Sifton School (1967-1974). In 1940, he married Mike Prokopowich (1910-1994) and they had three children. She served on the boards of Dauphin General Hospital, Manitoba Liquor Commission, and Credit Union League of Manitoba. She was first chairperson of the Parkland Regional Library Board and was a 4H leader and judge of public speaking competitions. An honorary member of Canada’s National Ukrainian Festival, founded in 1966, she officiated at its opening ceremonies for several years. She as a charter member of the Dauphin Toastmistress Club and Sifton Credit Union. Following her retirement from teaching in 1974, she was an education reporter for the Dauphin Herald, contributed articles for magazines such as Canadian Geographic, and published two books: The Concert Better Be Good (1982) and The Way We Were (1998). In 1998, she received the YWCA Woman of Distinction Award and her historical work was recognized by an award from the Manitoba Heritage Federation. She died at Dauphin on 11 July 2003.

Sources:

Obituary [J. Urbanovitch], Dauphin Herald & Press, 25 January 1961, page 10.

“Education reporter appointed,” Dauphin Herald, 23 October 1974, page 1.

Obituary [Mike Prokopowich], Dauphin Herald, 6 December 1994, page B5.

“Prokopowich thanked for dedication to schools, community,” Dauphin Herald, 23 July 1996, page 23.

Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press, 26 July 2003.

Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.

This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 3 August 2017

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

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