Elaine Ruth Goranson

Elaine Ruth Goranson (née Bodnar) of Victoria, BC passed away on September 21, 2025, at Mount St. Mary Hospital at the age of 86.  Elaine was the third of four children born to John and Mary (née Fazekas) Bodnar on September 9, 1939.  She grew up on her family’s farm near Stockholm, Saskatchewan, often recalling life without electricity and winter trips by horse and buggy with warmed rocks underfoot on the way to midnight Christmas mass.  When Elaine was 9 years old, she was sent to live in the convent attached to St. Elizabeth of Hungary parish in Stockholm where she had the opportunity to attend school.  Following high school, Elaine attended Teacher’s College in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan where she met and later married Alan Goranson on August 10, 1968.  Together, they raised their two children, Tamara and John, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Elaine’s enduring love for education, her fostering of human dignity, her strong faith, and her steadfast devotion to family made her life a profound testament to God’s grace.  After earning her Bachelor of Education degree in 1983 at the University of Saskatchewan, she pioneered creative drama in Saskatoon with Gateway Theatre for Children and Youth.  She later completed a Bachelor of Liberal Arts degree (magna cum laude) in 1987 and began teaching in the Saskatoon Catholic School Board’s Extended Learning Opportunities (ELO) Program.  Throughout her career, Elaine delighted in creating unique learning experiences for children, reimagining and directing Shakespearean plays, and hosting vibrant medieval fairs.  She also celebrated her Hungarian heritage by dedicating countless hours to Saskatoon Folkfest and the Hungarian Pavilion and actively expressed her Roman Catholic faith through the constancy of her prayers for family and friends.  After retiring in 2001, Elaine and Alan moved to Victoria, BC, to be closer to their grandchildren.  There, Elaine cherished attending daily Mass and poured her resourceful creativity into preparing exquisite meals and festive décor, with Christmas as her crowning annual celebration. At the heart of it all, family remained her foundation, and she took profound joy and pride in their accomplishments.

Elaine was predeceased by her husband, Alan; her parents, John and Mary Bodnar; her sisters, Doreen and Joyce; and her brother, Robert; as well as her parents-in-law, Eric and Semilda Goranson, and her brother-in-law, Dale.  She is remembered with love by her daughter, Tamara (Doug Chichak), and son, John (Seoyoung Ryu); her grandchildren Tavania and Taralyn (Tamara and Doug) and Yohan and Jaewon (John and Seoyoung); her sister-in-law, Barbara Yopyk, and numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who were considered family.  Her family would like to especially thank Blane Morgan and Victor and Patricia Saavedra for their support; Sharon Johnson, Margaret Wilson, Nancy Anaya, and other caregivers; and all the staff at Mount St. Mary Hospital who helped Elaine navigate the health challenges she experienced in her later years.

Elaine’s legacy is love, woven through the children she inspired as a teacher, the cultures she passionately celebrated, the home she beautified with purple and an ever-abundant supply of roses, and the grandchildren she nourished and cherished.  In gathering us together, she would want us to trust in the promise of Christ’s Resurrection and the hope of meeting again to celebrate the joy of our Risen Lord.

Condolences may be offered to the family below.

McCall Gardens
www.mccallgardens.com

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