Obituary for Phyllis Lahey
The family of Phyllis Wanda (Bryk) Lahey announces with very heavy hearts her passing on Monday, December 12, 2022, at the age of 72.
Open-hearted, fun-loving and profoundly generous, Phyllis loved to joke around and was known among her nearest and dearest for never holding back her tears. The youngest child of Polish immigrants Roman and Juliana Bryk - she loved to describe herself as a “surprise”- Phyllis often told tales of life growing up on the family farm in Burlington. Even with Polish as her first language, she excelled in school and skipped two grades, finishing high school at 16 and immediately starting work at Westinghouse in Hamilton. She later worked as a cashier at Shoppers Drug Mart, head cashier at the Red & White grocery store, and for many years as a medical receptionist in family health and psychiatry. She was once very active in the church and the community, and for some years was especially dedicated to visiting socially isolated seniors.
She was greatly loved and will be much missed by her sister Carol Socha-Roberge; her brother Stan Bryk; her four children and their spouses, Sean (and Jen), Anita (and Tom), Wendy (and Mike), and Matthew; and her seven grandchildren, Nathan, Kyle, Charlie, Henry, Ainsley, Pippa and Tenley. She is predeceased by her beloved husband of 50 years, Sandy Lahey; brother Ed Bryk; and her sister Anne (Bryk) Golisky.
Phyllis dealt bravely with the effects of a rare, aggressive cancer, determined to manage all the details and practicalities of her situation herself for as long as she possibly could. Her family is grateful for the care she received from Dr. Kartolo and the cancer care team at the Juravinski Hospital; her longtime family physician, Dr. Nayar; and the excellent, compassionate home care nurses from St. Elizabeth’s. She received wonderful care in her final days at the Carpenter Hospice in Burlington, in the company of many close friends and family.
Visitation at SMITH'S FUNERAL HOME, 1167 Guelph Line (one stop light north of QEW), BURLINGTON (905-632-3333), on Friday, December 16, 2022 from 6-8pm. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Patrick's Church on Saturday December 17 at 11 a.m., 196 Kenwood Ave., Burlington. A private family interment will take place. Donations in Phyllis’s memory can be made to Carpenter Hospice or the Canadian Cancer Society.
Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society: Donate here
Donations to the Carpenter Hospice: Donate here
Open-hearted, fun-loving and profoundly generous, Phyllis loved to joke around and was known among her nearest and dearest for never holding back her tears. The youngest child of Polish immigrants Roman and Juliana Bryk - she loved to describe herself as a “surprise”- Phyllis often told tales of life growing up on the family farm in Burlington. Even with Polish as her first language, she excelled in school and skipped two grades, finishing high school at 16 and immediately starting work at Westinghouse in Hamilton. She later worked as a cashier at Shoppers Drug Mart, head cashier at the Red & White grocery store, and for many years as a medical receptionist in family health and psychiatry. She was once very active in the church and the community, and for some years was especially dedicated to visiting socially isolated seniors.
She was greatly loved and will be much missed by her sister Carol Socha-Roberge; her brother Stan Bryk; her four children and their spouses, Sean (and Jen), Anita (and Tom), Wendy (and Mike), and Matthew; and her seven grandchildren, Nathan, Kyle, Charlie, Henry, Ainsley, Pippa and Tenley. She is predeceased by her beloved husband of 50 years, Sandy Lahey; brother Ed Bryk; and her sister Anne (Bryk) Golisky.
Phyllis dealt bravely with the effects of a rare, aggressive cancer, determined to manage all the details and practicalities of her situation herself for as long as she possibly could. Her family is grateful for the care she received from Dr. Kartolo and the cancer care team at the Juravinski Hospital; her longtime family physician, Dr. Nayar; and the excellent, compassionate home care nurses from St. Elizabeth’s. She received wonderful care in her final days at the Carpenter Hospice in Burlington, in the company of many close friends and family.
Visitation at SMITH'S FUNERAL HOME, 1167 Guelph Line (one stop light north of QEW), BURLINGTON (905-632-3333), on Friday, December 16, 2022 from 6-8pm. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Patrick's Church on Saturday December 17 at 11 a.m., 196 Kenwood Ave., Burlington. A private family interment will take place. Donations in Phyllis’s memory can be made to Carpenter Hospice or the Canadian Cancer Society.
Donations to the Canadian Cancer Society: Donate here
Donations to the Carpenter Hospice: Donate here