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Katelyn Byers had it all at a young age until, tragically, a cocaine addiction and mental-health issues took it away.
Now Katelyn’s family wants to help others.
Katelyn was only 25 when she died Nov. 12, just five days from her 26th birthday.
Her family says she was “exceptionally hard working” when she was young. They said many people probably remember her candy store in the loft of their cottage at the lake followed by her spa services.
Katelyn was 14 when she was hired for her first job by Calabria Market and Wine Store. The family said she loved to write up procedures and rules to standardize how things were done.
She must have worked hard: by the time she was 20 she had enough to not only pay for half of her first car, but also to move out into her own condo.
And Katelyn continued to work hard. She was able to juggle university classes and course work, working in Internal Audit at IG, and doing everything that comes with owning your own place.
But Katelyn also gave back. She started by making and selling Christmas cards when she was younger and donating the proceeds to the Children’s Hospital Foundation. Later, while attending St. Mary’s Academy, she formed the Tzedakah meal team to make and serve lunches to people who needed a meal at the Lutheran Urban Ministry on Arlington Street, known as The Urban.
Katelyn graduated with honours from St. Mary’s in 2017 and five years later graduated with a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree from the University of Manitoba. She was recruited by all the major certified public accountant firms and finally chose, as her first “big girl” job, Deloitte Canada.
“She was so proud and so happy to be at a big fancy firm, wined and dined, and really enjoyed internal audit.”
But just when things were going so great, things changed. She was starting her first CPA module when she fell sick in 2023. The family said she was struggling with mental-health issues and then developed “a severe cocaine addiction.”
“The stronghold of the drug was indescribable. Katelyn fought a hard battle and was in hospital and treatment numerous times. She learned a lot about herself, her addiction, and found a strong relationship with God at both Adult and Teen Challenge and the Charis Centre, both women’s treatment centres.”
The family said Katelyn’s leadership was something even the other girls at the treatment centres she was in noticed and remarked on.
Katelyn’s goal was to combine her work ethic with her charitable side: she wanted to get better, go back to Deloitte, and then save up so she could donate the amount of money she had spent on drugs to a foundation she planned with her mom to help people battle addictions.
Unfortunately, that didn’t happen.
The family says Katelyn will be remembered for her “bravery and courage and always wanting to help others.”
And, to help other women who are battling addictions like Katelyn, the family is asking for donations to go to the United Gospel Mission’s Charis Centre, a program which assists people in the same situation as their daughter.
Read more about Katelyn.
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How They Lived
Gilbert Nadeau was a farmer but he also was a tinkerer.
Gilbert, who was 89 when he died Nov. 13, was always looking for ways to improve the farm while tending the fields — he even created machinery which didn’t exist.
He founded Nadeau Seeds and then invented the Rotary Ditcher. The machine has helped many farmers quickly dig a trench or ditch when water is threatening their crops.
Read more about Gilbert.
Gaelan de Wolf had a word for everything.
Gaelan, who died Oct. 30 at 90 years of age, was born in St. Boniface, and moved to British Columbia to study.
She received her master’s degree in the Native (Tlingit) Languages and then a PhD in Canadian English at the University of Victoria.
Gaelan was co-author of the Gage Abridged Canadian Dictionary and authored Social and Regional Factors in Canadian English: A Study of Phonological Variables and Grammatical Items in Ottawa and Vancouver. She was still receiving royalties for sales of both books.
Read more about Gaelan.
King Poi Lee was a pillar in the city’s Chinese community.
King Poi, who was 85 when he died Nov. 18, was born in Hong Kong.
He came to Winnipeg in 1968 and, with his family, operated the iconic Shanghai Restaurant until it closed in 2011.
King Poi was an advocate for Chinese culture; he a leading member of the Chinese Dramatic Society and a supporter of Folklorama’s Chinese pavilion.
Read more about King Poi.
Sr. Helene Poiron helped many during her long life.
Helene, who was known as Sister Genevieve to her students, died Nov. 12 at 97 years of age.
She joined what was then the Canonesses of the Five Wounds, now the Sisters of the Saviour, in 1948.
Helene went on to teach for almost 30 years before going on to do mission work in Haiti from 1982 to 2002.
Read more about Helene.
Cecil Pereira came here as a refugee from Uganda.
Cecil, who was 90 when he died Nov. 15, was a sociology professor at the University of Winnipeg.
Sadly, he was predeceased by his son, Jai, the owner of Sk8 Skates who died in a motorcycle accident with Alana Lowry in 2001.
Read more about Cecil.
Lillian Casselman saw a lot in her 106 years of life.
Lillian, who died Oct. 5, grew up in Eriksdale and met her husband there.
She moved with her husband to Snow Lake in 1949, and worked at the post office for three decades.
After retiring, they moved to Mulvihill where they lived until her husband died in 1987. She then moved back to Eriksdale, where she lived near her sisters for the next four decades.
Read more about Lillian.
A Life’s Story
Cynthia Manswell came from Trinidad to help mold young minds here.
Cynthia, who was 89 when she died in January, was an elementary school teacher in home country when she decided to move here to teach.
She got an education degree at the University of Winnipeg — where she also met her husband — and then began teaching.
Cynthia Manswell, who died in January as a result of complications from a chronic heart condition, grew up in Trinidad, in a family that valued education. (Supplied)
Cynthia taught for more than two decades in the Winnipeg School Division, including at Gordon Bell High School and Hugh John MacDonald School.
Her husband Ken said when his wife was young she faced a choice of whether to go into teaching or join the civil service.
“Being a teacher in those days, people had a lot of respect for teachers and they respected the profession,” he said. “I think that’s why she was influenced to choose teaching.
“People looked up to teachers. In those days, a teacher was a very respected person in the community.”
Read more about Cynthia’s life here.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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