Slavka Vera Bily

With mixed emotions, we announce our mother's passing from Alzheimer’s on October 9, 2024.

Slavka Bily (nee: Fligl) was born in Prague, Czech Republic on October 14, 1942. She was the youngest of two beautiful blonde, blue-eyed girls, in a lively, musical, industrious family, during a time where there seemed to be hope on the horizon after many years of war. Her mother, Ruza, instilled a strength in her that was rarely seen in women of that era. Her father, Lada, was a happy-go-lucky guy, who loved his girls and showed them a love of music, nature, fishing, and the beauty and value of living an honest simple life. This cocktail of genetics produced a girl with a love of nature, a tenacious spirit, a heart of gold, a ready sense of humour (at times inappropriate), and a black-and-white view of right and wrong.

Her childhood stories were full of happy adventures: in the city, on the houseboat, in the mountains and at school. At 23, she had her first daughter Michaela, 3 years later, in 1968, as the communist Russians were invading Prague, Slavka and her little family fled the country along with many other Czech citizens. At a time where we can look up virtually anything on our phones, it’s hard to imagine how they snuck out of Prague into a refugee camp in Vienna, securing flights to Canada all for freedom - leaving their car with the keys in the ignition for someone to find on their departure. They picked Edmonton as their new home, because a pamphlet in the refugee centre said it was a “great capital city with skiing nearby”!

Though Edmonton was not quite the “Capital” in 1968 that the pamphlet described, the adventure continued. There were careers, friends, parties, fun, skiing, a cabin and red wine –oh so much red wine –and this was enough. Holidays to the coast and a second daughter, Caroline, came in 1970, and was followed by Dominica (Niki) in 1977. This was more than enough!

Slavka worked hard all her life, both inside and outside the home. She travelled, hiked, skied, valued friendships, and good food— but her greatest accomplishment was being a mother to her girls and Babi to her eight beloved grandchildren: (Alexandra, Marcus, Jake, Luke, Ben, Kate, Maxwell and Bridgette). This was way more than enough for her.

Although Slavka had some great years in her retirement, travelling to Australia and around Europe, the last decade was marked by her steady decline into Alzheimer’s. There were times you could still see the old Slavie: wanting to play “Cards Against Humanity” despite not understanding the words (thankfully); eating buckets of “Helluva Good” onion dip because she claimed it had many nutritious ingredients (you didn’t argue); and enjoying having the sun on her face (until days before her passing). But this terrible disease robbed Slavka of her simple life, and, surrounded by her three daughters, it was time to for her to go.

Slavka’s beauty, adventurous, kind and tenacious spirit will be forever remembered by her three daughters, Michaela (Ian), Caroline (Jamey), Niki (Norm), her grandchildren, and all that knew her.

Her wishes were to have a private family celebration and no funeral. Instead, raise a glass for the simple things. Be kind. Love each other. Be thankful for the small things in life- because that is truly enough.