Mabel was born on December 5, 1929, to the family of John and Nellie (nee Faminoff) Straloff, in Castlegar, B.C. She joined an older brother and sister, Paul and Doris. They lived in Castlegar and she attended English school in Castlegar until 1939. The family then moved to Goose Creek and lived there for 5 years. They then moved to South Slocan where her father John, set up a wood working shop. They lived in South Slocan for 3 years and then moved to Grand Forks in 1947.
Mabel and her mother worked in a cannery in Osoyoos, while Paul and father John worked in Oliver doing construction work. Mabel also worked in the original Co-op location (Honey Doo) and in the new Co-op location. Later, while working at the West-end post office, Mabel met a young Doukhobor boy named John Novokshonoff. They were married on April 21, 1951. Coming from the village of London, they built a new home for themselves in the Sion area, where they had lived for over 40 years and where they raised their two children, son, John Jr., and daughter, Sasha.
Mabel was a life-long, dedicated and active member of the Union of Spiritual Communities of Christ. She was devoted to the principles of the Doukhobor way of life, and served the USCC organization on various lady’s groups and choirs, like the cooking group and the USCC Friendship Choir. Later she was a member of the Dedication choir, which was lead by the late Fred Vanjoff. She also loved singing harmonious duets with her husband John.
Mabel was very proud of her Russian heritage. She and husband John traveled several times to the land of their Doukhobor origins in the former Soviet Union and Russia, as part of a USCC delegation, friendship organization and also privately.
Due to Mabel’s health, she moved into Hardy View Lodge in May of 2012. February 16, she passed away peacefully at Hardy View Lodge, at the age of 87 years.
She was predeceased by her parents, brother Paul, his wife Anne, their children Larry and Christine along with Christine’s daughter Amy, her husband John and her sisters in-law, Lucy Makortoff, Nellie Seminoff and Helen Rezonsoff. She leaves to mourn, her daughter Sasha, son John, sister Doris Johans and her aunty, Annie Makasaeff; as well as a number of other relatives and friends.
She will be sadly missed and fondly remembered by her family, friends and community. May she enjoy eternal consciousness, in God’s Heavenly Kingdom.
Traditional Doukhobor funeral services for the late Mabel Novokshonoff took place at the USCC Community Centre in Grand Forks on February 28, 2017, with interment at the Sion USCC Cemetery, with Grand Forks Funeral Home, in care of arrangements. Memorial donations may be forwarded to ISKRA Publication.
The family would like to extend our sincere gratitude and heartfelt thank you to: the Honorary Casket Bearers; Steve Gritchen, John Popoff, Ken Rieben, Dmitri Semenoff, Stacey Stooshnov and Rod Fofonoff, the staff at Hardy View Lodge, Grand Forks Funeral Home, JJ Verigin and family, the USCC along with the ladies cooking and bread baking groups, the SION Cemetery Board and those who prepared mom’s final resting place, Larry Jmaiff for officiating the service, the Psalmists for their highly spiritual and emotional singing, Valerie Gritchen, Marcia Elasoff, and Mary Makortoff for helping with preparations and sharing their memories, Paul and Lorraine Sememoff, Pauline Makortoff, Sherry Brimacombe, Linda Samson and Linda Arishenkoff, for sharing their memories and stories of mom and everyone who came to celebrate mom’s life and to pay their final respects. Everyone who left sympathy cards and graciously donated to the ISKRA, in Mabel’s memory, and Doris Johans, Elaine Proulx, Tim and Marlene Mundrian, Linda Samson, Sherry Brimacombe and families for the beautiful wreath and the City of Grand Forks for the bouquet. Thank you all, for your love and support!