SHEPETYS The earthly sojourn of Regina Shepetys peacefully ended in her 90th year on Wednesday, January 9th, 2008 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. It began in Lithuania, continued briefly in Western Europe, flourished and concluded amid countless personal challenges during almost sixty years in Western Canada, most of them in Red Deer, Alberta. Her life was a diligent devotion to her Roman Catholic faith, dedication to her thriving small family, enjoyment of her numerous friends and properly educating her many students. Keeping in touch with everyone across the globe or across town was Regina's avocation, by which she shared her generosity of spirit and often more. She personified success in her adopted country through her relentless pursuit of excellence in her teaching profession. With Bachelors of Education and Arts from Lithuania and Canada, complemented by her multilingual abilities, Regina capably taught, communicated and connected easily with people of all ages and origins. The classrooms of St. Thomas Aquinas, Montfort School in Red Deer; RCAF Base Penhold; RCAF Base Claresholm and Granum Hutterite Colony were her second home. After she retired, ESL students at Red Deer Catholic Schools became her focus. Being active in The Catholic Women's League, The University Women's Club, The Book Club, The Council On Aging, kept Regina challenged and forever making new friends. She was always learning; from the daily Advocate, reading the biography of someone she admired, taking a course, attending a seminar, upgrading professionally. Symphony, opera, theatre and artwork were Regina's lifelong spectator interests which she loved to share with friends and family alike. Enjoyment of handwork, pottery, gardening and x-country skiing rounded out those spare moments when she wasn't volunteering at the Red Deer Museum, touring Western Canada or seeing friends and Lithuanian relatives in the U.S. and Europe. As she begins her new journey, Regina is lovingly remembered by her son, Rim (Bobbi) Shepetys; grandchildren, Danica, Kristian and Alexandra Shepetys; Mark Jenkins; nieces and nephews, Isabel Fisher, Nina Simpson, Frank Povylius, Nijole Zemaitiene; sister-in-law Inge Povylius; cousin Danute (Vytas) Beliauskas; extended Lithuanian family in the U.S. and Europe. She was predeceased by her daughter Rita Shepetys Jenkins, brother Valentinas, parents Anastasia and Pranas Povylius; children's' father Alexander Shepetys. Memorial Mass will be celebrated for Regina Shepetys at St Mary's Parish on Family Day, Monday, February 18, 2008 at 1:00 PM. Tributes may be made directly to the Canadian Diabetes Association.