Leson's Funeral Home and Monumental

02/11/2026

There is no silver lining 🩶

People keep trying to find the silver lining in my grief.

"You'll come out of this stronger."

"This will give you perspective on what really matters."

"You'll help so many people because of what you've been through."

Like there's some hidden gift in losing the person I love. Some valuable lesson wrapped up in this nightmare.

But here's the truth: there is no silver lining.

There's no growth that justifies this loss. No wisdom that makes it worth it. No perspective that makes me glad this happened.

They're gone. And there's nothing good about that.

I know people mean well. They're uncomfortable with my pain. They want to find something positive. Something that makes this easier to understand. Something that gives it meaning.

But grief doesn't have a silver lining. It just has loss.

And I'm tired of people trying to find one.

I'm tired of being told I'm "stronger" now. I didn't want to be stronger this way. I wanted them here.

I'm tired of being told "everything happens for a reason." It doesn't. Sometimes terrible things just happen and there's no reason, no purpose, no grand plan.

I'm tired of people trying to turn my grief into something beautiful. Something meaningful. Something with a lesson attached.

Because there's nothing beautiful about this.

There's nothing meaningful about waking up every day without them. There's nothing good about any of this.

There's just loss. Raw, terrible, permanent loss.

I don't need you to find the bright side. There isn't one.

I don't need you to tell me how this will make me a better person or teach me something valuable. I don't want the lesson. I want them back.

I don't need you to make this easier for yourself by pretending there's some positive takeaway.

Because there isn't.

They're gone. And that's not a blessing in disguise. It's not a growth opportunity. It's not a chance to become my best self.

It's just grief.

So, stop looking for the silver lining. Stop trying to make this into something it's not.

Just let it be what it is.
Terrible. Unfair. Devastating.
And there's no silver lining in any of it.

Written by: Aimee Suyko - In Their Footsteps

02/11/2026

Please keep Alfredo’s family and friends in your thoughts and prayers.

With broken hearts and boundless love, the family of Alfredo Converso announce his sudden passing on February 3, 2026, at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre. Alfredo was born on April 2, 1952, to Paolo Pompeo Converso and Caterina Sbrocchi in Roseto Valfortore, Puglia, Italy. Born two months prematu...

02/11/2026

I don’t know who needs to hear this today, but grief can make you so tired. I’m not talking about the kind of tired that a strong cup of coffee or an extra hour of sleep can fix.

I mean the bone-deep exhaustion that only grief can create.

When I was deep in my grief, people kept telling me to ‘just rest’, but it was easier said than done.

I’d lie down, hoping to recharge, only to find my mind running a marathon through memories, regrets, and what-ifs. It turns out that grief doesn’t just break your heart, it also sucks all the energy out of you.

I remember days when even getting dressed felt like a major accomplishment. And I had to force myself to take a shower or eat something. Then instead of giving myself credit for the very little I could manage to do, I’d beat myself up for not doing enough.

Here’s the thing…our culture worships productivity, and grief just doesn’t play by those rules.

Grief demands slow days, messy hair, and forgiving yourself for accomplishing absolutely nothing besides making it through each day.

Our brains are working overtime trying to process our loss, trying to make sense of a world that suddenly feels upside down. It’s emotional heavy lifting, and your mind needs as much recovery time as your body would after running a marathon (except there’s no medal at the finish line), because there’s no finish line on the road of grief.

I also wish that someone had told me I wasn’t lazy, and that I was just grieving.

So let me tell you now…of course you’re tired.

Your system is doing a lot of hard grief work, even if it just looks like lying on the couch staring at the ceiling.

So go ahead…rest a little more. Nap when you need to. Cancel a plan or three.

Let people think you’re “taking it easy,” because you know the truth.

This kind of tired doesn’t come from doing nothing.

It comes from feeling everything.

Gary Sturgis
Author: ‘SURVIVING GRIEF - 365 Days A Year’

02/11/2026

Sign the petition.
Please help us get the word out. We have tried our best to tell people to only access the funeral home website that HAS the permission from the family to post it or the newspaper/media asked to post it.
Other sites copy obits (change details) and use their site to sell items. No one has given them permission to use the information or change details.
Please, please, please do not comment on those sites. If they are not the funeral home in care of arrangements, they likely are one of the sites referred to in the article.
The family will never see your condolences anyway - unless posted where they have provided the obituary and given permission to post.

Obituary Piracy Petition Filed With House of Commons

Funeral professionals and families continue to be frustrated by the publication of obituaries on third-party websites, which profit from the sales of flowers, tree planting and memorial products/keepsakes. The families are not asked for permission to place the obituaries on these sites and are often unaware that they exist.

A petition has been filed with the House of Commons asking the federal government to ban this practice. The petition is open for signatures until 4:52 pm (EDT) on February 26, 2026.
To see the petition, go to: https://www.ourcommons.ca/petitions/en/Petition/Details?Petition=e-6997

02/09/2026

What is grief?

Imagine every single second..
Of a relationship with someone you love..
Layering around your life.

Every amazing moment..
Even the not so great moments..
Layering tightly around your relationship.
Building a bond..
Years of memories..
Love.
Connection..
Admitting hard truths..
Laughing until there are tears..
Inside jokes…
Making up from disagreements..
Text chains that go forever..
Adventures..
More plans on the calendar.

And you only anticipate more layers to come..
More memories to count on.

But then..
They are just gone.
In an instant.

Only silence remains now.

And they took their half of the relationship with them..the plans..the jokes..the memories..

You are now left with these loose layers..feeling vulnerable.
Unfinished everything…more to say..unanswered questions.

An astronomical part of your life is gone.

And the unraveling layers of love you are holding on tightly to..

The ones you refuse to let go of.
And try so hard to pull into each new day…without them.

The ones that used to feel so light snd hopeful and now so heavy to bear..

Are now called grief.

02/09/2026

A gentle reminder to take care of YOU!

We are allowed to feel, and heal at our own pace. 💛

02/09/2026

02/08/2026

Sundays have a way of slowing everything down.

For many people, they used to mean family dinners, phone calls, shared routines, or simply knowing someone else was nearby. There was a rhythm to the day. A feeling of togetherness, even if it was quiet. And then grief enters the picture.

After loss, Sundays often feel different. Heavier. Quieter. Longer.

The world seems to step back a little on Sundays. Fewer distractions. Fewer obligations. Fewer places you ‘have’ to be. And while that can sound peaceful, for someone who’s grieving, that quiet can hurt more than we expect.

You might find yourself missing the way Sundays used to look. Or the person who used to be part of them. Or the version of yourself that felt whole back then.

If Sundays feel harder for you now, there’s nothing wrong with you.
You’re not weak.
You’re not “going backward.”
You’re not failing at grief.

Here’s the thing…grief needs space, and Sundays tend to give it exactly that.

Sometimes people tell me they dread Sundays because they don’t know what to do with themselves. There’s an expectation that Sundays should feel restful, comforting, or meaningful. And when they don’t, it can leave you feeling even more alone.

But maybe Sundays don’t need to be fixed.
Maybe they don’t need to be productive.
Maybe they don’t even need to feel “better.”
Maybe Sunday just needs to be survived.

It’s okay if your Sunday looks like sitting quietly with your coffee, staring out the window, thinking about someone you miss.
It’s okay if tears show up.
It’s okay if memories wander in without asking permission.

None of that means you’re stuck. It just means you loved deeply.

I remind myself on days like this that seasons don’t stay forever. Even when everything feels still and cold, change is always happening, even if we can’t see it yet.

If today feels heavy, you don’t have to carry it perfectly.
You don’t have to explain it.
And you don’t have to rush yourself out of it.

Be gentle with yourself today.

And if you’re comfortable sharing…

I’d love to know…do Sundays feel different for you since your loss?

Gary Sturgis
Author of: ‘SURVIVING GRIEF - 365 Days A Year’

02/07/2026

Please keep the Dutchak family in your thoughts and prayers.

With great sadness, the family of the late Veronica Dutchak announce her passing on January 30, 2026, at the age of 94 years. Veronica was born on September 22, 1931, to John and Anne nee Romashenko Gazdewich in the Moss Lake District. Veronica was the second oldest of five children.

02/06/2026

Grief IS complicated and it can impact people in so many different ways. It can make someone who is grieving feel like crap physically, mentally, emotionally, and cognitively. It can sometimes make a griever feel sick.

But here's the thing, grief isn't an illness and it doesn't mean you are sick. Grief is a natural and normal response to a loss that changed your life and who you are so much, it's challenging to fit back into the world.

It can be difficult to find your place again even when you have always felt comfortable and like you belonged. The world doesn't stop moving when something happens to you. People's lives don't stop like yours did in a moment's time and most will return back to their own lives.

Because that's how life works and even if family and friends try to slow down to be there for you, it's impossible for them to truly understand all that you are going through and grief didn't disrupt their daily life like it has for you.

That can make the road of grief feel extra lonely and extra hard. It can feel isolating and sadly, grievers often feel like they can't keep up and at times, like they are sick and doing something wrong.

Here's the thing. You're not doing anything wrong. You are not sick. You are responding to a loss that is wrapped in grief and honestly, there are so many other secondary losses that slowly unfold with time. It's a lot to carry. For anyone.

It's important to remember self care is critical because grief IS so hard and can impact you in so many different ways. And if you truly don't feel well or are concerned about changes or ways you are feeling, it never hurts to get checked out or talk to someone.

Give yourself grace and be kind to your grieving heart. And it's always my hope that the outside world will be compassionate and kind to you, because grief isn't prejudice and eventually, it will show up and come knocking at everyone's door. Eventually, everyone will need compassion and support when loss changes their everything.

I'm here for you and I see your grief. Hugs.
Michele

02/03/2026

There are many physical effects of grief. Recognize them for what they are.

Losing a loved one can be an intensely stressful experience that can take a toll on one’s mental and physical health. The grieving process can cause physical symptoms from bodily pain and a weakened immune system, to stomach upset and fatigue.

02/02/2026

-Unknown

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