Obituary of Vivian Jane Hajnal

Mom would have hated that we had to write this obituary. She would have much rather had us laughing around the dinner table drinking wine while she was doing all of the work in the background. But here goes. We write to tell of the passing of our extraordinary mom, wife, grandma, sister, aunt, cousin, professor, and friend, Vivian Jane Hajnal. Vivian was born on December 21st, 1943 in Dauphin Manitoba and died on May 19th, 2016 in a car accident near her cabin on Dauphin Lake. In between she travelled to almost every corner of the earth, bringing her unique combination of warmth and dynamism to everyone she met. She did it all. She was a teacher – teaching at every level from elementary school to the Phd and in every locale from a one room school on her beloved prairies to programs in China and the Ukraine. She was an entrepreneur. When there was no pre-school for her young kids, she started her own. When women didn’t get MBAs, she did. When she saw an opportunity to sell candles, she built her own store, eventually expanding to a wholesale enterprise. After her kids left for college, she went and earned her Ph.D. For over two decades she was a professor in the College of Education at the University of Saskatchewan, where she mentored and taught numerous students. She was associate dean. But Mom was so much more than that. Mom loved to have fun. She loved to dance, to host parties, to cook, to travel, to shop, to laugh. She loved to play cards, especially bridge, and recently reveled in her discovery of “pickle” ball. She loved to organize us and at all times and in all places she loved to find a deal. But Mom especially loved people and was happiest when she was surrounded by her family, her granddaughter, and her many dear friends. For those who knew her, Mom was just love. She oozed warmth and kindness and generosity of spirit. She was a giver of all good things. She has taught us all how to be better people and to leave the world a much better place. Her family and friends in Canada, America, Hungary, and indeed all around the world will miss her profoundly. To honor Mom’s memory, we have set up an award for talented female students dedicated to the teaching profession and mathematics at the College of Education. Mom would have loved that. In everything she did she was a leader and a role model for women. Donations to the Vivian Hajnal Memorial Award are welcome.