On the afternoon of June 29, friends and family of Moose Jaw resident Pauline Mah gathered in celebration of her 100-year birthday at Chateau St. Michael’s where she recently moved from her own home around seven months earlier.
Although Pauline couldn’t make the party due to being admitted to the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital, her family – including relatives from Surrey, B.C. and as far away as Hong Kong – were able to share the special occasion at her side before attending supper.
Pauline Mah (nee Chaykowski) was born on June 29, 1924, in the small community of Alvena, Sask.
Her parents, Anthony Chaykowski and Annie (nee Chubak), were farmers who eventually settled in Mildred, Sask. Here, they raised 10 children with Pauline being their third.
Pauline could only attend three years of school but taught herself enough math to work as a cashier in the family business several years later.
When she was 17, Pauline moved to Prince Albert where she worked as a waitress until she married Kim Mah, the owner of a large restaurant in the city. At the age of 19, Pauline’s first child was born, and her family of five was complete by the age of 25.
In 1963, Kim moved to Moose Jaw with four of their five children and purchased the Apex Café, a small restaurant formerly situated near Safeway in Moose Jaw’s downtown. Pauline remained in Prince Albert with her third child until they finished high school and worked part-time to get by.
When Pauline moved to Moose Jaw, she worked with her husband at the cafe taking care of customers while Kim managed the kitchen. Shortly thereafter, Kim purchased a laundromat in Regina and moved it to Moose Jaw.
This laundromat is known today as the Polar Bear Convenience Store, located at 1162 Fourth Avenue Northwest, and her relatives spoke fondly about their memories growing up there. One of these happily shared memories was of the laundromat’s back yard where Kim raised several cockatiels.
Mah’s two sons both moved to Calgary, one daughter became a teacher in Saskatoon, and her youngest daughter, Sandra, continues to live in Moose Jaw where she assisted Pauline as her primary caregiver. Pauline’s oldest daughter lived with her parents until the time of her death.
Once the couple was established in Moose Jaw, Kim purchased a house where they lived until his death and until Pauline was required to make the move to Chateau St. Michael’s in 2023. Her 100-year birthday celebration continued the traditional yearly visit of her closest family members who have continued to keep in touch despite living in different corners of the globe.
It is with great sadness that the Moose Jaw Express was notified of Pauline Mah’s death shortly after her birthday on June 30. Pauline wasn’t alone when she shared one last happy memory to complete a century well lived with family at her side.
