ALICE (KAWULIA) CAIN

Alice Cain, 74, of Prior Lake, Mn., formerly of Iron Mountain, Mich. and International Falls, Mn., passed away suddenly on Sunday, June 15, 2014 at Fairview Ridges Hospital in Burnsville, Mn.
Her family was with her.
A memorial gathering was held Tuesday, June 24, 2014 from 5-7 p.m. at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation in Prior Lake, with prayers and reflections at 7 p.m.
A celebration of life service for friends and family also is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2, 2014 at 1 p.m. at Faith United Church in International Falls.
It was a beautiful summer day in Fort Frances, Ont. on June 4, 1940 when Nicholas and Mary (Masyk) Kawulia celebrated the birth of their beautiful baby girl, Alice Kawulia.
Alice was the youngest of six and she loved all of her siblings. She especially enjoyed spending time with her older brothers. She looked up to them and they always were looking out for her.
Her childhood wasn’t easy, but it gave her the fighting spirit that served her well the rest of her life.
When Alice was 11 years old, she moved to International Falls to live with her sister, Helen, and her husband, Al, and their children. It was during junior high and high school she met her two best friends, Laurie and Linda, and both of their families considered Alice to be like a daughter.
Alice attended International Falls High School. She met a great group of girls and they all became “Forever Friends” who still meet regularly for lunch and reunions.
Alice graduated in 1958. After high school, she worked for her brother-in-law at United Propane.
It was at a house party that Alice first met the love of her life, Ed Cain. Ed was sitting on the front steps when Alice arrived at the party. He serenaded her with a guitar (even though he didn’t know how to play) and sang a Buddy Holly song for her.
Alice just rolled her eyes, but she soon fell in love with him.
Alice and Ed attended dances during their courtship and danced throughout their marriage. The two exchanged wedding vows on Jan. 6, 1962 (Ukrainian Christmas Eve) and they were blessed with two beautiful daughters, Beth and Kristin.
As a family, the Cains enjoyed many camping trips over the years. They would go camping as a family every summer. Alice, Ed, and her girls also would make many voyages to Duluth, Mn. for shopping trips.
Alice would spend the whole day in Target looking for bargains. Some trips they ate both lunch and dinner in the store.
As their girls were growing up, Alice and Ed worked hard to provide a good life for them. In the fall, they would go ricing together (Alice was “the poler” and Ed was the “ricer”). Their ricing even paid for a family trip to Disney World one Christmas.
As a couple, Alice and Ed enjoyed going to “dance club” and playing cards with other couples.
Once the girls were both in school, Alice got a job as a pres-chool teacher. She loved her work and all of the children she taught. She always was telling stories about her pre-schoolers; she thought of them as her own children.
Eventually, Alice went back to school and earned her Child Development Certificate. She eventually was offered her dream job teaching pre-school at St. Thomas Catholic School. Unfortunately, she was only able to do this for a short time as the Cain family relocated to Iron Mountain for Ed’s work.
It was then that she began working for Headstart. They spent the next 23 years in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where they enjoyed golfing and hosting visiting friends and family who came to stay.
In 2000, Alice’s life was turned upside down when she had a massive stroke, but she didn’t let it get her down for long. She worked to regain her speech and co-ordination.
She and Ed began taking trips such as to Hawaii and New York, and spending a few months in Arizona each winter. In 2009, Ed and Alice moved to Prior Lake to be closer to their family.
Alice rarely missed her grandkids’ hockey games, school events, or dance recitals. She was a compassionate woman who showered everyone she met with love.
Alice was determined, creative, organized, and had a great sense of humor. She always will be remembered for her feisty spirit.
Alice will be missed deeply by loving her husband, Ed Cain; daughters, Beth (Larry) Crosby and Kristin (Will) Cayo; grandchildren, Tyler, Chloe, Sophie, and Ethan; brothers, Mitch (Jay) Kawulia, Peter “Smoke” Kawulia, and Nick Kawulia; niece, Nancy (Mike) Biondich and their sons, Pete (Kendra) and Tom (Amber); and other loving relatives and many friends.
She was predeceased by her parents; infant son, Timmy; and siblings, Helen Kawulia and Willie Kawulia.
Urn bearer for Alice is her grandson, Tyler Crosby.
In memoriam donations are preferred and will be donated in Alice’s honour to some of her favourite charities.