Cecelia Oshanick

Cecelia Oshanick passed away on June 13, 2020 in Bellingham. Cecelia was born on May 27, 1928 in Belfield, North Dakota to Mike and Elizabeth (Kassanchuk) Obach.

Cecelia is preceded in death by her husband Steve, her brother William Obach, and her sisters Josephine Norden and Emily Hope Hill. She is survived by her brother Michael Obach, daughters Brenda Burnett, Carol Hemphill and Christine Clark, grandsons Shan Hemphill and Jesse and Brian Burnett, granddaughters Brianna Boehle, Elizabeth Hemphill and Julia Clark, great grandsons Dawson and Colton Burnett and Cole Hemphill, great granddaughter Lauren Hemphill, and 5 nephews and 3 nieces.

Cecelia grew up on the farm in North Dakota where she was born and was married to Steve for 67 years. She held various jobs, including waitressing and retail work, and owned her own cleaning business. She always created a lovely home wherever they lived and enjoyed many hobbies. They settled in California when Steve became employed with IBM in 1965. Cecelia loved music, gardening and animals, especially dogs and birds. She was a devout Catholic and third order Franciscan.

Cecelia requested she be remembered with this poem attributed to Mary Elizabeth Frye.

Do not stand on my grave and weep
I am not there, I do not sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am a diamond glint on snow
I am the sunlight on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain

Cecelia Obach Oshanick
May 27, 1928 - June 13, 2020