PILIKOWSKI, Carlee Maryann
Pilikowski,Carlee Maryann
It is with extreme sadness that we announce the passing of Carlee Maryann Pilikowski. Carlee left this world on July 7, 2025, with her children by her side. She had been courageously fighting a long illness, through which she never lost her unique sense of humor, her sweet and caring disposition and her unshakeable grit.
Carlee was predeceased by her loving husband of 45 years, Kevin Pilikowski, and her father Ernest Deeg. She leaves behind her children, Amy and Jake (Ashley), her beloved grandchildren, Anna and Piper, her mother, Alvine, sister Joyce (Tom), brother Randy (Sandy), Aunt Carol, sister-in-law Valerie (Gary), as well as many cherished nieces and nephews.
Right from the beginning, Carlee was destined to be strong and unique. After being born on January 21, 1950, in Calgary, she returned home to the family farm near Lyalta, Alberta on the heel of a storm, navigating the final leg of the journey bundled up on her mother’s lap, carried home on the family tractor.
In her younger days, Carlee was a feared pitcher who excelled at baseball and fastball, an excellent basketball and volleyball player and a record-setting track and field athlete. Later in life, she enjoyed getting out on the golf course with friends. She passed her love of sport on to her children and supported them in all their endeavors, driving hours to sports tournaments, cheering from the stands at every game, and always packing enough famously delicious sandwiches to share. Mom was always there during times of need, without judgment or complaint. She loved to jump on a plane and visit Amy in New York or Los Angeles, and she always looked forward to Fridays, when she would head into Calgary to spend time with Ashley and her grandchildren.
In her professional life, Carlee devoted 33 years to the Marigold Library System headquarters, where she started off as a receptionist and went on to excel in different roles, retiring as a Communications and Marketing Specialist in 2019. Carlee loved her work and cherished her time at Marigold, where she poured herself into any opportunity to hone her creative talents.
Carlee was extremely inventive and had an excellent eye for design, creating her dream home with Kevin from the ground up and helping her parents and friends design theirs. Every space Carlee touched was left more colourful, functional and inspired through her talent. She loved painting and creating unique furniture and home décor pieces with Kevin. Carlee had an eye for fabulous fashion and all things purple and sparkly and was always light years ahead of her time with her creations.
Carlee was a brilliant artist, a gifted athlete, and a wonderful wife, mother and grandmother. She was a private person who faced many health challenges throughout life, and she persevered with courage and grace. Her quiet strength, unique sense of humour, beautiful boisterous laugh and endless wells of creativity and love were a blessing to those who were lucky enough to be in her orbit.
The family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to the staff at Bethany Riverview for providing Carlee with such compassionate care during her stay, as well as a special thanks to Carlee’s sister Joyce for her gracious care and to Sandy Deeg and Gerry Cool for their loving visits, delicious baked goods and their steady support during challenging times.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Carlee Pilikowski’s name to the Bethany Care Foundation, online through https://bethanycarefoundation.com/donate/ or by cheque. Please make cheques payable to the Bethany Care Foundation, write “In memory of Carlee Pilikowski (Bethany Riverview)” in the memo line and mail to the Bethany Care Foundation at #100, 2915 26 Ave SE Calgary, AB T2B 2W6.
Details for Carlee’s celebration of life are still being finalized and will be updated via the Wheatland Funeral Home Obituary page in the near future.