Courage and a Castle

Courage and a Castle: A Tribute to a Remarkable Woman
by W.J. Koczka
Published by Wood Dragon Books
Review by Sally Meadows
$24.99 ISBN 9781990863950

I can’t imagine a more meaningful tribute to a parent than chronicling their life story in a published book so that many can benefit from their wisdom and grace. Author W.J. Koczka does exactly that, with respect, gratitude, honour, humour, and above all, love, in her new book Courage and a Castle, a memoir of her years with her remarkable mother, Mary.

Koczka does an admirable job detailing the resilience and steadfastness (“courage”) with which her mother navigated life’s many challenges. The “castle” referenced is none other than Saskatoon’s own Delta Bessborough, where Mary built her career, providing not only income and stability for her family, but also where her children learned about the value of hard work and the importance of being dedicated to whatever work is at hand.

Courage and a Castle is also a story of Mary’s deep faith, rooted in a devastating event early in her marriage that changed the course of her life forever. Koczka lovingly shares how Mary navigated trials without complaint or lament, all while raising six children and working full time as the family’s breadwinner.

Over half the book focuses on the last eight years of Mary’s life, when the once-vibrant woman begins to show signs that something was amiss. At times plagued with confusion, memory loss, nightmares, lack of pleasure in things she used to enjoy, withdrawal of communication, and limbs that wouldn’t function consistently, Mary faced the most daunting challenge of her life: her own failing health.

This memoir will strike a chord with anyone who has experienced the challenges of caregiving for an aging parent. Koczka deftly communicates the heart-wrenching agony of watching a loved one’s cognitive decline, at the same time treasuring those moments when there is a glimpse of the person that once was. One line that really got to me was, “Thank you for being my daughter” (p. 178; Mary to her daughter). This is something my own mother, who has dementia, has said to me.

As a person of faith, I was particularly impacted by the chapters “An Angel for Mary” and “Home to the Acreage” where we see selfless love and care in action by those close to Mary, something we would all want to receive in the final days of our lives. I admire Koczka and her siblings for coming together in unity to do everything they could to ensure their mother’s last days were replete with kindness, dignity, and joy.

This latter half of the book is where Koczka’s narrative really shines. Although Koczka insists she personally is “not religious,” I can’t help but see her mother’s faith shine through her words to touch the hearts of all who read this book.

W.J. Koczka lives on an acreage near Prince Albert, SK and is recently retired from a forty-year career in Corrections management. This is her first book.

THIS BOOK IS AVAILABLE AT YOUR LOCAL BOOKSTORE OR FROM WWW.SKBOOKS.COM.