The Ontario women, all in their 80s, were killed in a collision with a drunk driver almost two years ago. From left, Verna Neaves, Bernice Phillips, Marion Dawson and Jean Ripley. They were known as the pie ladies because they got together each week to bake pies, which they sold to benefit their church. (CBC)

The sentencing of a Chatham, Ont., man convicted in the drunk-driving deaths of four elderly women was adjourned until Aug. 31 after hearing emotional victim-impact statements from friends and family of the victims on Monday.

Marion Dawson, Jean Ripley, Verna Neaves and Bernice Phillips were headed home from a church supper in Chatham the night of the crash in November 2007. Wladyslaw Bilski, 49, crossed over the road's dividing line in his minivan into oncoming traffic and slammed head-on into their Ford Focus, killing all four women instantly.

The court has yet to hear from a police officer who is expected to testify about an incident related to the pre-sentencing report.

The women, all in their 80s, were grandmothers and great-grandmothers, were described as the "matriarchs" of their families and were active in their church and community.

They taught children at their church to knit and sew. They were known as the "pie ladies" because they got together each week to bake pies, which they sold to benefit their church.

Dawson's daughter, Carol Williston, told the court she has struggled with the loss of her mother. "I bet there isn't a day that goes by that I [don't] think 'I must ask Mum, she'll know,"' Williston said.

Wladyslaw Bilski will be sentenced in a Chatham Ont., courtroom on four counts of impaired driving causing death. (CBC)

Bob Ripley, the son of Jean Ripley, remembered his mother as someone who loved arts and crafts, created wacky puppets, and made ceramics. "What was taken from us is the chance to say goodbye," he said.

Bilski was found guilty of four counts of impaired driving causing death, four counts of dangerous driving causing death and one count of driving with more than the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.

On Monday, the judge stayed four counts of dangerous driving causing death and one count of driving with more than the legal limit of alcohol. The plea agreement between the Crown and defence means Bilski will be sentenced on four counts of impaired driving causing death.

At his trial in June, Bilski downplayed the amount he drank on the day of the crash, but Superior Court Justice Robert Abbey said he didn't believe him. Expert testimony showed Bilski had more than three times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood.

Conviction on a charge of impaired driving causing death carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

With files from The Canadian Press