It is with great sadness we share the news of our Dad’s passing. Dad was predeceased by his parents, eleven siblings and his beloved daughter Alison. He is survived by his loving wife Mary Lou, children Marilyn (Rick), David (Susan), Katrina (Casey) and Nancy (Gary), eight grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Born into a large Ukrainian family on the family homestead near Gronlid, SK, the hard work ethic Dad was raised with followed him throughout his life. He moved to BC in the early 1950s in search of work, ending up in Powell River in 1952, and starting work with the Powell River Company. He remained at the mill as a millwright and supervisor for 43 years until his retirement in 1986.
Soon after arriving in Powell River, he met his future wife, Mary Lou Thompson. They were married in 1955, and Dad was very proud to tell people he and Mom had been married for over 68 years. As a father and adult student, Dad completed his high school graduation and took courses at BCIT, where he earned some of the highest marks in his class. He never let anything hold him back.
Although he suffered several major physical setbacks in his life, he was a resourceful optimist who always found a way to not only succeed on his own but also worked to encourage others towards a successful team effort. Dad loved a good joke, a good story, and his own version of "two fingers of rye."
He enjoyed sports, music, square dancing and fishing and was a devoted family man. Dad also enjoyed building houses, workshops, barns and animal shelters. In retirement, he was a hobby farmer and operated a portable sawmill with his best friend, Elmer Satermo. He leaves behind a legacy of a large, loving family in BC and Saskatchewan and many friends who will miss him greatly.
The family would like to acknowledge and thank the staff at Evergreen Extended Care for the wonderful care and friendship shown to Dad while he resided there. We would also like to thank our cousin, Shelley Halliday, for her devotion to Dad and her invaluable assistance in taking care of Mom and Dad’s needs and affairs over the past several years. A private celebration of life will be held at a later date. Should you like to make a donation in Dad’s memory, the MS Society of Canada and the Centre for Brain Health at UBC were close to his heart.
Rest in peace, Dad.
