Gerald (Gerry) Gazdewich

Notes:

Obituary

Gerry Gazdewich passed away in the Lloydminster Hospital, Lloydminster, Saskatchewan on Wednesday, May 11, 2016 at the age of 68 years. Gerry leaves to cherish his memory: his children: Garth (Cheryl Berglund)Gazdewich and their children, Rowan and Maddox; Melissa (Kelly) Studer and their children, Chloe and Gillian; Mom Nettie Gazdewich (nee Derkatch); brothers and sisters: Lorne (Sharon) Gazdewich, Brent (Donna) Gazdewich, Cori Wade, Delwyn (Marilyn) Gazdewich, Cindee (Wally) Danielson, Colleen Gazdewich and Clarissa (Dwayne) Mydonick. Gerry was predeceased by his wife Marlene Gazdewich, father Steve Gazdewich and brother Tim Gazdewich. Funeral service for Gerry will be held at the St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church, Lloydminster, Alberta on Tuesday, May 17, 2016 at 10:00 AM. Donations in memory of Gerry may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society or charity of choice. Card of Thanks Garth, Melissa and family’s would especially like to express our heartfelt thanks to The Lloydminster Hospital, Home Care Staff, friends and family that helped us throughout these last months. Words cannot express how truly grateful we are for your kindness and compassion. Eulogy for Gerald Gazdewich Good Afternoon, my name is Garth Gazdewich Thank you all very much for joining family and friends to celebrate the life of Gerald Gazdewich, my father. To some he was known as Gerry or Big Gaz. I see familiar faces and some new ones which go to show you that Dad truly was a part of many lives. As we gather here today, Melissa and I would like us to focus on the stories of interactions with Dad. I choose to focus on the stories of laughter, compassion, expectation and caring. When I think of my father, I think of a gentle, quiet, caring man who would at the drop of a hat do anything you ask for family and friends. Don’t get me wrong, if Dad wanted to speak his mind or let you know he disagreed strongly with a decision or opinion – he could push back with a firm tone. It was never arms in the air, retching around wildly but a firm voice that would make ones ears stand up and command your attention. Dad is the eldest of nine brothers and sisters. Grandma you are an exceptional woman to be able to manage that many children. Why today if you have eight or more kids you get a reality show on TV. Uncle Brent shared a story when he and Dad were wee lads on the farm outside Norquay SK. Dad was 12 and Brent 6 when they were playing hide and seek in and amongst the stooks. Dad was hiding and Brent was running around trying to find him but Dad had left a pitchfork lying close to his location – now Brent thinks it might have been left there on purpose because he ended up with a pitchfork in the side of the knee. Dad then had to carry Brent across the field back to the farmhouse so that he could get patched up. I am very sure there were more shenanigans that went on at the farm over the years. Not sure how many of you knew that he had a dislike for raisins. I had just thought he did not like the taste or texture of them. When he was a toddler, Grandma was busy on the farm running around tending to livestock etc. and she would put Dad in his playpen. There were no popcorn twists or cheerios to tie children over back in the olden days, so she decided raisins would be a good idea. Grandma would throw a handful of delicious raisins in the pen for Dad. He would gobble them up but as I learn now, he always considered them to look like flies and so goes the story of his dislike for raisins. I am certain the flies were plentiful on the farm and in his case he would have snacked on them as well. Dad and Mom worked hard when they arrived in Lloydminster to provide for Melissa and me. Dad was welding and putting in long shifts. I remember the time that Dad took Melissa and me to the Universal shop where he was working, North of town on our first fishing expedition. I was maybe five or six and Melissa was running around in the mud. They had trout in that pond so Dad was careful to put the fly on the hook and the red and white bobber. He cast the hook out a few yards into the pond, handed me the rod and told me to hang onto it, watch if the bobber moved and if so pull the rod up and start reeling. Well just like any other 5-year old, those instructions went in one ear and out the other. After about a minute nothing was happening and I thought fishing sucked. I wanted to go play in the mud like Melissa. He told me firmly that I needed to be patient as fishing takes time. Eventually that bobber did go up and down. I was so excited that I completely forgot all the tips on reeling in the line and started running the other way, rod in hand. After a few feet the fish was flopping on shore. I had caught my first fish. Dad grabbed the rod, reeled in the line to make sure it did not get all tangled up as he wanted to make sure the gear stayed in tip top shape. He was very particular of his stuff. Fishing was a passion of his and many years later my brother-in-law – Kelly and I were fortunate to go out to the BC Coast and fish for Salmon, Halibut and other fish. Dad just laughed at us green horns the three days we were out there as Kelly and I took turns casting, catching and leaning over the boat to lay chum. So much fun that ocean fishing. While we were complaining about our stomachs, he was complaining about how sore his arms were getting reeling in all the fish. Some of Melissa’s fondest memories were watching “Funniest Home Videos” and “Just for Laughs” with Dad. They would literally soil (keeping it clean) themselves laughing at those shows for years. They even watched some of the shows in the hospital. Another inside joke between Dad and Melissa is when they had gone to visit Grandpa Boser at the Jubilee Home. They had sat down for coffee and all of the residents would make their way into the coffee room. There was one guy who would always show up in his waffle knit underwear. They thought this was funny and they would have a good chuckle. Dad would tell Melissa if he was ever in that position……..to make sure he had sweat pants on at least. Another great passion of Dad’s was sports. It was a large part of his life from playing hockey, curling in the winter to golf and ball in the summer. Once his playing days were over, he shifted to the officiating side of things. He refereed hockey in the winter and then once the ball season started up he donned on the navy and blue to umpire ball. He loved umping as Softball back in the 80’s around Lloydminster was huge. No one really played baseball around these parts. It was all about Softball. I remember travelling to tournaments on weekends with him. He would alternate umpiring behind home plate and doing the bases. Normally we would show up at the tournament in Lashburn / Chauvin or wherever around 7am. We would then have a toolbox meeting behind the car while Dad was getting dressed. He would give me a couple of bucks to tie me over and say, don’t leave the ball park and don’t get into any trouble. That was a green light for me to do whatever I wanted so long as nobody ratted me out. (Maddox this does not apply to you). Child care was so much easier in those days. Dad would ump all day rain or shine. I chased foul balls and earned two bits for every ball brought back to the score keeper. At the end of each day, Dad and the other umpires would pop the top off a few stubby’s and talk about the day’s action. Dad’s highlight came in the early 80’s where he was selected to Umpire in a Junior Women’s National Championship. He was very proud of that accomplishment and every so often he would bring it up in discussion. I thought those trips were so cool and will cherish them forever. Dad was able to travel around for work over the years spending time in Norman Wells N.W.T. and overseas in Yemen. He would tell stories of how cold it was in Norman Wells. How the sun never went down in the summer and how the sun never came up in the winter. His trips to Yemen he would talk about some of the dangers riding around in the back of his vehicle with his driver and security guard brandishing AK47s for protection. Up and down the right away of the pipeline, hitting security check points every so often. He never really did get used to that. I would have felt sorry for anyone who might have tried to kidnap him as he would have likely told his captures that you grabbed the wrong guy. If my wife comes over here, you will be in big trouble. Mom was a bit of a pistol. Some of you that knew him through work around Lloydminster may not believe this but he really did enjoy his consulting work. I know he was tough on some but we would talk every other day and he would always look forward to the day’s work activities. Whether it was working on a turnaround at a nearby Oil Battery or overseeing the offload and setting of a field tank, Dad always looked forward to working in the Oilpatch. To his Grandchildren, Grandpa loved spending time with all of you. I would speak to him often about Chloe and Gillian’s adventures and how busy they were. If it wasn’t gymnastics, it was horses or 4H or school, band trips and how hard the girls work to juggle their busy lives. On weekends during the summer, I usually caught him at a Chuckwagon event where the girls might be riding in with the Canadian Flag for the anthem or helping behind the scenes with the outrider horses. Most of the time he would fill me in on which driver knocked over a barrel and how that would cost him precious seconds for day money. Dad would come to Calgary usually around an important event for the kids. He would come for Rowan’s dancing and musicals or Maddox’s Hockey. He recently visited us a couple of times, once for Rowan’s Musical which he went to watch on his own and another to look after the kids while Cheryl and I went away. I had told him once he got to Calgary to be prepared that he had to turn around and go on a Bus Trip to Oyen for Maddox’s Hockey game. Sure enough 8am Saturday morning on the bus for a 5-hour trip one way to go watch the Cochrane Rockies get their butts kicked 13-1. When I asked how Maddox played, he was quiet and only mentioned he was on the ice for less than half of the goals (-6 not bad son). That’s better than some of the fella’s in this room. He started to slow down over the past few years and coffee meetings seemed to become the norm. I would call him on my way into work and his routine consisted of getting ready for the first round of coffee early in the day either at Tim Horton’s or Arby’s. Sometimes I would catch him already there hearing the old boys in the background talking about everything under the sun. He enjoyed his 3-5 coffee sessions each day. That just seemed to me like a whole lot of bathroom breaks. Dad did keep his humor during his stay in the Hospital. Just two weeks ago Melissa was visiting and the nurses came into the room and told him they needed to reposition him up higher into the bed. One nurse said “ Gerry you are such a tall man – you need a taller bed” He fired back quickly “ and ……… I need a taller nurse to move me!” There are countless other stories and memories I will remember. I am sure all of you have your own to look back on. He provided a good life for his family and I choose to remember all of the good times, the funny times because he was my father and I will miss him. Thank you all for coming!

Family/Spouse: M.. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. G. Gazdewich
2. M. Gazdewich

Notes:

Stephen W. Gazdewich
Stephen W Gazdewich was born September 22, 1918. He was drafted/enlisted into the Royal Air Force as an aircraft mechanic. He trained in eastern Canada. Stephen contracted tuberculosis while in training and was medically discharged. After spending time in a sanatorium, Stephen recovered and returned home to Hyas to farm and raise a family. Stephen passed away December 14, 1994.

Stephen married Nettie (Anastasia) Derkatch on 26 Oct 1946 in Norquay, Saskatchewan, Canada. Nettie (daughter of Walter(1) Derkatch and Edith Koroluk) was born on 22 Mar 1930 in Hyas, Saskatchewan, Canada; died on 14 Dec 2018 in Norquay, Saskatchewan, Canada; was buried in Canora Cemetery, Canora Saskatchewan, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Obituary

March 22, 1930 – December 14, 2018
Nettie Anastasia Gazdewich, beloved wife of the late Stephen Gazdewich of Norquay, SK, passed away at the Norquay Health Centre on December 14, 2018, at the age of 88 years.
Nettie was born March 22, 1930, to Walter and Edith (Koroluk) Derkatch in the Hyas district, SK. Raised on a farm south of Hyas, Nettie was educated at Moss Lake and Lake Helen schools. She met Stephen Gazdewich and they were married October 26, 1946. Nettie and Stephen purchased land just a few miles from where Nettie grew up and were blessed with nine children, five boys and four girls.
Managing the busy life on a farm, Nettie was a hard-working mother/wife. The work would start at the crack of dawn milking cows, hauling water by five-gallon pails, feeding the turkeys, chickens, geese and pigs. If she wasn’t tending to her multiple acre gardens, which helped to feed the growing family, she would be found in the kitchen whipping up a batch of fresh bread and stirring a pot of freshly made soup.
Nettie and Stephen farmed south of Hyas for 32 years and then built a new home in Norquay where they lived until Stephen’s passing. Nettie continued her love of gardening, volunteering, playing cards, entertaining family and friends, going out to bingo, casino outings, cooking for anyone who would stop by, putting together puzzles, playing “You are My Sunshine” on her guitar and telling jokes. Most of all, Nettie cherished the time with her grandchildren and great grandchildren. Each of them was either given a knitted afghan or was sporting a toque carefully created by her loving hands. Nettie was a school bus driver for 10 years and proudly became the first female councilor of the RM of Keys, a position she held for 15 years. She was a member of the Norquay Ladies Auxiliary-Royal Canadian Legion Branch 351, Norquay Hospital Auxiliary, Norquay NICE Centre, Hyas Golden Age Centre, and the Pelly Happy Hearts. As the house slowly became an empty nest, Nettie moved to the Evergreen Place in Norquay. She continued to host the holiday family gatherings and lived every day to the fullest. Due to her failing health, Nettie became a resident of the Norquay Health Centre on November 7, 2018. She was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother, auntie, sister and friend who will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. Nettie was predeceased by her parents, Walter and Edith; husband, Stephen; sister, Helen Oneschuk; half-brothers and half-sisters; sons, Gerry Gazdewich and Tim Gazdewich; son-in-law, Barry Danielson; and daughters-in-law, Marlene (Gerry) Gazdewich and Marlene (Lorne) Gazdewich. She is survived by her sons: Lorne (Sharon) Gazdewich, Brent (Donna) Gazdewich and Delwyn (Marilyn) Gazdewich; daughters: Cori (Ken) Wade, Cindee (Wally) Danielson, Colleen Gazdewich and Clarissa (Dwayne)
Born: March 22, 1930 Place of Birth: Hyas District, SK, Canada Death: December 14, 2018 Place of Death: Norquay, SK, Canada
Mydonick; brother, Walter (Cecile) Derkatch; sister, Vernes (Bronie) Lozinski; her 20 grandchildren and 31 great-grandchildren; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. In Nettie’s honor, a Public Visitation will be held from 7:00-8:00 p.m., Thursday, December 20, 2018 and the Funeral Service celebrated at 11:00 a.m., Friday, December 21, 2018, both from the Chapel of Leson’s Funeral Home, Canora, SK, with Rev. Fr. Warren Dungen officiating the service. Rite of Committal will follow in the Canora Cemetery.
Those wishing to make expressions of sympathy may make donations to the Norquay Health Centre, as tokens of remembrance, in memory of Nettie Gazdewich.

Wasyl married Nellie (Esther) Lukey. Nellie (daughter of Karl (Kyrylo) (Karelo) Lukey and Maria (Mary) Oleksiuk(Andreychuk)) was born in 1900; died in 1982. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Walter(1) married Edith Koroluk. Edith died on 5 Mar 1949. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Stefan married Malanka Gorski. Malanka was born in 1874; died in 1958. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Cobblestone Research: Shows that Lukey, Kyrylo married Maria Oleksiuk and had nine children (Listed)
Lukey Family History Book shows that:
Father: Karl Lukey
Mother: Maria (Mary) Andreychuk

Cobblestone Freeway Research in the village of Babyntsi

LUKIY KYRYLO (Lukij Cyrillus) was born in 1849 (your information). He married Maria Oleksiuk, p.Dmytro and Iryna Byrka (Maria Oleksiuk, p.Demetrius et Irena Byrka). She was from the building No 58. They lived in the building No 58, later in the building No 295, and had
at least - 9 children:
Lukiy Petro (Lukij Petrus) 26.08.1876 DOB.
Lukiy Ivan (Lukij Joannes) 13.01.1879 – 22.01.1879
Lukiy Theodor (Lukij Theodorus) 7.03.1880 – 18.02.1881
Lukiy Vasylyna (Lukij Basilina) 25.01.1882 DOB.
Lukiy Mykhaylo (Lukij Michael) 20.11.1883 – 26.11.1883
Lukiy Semen (Lukij Simeon) 3.10.1885 DOB.
Lukiy Roman (Lukij Romanus) 9.10.1888 – 22.07.1890
Lukiy Vasyl (Lukij Basilius) 9.10.1888 – 24.12.1892 (twins with Roman) Lukiy Andriy (Lukij Andreas) 22.09.1892 DOB.

From Lawrence Huska page 6 - 7
After a short run from Winnipeg to Portage La Prairie, the family transferred to a different railway carrier, the CNR (Canadian Northern Railway), and covered the final distance to Grandview, Manitoba. There to the great joy of all, Paraska’s uncle, Kyrylo (Karl) Lukey (Кирило Лукій), and family welcomed them. It was now early June, about a week since their arrival in Halifax.

The First Homestead
Kyrylo, b. 1849, and his wife Maria (Марія) came to Canada from Babyntsi, Galicia, in 1900 where he had been the village reeve or mayor (війтом), together with three of their children, Wasylyna (Васйлйна) (b.1884), Simon (Семен) (b.1885), and Andrew (Андрай) (b.1892). Their oldest child, Peter (Петро) (b. 1876), had immigrated to Canada earlier, in 1898. It was Peter’s letters to his parents back in Babyntsi extolling the virtues of Canada that convinced them to seek a better life in Canada. They settled on SE22-27-23-W1, near Venlaw, north of Gilbert Plains, Manitoba. And like most other immigrants, who had arrived in Canada, they had maintained contact with their relatives back in Babyntsi, which included Paraska and Roman. Although there were other Huskas settled in the Dauphin region, who were also from Babyntsi, it was Kyrylo and Maria who sponsored Roman, Paraska, George, and John. Because of the untenable conditions of their lives in Babyntsi and the favorable reports they had received by letter from the Lukeys in Venlaw, Roman and Paraska decided to join the flood of emigrants leaving Galicia in search of greener pastures in western Canada. The plan was that all would stay with the Lukeys until such time that the newcomers could establish themselves sufficiently to go it on their own. The 18 feet by 26 feet Lukey log house, typical of homesteaders’ residences, must have been extremely crowded with the addition of four adults and two small children to its confines.

Although a few settlers had taken out homesteads earlier, the great immigration swell did not arrive until after the completion of the Canadian Northern rail line to Grandview in December 1896. The Lukeys were part of that swell. The settlers continued to arrive in great numbers, occupying almost all the available land by the time that Roman and Paraska and the two young men arrived. The homesteads near the Lukeys were all taken. In fact, when the Lukeys arrived in 1900, the best land had already been taken. No doubt, this lead to hesitation on Kyrylo’s part to take out a homestead entry immediately. Instead the Lukey family squatted on what was the best quarter of a bad lot. However, under pressure from the local land office, Kyrylo filed his Entry for Homestead on June 21, 1901.

Karl married Maria (Mary) Oleksiuk(Andreychuk). Maria (daughter of Dmytro (Demetriu) Oleksiuk and Iryna (Irena) Byrka) was born in 1860 in Bldg 58, Babyntsi, Borodianka Raion, Kiev Oblast, Ukraine; died in 1941; was buried in St. Demetrius Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery, Norquay, Saskatchewan, Canada. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Cobblestone research:

OLEKSIUK
In the Registers, they wrote the surname in Latin as “Olexiuk”, “Oleksiuk” and even “Olexijow” and “Olexiow”. In the land documents 1820, they wrote “Olexow”. I will write “Oleksiuk”.
5
I have managed to determine that the first of the kin was DMYTRO OLEKSIUK (Demetrius Oleksiuk). He was born in about 1836. He married Iryna Byrka (Irena Byrka). She was born in about 1835; she died 13.03.1889 at the age of 54. Dmytro died 4.05.1895 at the age of 59. They lived in Babyntsi in the building No 58.
In the land documents 1820, 3 Oleksiuk families lived in Babyntsi at that time: Oleksiuk Yuriy (No 57), Oleksiuk Stephan (No 58) and Oleksiuk Semen (No 61). Considering the building numbers, I assume that Stephan was the father or grandfather to Dmytro. Nevertheless, there are no Registers of the previous period to confirm/disprove it.
Dmytro and Iryna had at least 2 children:
OLEKSIUK HRYHORIY (Oleksiuk Gregorius) was born in about 1868. In 1889, he married Varvara Lukiy (please see the information above).
OLEKSIUK MARIA (Oleksiuk Maria) date of birth is unknown. She married Kyrylo Lukiy (please see the information above).

Notes:

Roman and Vasyl were twins.