Joseph Ewanchuk

With great sadness, we announce the passing of Joseph Ewanchuk on December 6, 2021 at the age of 93 with family by his side.

Left to mourn are children Mike, Joanne and Harold along with their mother Louise. Also left to mourn are grandchildren Joseph (Neewa) and Christopher (Kaylee), siblings Maurice, Adeline and Mary Anne, sister-in-law Yvonne, many nieces and nephews, friends and neighbours. As per Dad’s wishes, there will be no service and as per his request, his body has been donated to science.

Joe was predeceased by parents William and Anna, brother John and son in laws Claude Marchand and David Spence.

Growing up, Dad went to school with the “French kids” in St Malo, where he also learned to read, write and speak French, something he was very proud of.

By age 8, dad was hunting and helping to provide for his family. By age 16, he was doing all the farm work.

Dad skipped a couple grades and by age 13 had completed grade 9.

One of dad’s biggest regrets was quitting school after grade 9. He said he knew immediately it was a bad decision, but he was too embarrassed to admit it and he thought he was letting down a cousin who also wanted to quit school. Dad would say to me, don’t ever be ashamed or embarrassed to change your mind and to say, “that isn’t what I want”.

Dad had a lot of jobs in his early days; working the family farm, being a hired farm hand in Saskatchewan and then coming home to do the harvest, working in the sugar beet fields, landscaping, working on the railroad and in a mine, bridge building and then becoming the bridge building camp cook.

Dad became the new cook when the original cook was fired after a night of drinking with the boss. The cook went to sleep on the top bunk and wet the bed. The boss slept on the bottom bunk.

Dad worked whatever job he could find to support himself and his family.

After the many jobs, Dad got a job at Aetna Roofing and became a tinsmith. It was a natural fit. Five years later, in 1957, Dad asked for time off to go moose hunting. When the boss denied the time off, Dad quit and started to work for himself.

Dad didn’t just install eavestrough and flashing. Dad was a Master Tradesman whose skills were highly respected and sought after by many in the field. Dad had the ability to design and create solutions to water problems. Dad always said water has a mind of its own and sometimes you had to spend more time to figure it out. As in life, some things weren’t an easy fix.

Besides houses, Dad worked on churches, shopping malls, theatres, the original Sears building, Dryden Paper Mill, Pine Falls Paper Mill and he even installed the roof edge metal flashing on the grain silos in Thunder Bay. Dad also installed some of the copper roof on the planetarium and the copper roof on the Manitoba Archives Building.

Although Dad had no fear of heights, he said the one time he was ever scared was when working on St Mary’s Academy. Four stories up, with his ladder sitting in the eavestrough, he had to stand on the ladder and work unsecured on a small ledge of about 6-8 inches for many hours.

Dad was very hard working. He told me a story of having to work 52 hours straight without sleep. He was so physically exhausted, so broken that 70 years later he cried when he told me the story.

Dad not only helped us kids on our homes and yards, he also helped many of his family, friends and neighbours.

Dad continued to work until his stroke in 2012 at the age of 84.

Joe and Louise married in 1957. Although now divorced, they still remained close friends until the end, enjoyed many good times and laughs and it wasn’t that long ago, they enjoyed dancing a polka.

Dad had an adventurous spirit in him and when starting out, loved to go work in small towns and often was away for a month at a time when a new subdivision was being built. I think us kids all inherited the spirit. We all had our adventures. When I was thinking of moving to Africa for a few years, Dad was of the opinion, “of course, go, see what it is like, just be careful”. Dad believed everyone needed to move away from home. You will grow, you will have new experiences, adventurers and meet new people. You could always come back but it was good to go. Dad said to always say yes to an opportunity.

We haver so many memories are of Dad leaving at 5 or 6 in the morning and after putting in a long day, coming home exhausted late at night, sitting at the table eating dinner and still taking the time to read the daily newspaper, front to back and then completing the Jumble Puzzle within seconds.

In whatever country I lived, every week I mailed Dad a local newspaper which he so appreciated. He was up to date not only on local news but also got firsthand world news. Right to the end, dad was happiest when you gave him a newspaper with his meal. Dad only had a grade 9 education but he was one of the smartest, most well-read people I knew.

During the busy summer months, the only other reading material was the Andy Capp cartoon books but come winter, dad loved to get into some good mysteries and a few history books. Dad read books in Ukrainian and French also. As a kid, a real treat was going with Dad to the used bookstore.

Dad was always smiling, loved to dance and even a couple years ago, was still doing the polka with mom and I.

Dad was kind and took care of many people. Fish, deer, moose, elk, rabbit, partridge, prairie chicken along with mushrooms, berries and garden vegetables were shared with friends, family and neighbours.

Dad helped anyone he could and when it came to work, he gave everyone a deal. We probably had less money than most because of it, but dad believed in helping others. He would give his last dollar if needed. I learned kindness by example.

In the winter months, to supplement his income and for something to do, Dad would set a trapline. A few times a day, no matter the weather, he would go by skidoo to check his trapline so no animal would be left to suffer. The basement would be full of drying beaver pelts.

During the winter, Dad also cut wood to heat the family home. Dad would try to never cut a live tree. He cleaned up the deadfall and went by ski doo for miles along the river, cutting and hauling dead trees from the river. Several times, Dad came home wet, terrifying mom and us kids with a story of breaking thru the ice.

To cut costs, Dad learned to repair his own snowmobiles and chainsaw. Most often there was some piece pulled apart for repairs on the kitchen table.

Dad would do anything for family. He had our backs no matter what. There was never an inconvenient time to ask for help. His parents lived 8 miles away on the prairie by Arnaud, MB. His dad called to say he was sick and thought he should go to the hospital. That night we were in the middle of a blizzard but Dad didn’t hesitate. He knew he would not be able to get thru the last few miles by truck so he gassed up his old skidoo, brought along extra gas, loaded the pull behind sled with quilts and blankets, had mom pack a few sandwiches just in case and Dad set off to pick up Gido. I still remember that night and the relief hours later when Dad and Gido arrived back.

This wasn’t the first time, Dad showed extraordinary effort to care for his family. Dad and his brother John were working in the bush for the railroad. Uncle John got sick and Dad worked a small hand operated pump rail car for 15 miles to get Uncle John to the doctor. Dad then had to hand pump the railcar back 15 miles.

Dad was a great employer, who hired all of us kids and probably every kid in St Malo to give him a hand from time to time. You would help for ten minutes and be paid $20. Everyone loved him.

Going to work with dad also meant you had a working man’s lunch, which we all loved. Lunch meat or garlic sausage stuck between two slices of unbuttered rye bread and filled with ripple potato chips. Still a lunch favourite for many of us and chips were still a favourite snack for dad.

Us three kids grew up eating chips almost daily. Dad would get home from work late and I guess to make up for being away, always came home with treats; usually a bag of chips or a chocolate bar. We were taught that not only did we have to share the chocolate bar with our siblings, we always had to offer the biggest portion to the other person.

Often in the summer, dad would rush home from work so he could get in a couple hours of fishing and no matter how busy the summer was, he always took time to take us to Uncle Metro’s or to the beach for an evening swim.

Dad never hesitated to correct someone who was doing a wrong. If us kids, grandchildren, nieces, nephews or even the neighbours’ kids were over and something was unsafe, incorrect, not polite, not kind or considerate, Dad spoke up. If Dad seen a wrong by someone on the street or in business, he also spoke up. Thank you Dad.

Dad was very much a common-sense man and was great at giving advice. I remember the first time I had my heart broken. Dad’s advice was don’t sit home pining over anyone. Keep busy, go out and have fun. We all knew we could always ask Dad for advice and of course he also gave advice even when we didn’t ask.

Dad wasn’t great at taking advice though. Due to a work injury, Dad was always hard of hearing and most times would read lips. He struggled at times so I thought it would be a great idea for him to get a pair of hearing aids. He agreed. As the hearing loss was from a workplace injury, I worked several months to have him approved for hearing aids. We were all excited that now dad could enjoy and participate in life a bit more. Well, after trying the hearing aids only a couple times, they went to the back of his dresser drawer. He was done with them. He didn’t like them and there was no convincing him to keep trying.

Dad loved having a dog. He loved Harold’s dog Hartley the most. Harold’s dog was getting older and one day dad was complaining how the dog was deaf and could no longer hear him. With a smirk, I suggested Dad give the dog his hearing aids. Dad laughed.

One of the best feelings in the world for me was when Dad would see me, he would light up and smile. Every single time. I always felt like a million bucks that he was so happy to see me. Probably the only good thing about Dad’s dementia was each time I left the room and walked back in, he thought I just arrived and would give me the great smile.

Dad was an outdoorsman who taught us kids and many others not only to hunt and fish but also conservation and respect for wildlife and nature. Dad never hunted for sport, only for food and he always took the best animal for food and not the one with the biggest rack or the trophy winner. Conservation was important to dad. It upset him greatly when people were spotlighting, hunting illegally or hunting for sport. If, during hunting, an animal was injured, he would track the animal even thru the night so he could end the animal’s pain and suffering.

I remember Dad who was already in his late 70’s hunting in the north and miles back in the bush, near end of day, shooting a moose. Dad worked by flashlight all night, butchering, cleaning and backpacking all the meat out of the bush by himself. A moose is approximately 800 pounds of meat. He was one of the strongest men I knew and only in his later years could any of us outrun him.

Dad’s biggest joy wasn’t shooting a moose to provide for us, it was the hard work and adventure, the story he would be able to share. The joy of packing the backpack with all that would keep him warm, safe and dry, mom packing him tasty sandwiches, the excitement and anticipation during the long drive out to Duck Mountain, Riding Mountain or Porcupine Hills, the hunting partner who was with him to share in the adventure, the old friends he would see, the new friends he would make, the great skill of the moose to evade, the skill he needed to track, back track, to get ahead, to stay out of the wind, to not get lost and to survive as many days as needed and allowed while camping in his truck. It was also the great story of success or failure he would be able tell. Dad could tell you hunting stories all night long. Dad was such a gifted story teller, you felt like you were there right along with him. He loved to share his skill and his knowledge. Many people will exaggerate a story but not Dad. He told the same stories after the dementia as he did before.

One of Dad’s greatest joys was hunting with friends Bill McVicar and Real Mulaire. Trips included long night drives to the north (so they would arrive by first light and could start hunting immediately) and then days and evenings filled with lots of laughs and adventure. I’m sure Bill and Rheil have many stories to tell. Dad also delighted in teaching his son-in-law Dave to hunt who also became a great hunting partner.

Dad shot 36 moose but only brought 34 home as 2 were stolen. He also brought home 6 elk and estimated 200 – 300 deer. We grew up eating wildlife and a beef cheeseburger at a restaurant was a rare occasion.

Us Ukrainians do not reveal the location of our best berry or mushroom patch, where the best fishing is or where the deer cross a path. Dad was an exception to the rule. If Dad invited you, he took you to all his favourite spots. He wanted you to have the best experience possible and maybe you would then continue the new hobby. He got so much joy from watching someone have their best day.

In the 1970’s, dad was taking a welding course in Winnipeg. In the class was a young man, a new immigrant from Trinidad. When dad realized Vishnu was in Canada on his own, dad brought him home to spend every weekend with us. Dad introduced Vishnu to family, friends, Manitoba socials and to Ukrainian food. I learned compassion by example.

Dad loved being a grandfather and from the beginning wanted to be a big part of his grandsons’ lives. Mom tells a story that when I was young, she left dad in charge and went to the neighbours. Apparently, I filled my diaper so what did Dad do? He ran a half mile to the neighbours to bring mom home. When I had children, this same man insisted on babysitting his young grandsons. I worried what would he do when the big numbers came up. His solution, clean what you can, fill the tub and give a bath. Ok Dad, you can babysit.

Dad’s favourite dishes to cook were moose roast which has been declared the best by everyone who tried it, navy beans with garlic, mashed potatoes, cornmeal and of course bacon and onions for everything. If you were going for dinner, you knew what you were having. Truly wonderful!! Dad also made the best dill pickles. Dad enjoyed the process of cooking; take your time, pour a drink, put some music on and maybe even do a little polka. Dad didn’t mind cooking but hated doing the dishes.

Anyone who knew Dad, knew that as important as his family, were his precious Pink Lady Slipper flowers. Dad took such great pride in keeping his rare wild orchids safe and then having his and his family’s efforts recognized when his property was officially acknowledged by the Province of Manitoba as an Ecologically Significant Area Voluntarily Protected by the Land Owner.

Every year, dad would spend two weeks carefully hiking individuals into the bush to see his beautiful flowers. This was after spending a week or two to make a safe path into the area so no plants were damaged by visitors. His biggest joy was showing off his flowers. Funny that once Dad got sick, the flowers never bloomed as brightly.

The summer was a busy and joyful time for Dad. Fishing, berry and mushroom picking, planting, weeding and harvesting the garden, Lady Slippers blooming and hopefully many visitors.

A couple months before dad had his initial stroke is one of my favourite memories. I had picked pails of wild plums and dad came over to make jam. There we were, listening to polka music, drinking Port and cooking jam. Best jam ever!!

Although dad lost his short-term memory in 2012, we were happy we still had him with us. He kept his sense of humour and his wit until the end and still very seldom did I win a game of Hola.

Dad always said the best thing to do for sadness, depression, worries or hard times was to work hard and get into nature. Working hard gives you purpose and takes your mind off your troubles and how can you not enjoy nature. I guess we are going to have to work hard and go for a lot of walks, because we are most definitely sad.

Dad was an outdoorsman, a hunter, a conservationist - only take what you need and never hunt for sport, a fisherman, a berry picker, a mushroom picker, a gardener, a man with a big heart, a man who loved to dance, a man who loved his family and a man with a great sense of humour.

Dad loved living by the river and felt rewarded for his hard work in developing his farm when us kids also so appreciated the farm and all his hard work to keep it. Dad could have sold his property anytime and always had offers but he never did. It was important to keep the land. Dad purchased the land from his grandmother who purchased it directly from the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1926. It was unheard of for a woman to purchase land and for HBC to sell directly to an individual, but it happened. Dad felt a responsibility to the land and for all it gave to us; provided food for the family, drinking water, wood to heat the home, wildlife, fishing, orchids, relaxation, nature and the gift of sharing it with others.

Dad had a lot of common sense and was a good judge of character and of human nature. He always knew if a person had ulterior motives, he knew who was blowing smoke. Dad could read a politician and their real reason for doing something, better than most.

Dad had some great advice to us kids:
1. If someone is trying to sell you something and they keep saying how great it is, it probably isn’t.
2. If someone keeps calling you “friend or my friend”, they probably aren’t
and of course my favourite,
3. If you give a man permission to blow a fart, he will undoubtedly take a crap.

Dad’s kindness and thoughtfulness for his fellow man was still evident in his actions right to the end by him donating his body to science with the Body Donation Program in the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Manitoba.

Leaving his body for anatomical study, thereby performing an unusual and outstanding service. Such people have the unique distinction of rendering Service After Death to their fellow men and women.

Because of the increased demand for more doctors, dentists and other health professionals, the need for anatomical material to teach students is increasing. To obtain firsthand experience of the structure and functions of humans, students must study the bodies of the deceased.

Dad believed in not just doing what is best for you but also what can you can do to help others. What can you do for your fellow man or woman?

In 2012 Dad suffered a major stroke and was left with dementia which became more and more severe as time went on. Although dad had no short-term memory, he still remembered us until the end.

After the stroke, if you asked Dad how he was, his reply was always, “Same old way. Some days better than others and others just plain worse”. Our suffering is eased by the fact Dad will now have better days.

After Dad’s initial stroke, the doctors told us Dad would only live a year. I want to thank Mike for caring for Dad for the last 9 years so Dad was able to spend his time at home. Thank you also to Harold for the care and for visiting Dad every day. Thank you to our mom for always offering to help with Dad. In our family, we may get divorced but we still keep one another as a friend. Thank you also to Dr Fotti for the many years of Dad’s wonderful care.

Dad, thank you for all you have done for us and for always having our back. Thank you for teaching by example.

Right now, dad is up in heaven, sitting at the table with Baba, Gido, Uncle John, Claude, Dave, Eddie, Donald, Raymond, Nick, Laurie, Wolfgang, Jean, Nestor, Gloria and many others, having a drink, telling stories, laughing and Mickey and Bunny Ukrainian music playing in the background while eating his mother’s perogies and of course a big bowl of Black Cherry ice cream for dessert. Oh, and there is a vase of Pink Lady Slippers on the table. In a few days, Dad will take Claude, Dave and Donnie and go fishing.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating your body or your organs for your fellow man. Cherish, protect and preserve nature and wildlife.

To keep dad’s memory alive, talk about him, tell stories and most of all, be kind. Do something for your fellow man.

Rest in peace Dad. We love and we miss you!! Xo