Russell Stecyk

Russell Stecyk February 23, 1930 February 19, 2010 It is with heavy hearts and profound sadness that we announce the peaceful passing of our beloved husband, father and grandfather. Russ passed away at Royal University Hospital on February 19, 2010 surrounded by his loving family. Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Mildred (nee Mady); daughter, Brenda, her husband, Gerald Lashyn, and their children, Jonathan, Matthew, Marie, Daniel, Lauren and Kate. Also surviving are brothers, Matt (Rita), Walter, Victor (Elaine); and sisters, Anne Zawitkoski, Olga (Ed) Yablonski and Irene (Boyd) Denny; as well as numerous nieces, nephews, and many lifelong friends. Russ was predeceased by his father and mother, John and Anastasia; his son, Dean; and his brothers, Alex, Mike, George, Nick, Henry and Fred. Russ was born in Hubbard, Saskatchewan on February 23, 1930, the tenth of fourteen children. He attended Hard Rock Elementary School, Yorkton Collegiate and Saskatoon Normal School. After several years of teaching grades one to ten in a one-room school at Lac Cheval, Russ changed occupations and joined the Saskatoon City Police Force. He served and worked through several divisions in the department for almost a decade, during which time he met and married Mildred Mady. In 1961, he resigned from the detective division to return to teaching. He attended the University of Saskatchewan, convocating with a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education and Masters Degree in Education. The next twenty-eight years were spent teaching for the Saskatoon Public Board of Education at City Park and Marion Graham Collegiates. For seventeen summers, he offered Basic and Advanced Driver Education courses for the Department of Education in Regina. Russ retired from teaching in 1989, affording him the freedom of becoming more involved with the farm in Kindersley. He and Mildred both derived enormous peace from the farm's tranquil setting. The change from farm to Saskatoon was made every spring and fall for a number of years. Russ had an unwavering faith in God. He was a member of Sts. Peter and Paul Parish and truly enjoyed the fellowship of church community. He sang in the choir, was on the Sheptytsky Board of Directors, the Board of St. Joseph's Nursing Home, and a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Ukrainian Brotherhood and the Canadian Club. Russ was a devoted husband, a wonderful and supportive father, a loving grandfather, and a true friend to many. He was a great inspiration to us all. He could always make the best of a bad situation and had an incredible sense of humour. In his books, mistakes were to be learned from and not dwelled upon. He always felt that with careful planning and prioritization, the impossible could become achievable. Russ loved to travel, was an avid reader and had a keen interest in world affairs. Although he enjoyed many accomplishments because of his various work experiences, his greatest source of pride was watching his grandchildren grow and mature. He was always interested in their accomplishments and loved to spend quality Grandpa time with them. Although he had a lengthy battle with a number of health-related issues, he was always energized by the exuberance of his precious grandchildren when they came to visit. Russ struggled with ill health in the latter years but adapted to his limitations without complaining. Although he would say, Do not grieve for me, it is difficult not to. Our lives have been blessed by him and will never be the same without him. As harvest was always such a special time for him, may we, the family, harvest the memories of the wonderful years spent together and store them in our hearts forever. To all who knew and enjoyed his friendship, please join us to share in the final tribute to his life. A Prayer Service will be held on Thursday, February 25, 2010 at 7:00 p.m., and the Divine Liturgy will be celebrated on Friday, February 26, 2010 at 10:00 a.m. Both services will be held at Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church, 10th Street and Munroe Avenue, Saskatoon, SK. Celebrant will be Rev. Fr. Dmytro Dnistrian, CSsR. Interment will follow in Woodlawn Catholic Cemetery, Saskatoon, SK. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Heart Function Clinic or the Electrophysiology Lat at Royal University Hospital would be much appreciated. To sign the online book of condolences visit www.parkfuneral.ca Arrangements entrusted to Greg Lalach.