Serge KUJAWA

KUJAWA, Serge
Serge Kujawa, age 89 years, died peacefully after a very short stay at Brightwater Senior Living in Regina. He was born in Radin, Poland. At age three, he arrived with his family at Pier 21 in Halifax. The family then travelled by train to St. Walburg, SK where they homesteaded. Serge was predeceased by his parents Jacob and Vera; his sisters Kate and Mary; brother-in-law Howdy McPhail; and sister-in-law Pat Kujawa. He is survived by his wife Darlene; his brother Nick; his children from a previous marriage Ivy, Judy, Kim (Pam), Mandi, Melodi, and Melissa; stepson Scott Ware (Rose); four grandchildren; as well as his nephews, nieces, extended family and friends. Like many farm families, Serge lived and worked from a very young age on the family farm and attended school in St. Walburg. He often talked about his first day at school when he could not speak a word of English. He spent a year at Normal School in Saskatoon and then moved to a remote place in Saskatchewan called Timberlost where he taught high school for approximately one year after which he joined the army, stationed in Ontario. Fortunately, the war ended before he was required to travel overseas. He received an honorable discharge. After the war Serge travelled and did a number of jobs including panning for gold, playing poker and pool for money and working at several jobs while playing baseball in his spare time. He then returned to the family farm in St Walburg. After an accident in which he lost part of his left hand, encouraged by a local lawyer for whom he worked as a Ukrainian interpreter, Serge completed a law degree at the University of Saskatchewan. Following convocation, Serge moved to Regina where he worked for a short time in private practice before joining the Justice Department to work as a public prosecutor. In the role of Chief Crown Prosecutor, he took many cases to the Supreme Court of Canada. Serge also served on many committees and boards and taught courses for lawyers in Halifax and Calgary. In addition, he taught courses on law for members of the R.C.M.P. and the Regina City Police. Serge handled many high profile cases. In the spring of 1989, prior to his retirement later in the year, Serge was pleased and proud to pitch baseball in a fund raiser game against members of the Toronto Blue Jays. Serge's next career was in politics. He became a member of the Saskatchewan Legislature in 1991. He served one term as the M.L.A. for Albert South and then retired from politics. In his retirement, Serge travelled extensively to places in Canada, the U.S., and around the world, including Halifax, Newfoundland, the Yukon, Texas, Florida, San Francisco, San Diego, Hawaii, the Ukraine, the Canary Islands, Egypt, China (twice), New Zealand, Australia, Disney World, and a cruise in the Caribbean. In the last few years, including, 2014, he made an annual trip to Hawaii in winter and a trip to Nelson, B.C. in August. During these years he also became a ball room dancer. Serge was known for his quick wit, his intelligence, his honesty, and his integrity. Until the last few years of his life, he had a phenomenal memory. Serge was a skilled and entertaining public speaker, but also a very good listener. He composed poetry often on the spur of the moment for an occasion or event. He was a man of his convictions, willing to take an unpopular stand on an issue if he believed he was right. Serge was perceptive, intuitive, wise, spiritual, and courageous. He was an incredible athlete for all of his life, doing one-handed push-ups in his sixties, tearing phone books in half, winning arm wrestles with much younger people, often using only one finger as recently as one month ago. Serge loved nature – he was mindful. He never failed to notice the moon, trees, mountains, streams, and flowers wherever he was. He also loved trains, Kentucky Fried Chicken, "fishes" and chips, ice cream, and desserts of all kinds. Serge loved to play cards. He and his partner played bridge on a weekly basis for a number of years. They last played bridge at USI before the building closed in June, 2014. Even a week before his death, he played rummy and as usual he won! Serge was an old soul. He lived a long and very productive life and he will long be remembered by all who had the privilege of knowing him.
Vichnaya Pamyat
(Memory Eternal)
A big thank you to the staff at the Pioneer Village Adult Day Program which Serge attended five days a week until day before his admission to the hospital. He loved the program and the staff and looked forward to going every day to drink coffee, share stories, participate in the activities and sing old familiar songs. Also a very special thank to all of the staff at Brightwater Senior Living where Serge spent the last week of his life surrounded by dedicated, kind, compassionate, and caring people who treated him with love, respect and dignity. A CELEBRATION OF SERGE'S LIFE will be held at Regina Funeral Home, Hwy #1 East, Regina, SK on Monday, September 29, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. Flowers gratefully declined. Donations in memory of Serge may be given to the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, 301, 2550 – 12 Avenue, Regina, SK S4P 3X1, Heart and Stroke Foundation of Saskatchewan, 279 3rd Avenue North, Saskatoon, SK S7K 2H8, Canadian Cancer Society, 1910 McIntyre Street, Regina, SK S4P 2R3 or a charity of one's choice. Family and friends are invited to sign the online obituary and tributes page at www.regina-memorial.ca. Arrangements entrusted to