My dad has passed away five months after we lost my mom.  It was a very difficult last few days with him as we had to work around the Covid-19 issues as well.  The Kenora Hospital was very helpful allowing us to be with dad during his final few days.  He had his daughters with him when he left this earth. It meant a lot to all of us to be with him. Thank you.

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When Gary’s (my husband) father passed away my dad said to him “So sorry you lost your dad.”  Gary replied “I may have lost my father but I still have my dad”. He was always a “dad” to Gary but now, we both have lost our dad.

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I am the oldest of 4 girls. He never had a son so when I was younger, I was dad’s helper growing up.  He had a western themed basement and had an old wagon wheel with the metal hub and steel band around the wheel that he had attached lights to.  Over time it was so heavy it was pulling the floor down upstairs so he decided to bang out the hub and take the steel band off the wagon wheel to lighten it.  I had to hold the wheel.  The solid steel hub came out suddenly after dad was banging on it and it landed on my foot.  I am surprised it did not brake or crush my foot. It was just badly bruised.  Another time he decided that as our house had no back door that he would install one.  It meant taking out the closet and reconfigure my bedroom closet.  I was working the night shift and remember hearing him banging on something with the hammer. Half asleep I got up and slammed my bedroom door closed.  He was laughing so hard. I did not know why until I looked where the sound was coming from.  My whole closet was gone! So much for closing the door.

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Dad was never afraid to tackle anything and was always doing crafts with my sister Tanice just by looking at pictures. No plans needed. He learned through trial and error. His dad was not so handy. He also liked to paint.  One of his sisters painted landscape, the other people and dad did animals. The 3 of them got together and painted a large mural on his wall in the basement for the western theme.  You guessed it. Aunt Joyce did the landscape, Aunt Phyllis did the people and dad did the animals.  It was of an old ghost town. We never got a full photo of it but have photos of parts of it.

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My memories with dad are mostly with us camping.  I was not much of a fishing person which he also loved to do.  Especially on the pontoon boat. He also waterskied.  He would try anything to ski on. Half a canoe, chair on a disk, and even flip flops. We traveled to the Whiteshell and to the west coast. He had a 13-foot travel trailer that mom, dad, myself and my 3 sisters stayed in.  It was a little snug but we had a great time.  He started with a tent trailer that he converted the canvas with wood sides and we spent time mostly in Lee River Falls with my mom’s family and in the Whiteshell.  He then upgraded to the 13-foot Triple E travel trailer which we took to the Rocky Mountains.  Dad loved the mountains.  He then bought his dream coach, Barth.  It was a 20-foot motor home which was a model called, Barth. Dad named it BARTH. Dad always gave his stuff names.  It was an awful thing to drive but dad loved it and would come to Alberta to visit Gary, myself and the kids a few times when we lived there. He would save all his pop and beer cans to cash in for gas money.  Boy did that thing eat gas. Him and mom also made a few trips to Vancouver Island to visit his cousin Jack and Anna and their family.  Once he took his sister Phylis too. With much drinking and singing they had a grand time and would talk often about their time there.

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Dad enjoyed being with his family and loved when they came out to Black Sturgeon Lake for the weekend. Many a time was spent around the firepit.  He would crack jokes and would come out with the funniest things sometimes. He was joking with his nurses almost to the end. When he could no longer talk and was very weak, they got a thumbs up from him. He loved living by the lake and fished, hiked and just sat and enjoyed the beautiful views.  It was their retirement home and lived there to the end. His paradise.

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Dad was forever teaching us.  Teaching us the right way to sand a board to how to fish for goldeye.  He past his knowledge to his daughters, grandchildren and great grandchildren.  He loved the kids, joking, and playing with them. He was a great dad, grandfather and great grandfather.  Always getting involved in anything in our lives, from woodworking to going for a hike, to reprimanding us when we needed it. There MIGHT have been a few times we really needed it, just saying.

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My grandchildren called him Baba.  It was what we called our grandfather and he loved it. He will always be known as Baba to them.

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Dad, you have had many accidents in your life and you lived and fought through them.  Your final few years were very hard health wise but again you fought on. You did not win this last battle but you have had a full, loving and eventful life.  You will be missed by your daughters, son-in-law’s, grandchildren and great grandchildren. Your sister, nieces and nephews and all of your many friends. You have left your mark in each and every one of us.  You will forever be in our hearts and memories but now you are with mom. Be at peace. Enjoy looking down on us doing things that you have taught us that we are now teaching our children and grandchildren. Love you and say hi, and give hugs, to mom.

Love always,

Your first born and your son-in-law,

Kimberly and Gary Wlasichuk