KAZIMIER IGNACY LUBUSKO

With sadness, we announce that Kazimier (Kaz) passed away peacefully on March 2, 2022 at the Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg at the age of 91 years.

Kaz is survived by his wife of 57 years, Eugenie; his son, Andrew (Pamela); and extended family and friends in Canada and Poland. He is predeceased by his parents Antoni and Marta; and his sister, Klara.

Kaz was born in Starogard-Gdansk, Poland in 1930; his sister was born four years later. Kaz grew up in Poland and lived through World War II and the subsequent occupation by the Soviet Union. His father, Antoni, had been a European wrestling champion, a well-known public figure, and as a result was targeted by both the Germans and Russians, spending several years in internment camps.

Kaz’s experiences in childhood shaped his view of the world and his approach to life. The hardships of the war and occupation instilled in him the importance of being kind to others and helping those in need. He could be described as profoundly resilient and optimistic and having a strong sense of adventure, gratitude, and awe. He had a deep appreciation for the freedoms he was afforded as a Canadian citizen, and an abiding faith and belief in God.

As a child, Kaz enjoyed reading books on history, art, seafaring adventure novels, westerns, and science fiction. Some of his experiences growing up during the war and Soviet occupation read like an Indiana Jones adventure tale.

Kaz’s education was disrupted by the war. He eventually completed high school and went on to navigational school with the merchant marines. Being in the merchant marines allowed Kaz to travel and see the world – to meet different people, try new foods, and visit famous museums and art galleries. He eventually decided to escape the communist system by seeking asylum in Amsterdam in 1951. Kaz’s motivations for leaving Poland were freedom and the ability to provide for his family in Poland. 

Kaz lived and worked all over Canada and parts of the United States when he first came to North America, working as a lifeguard, bellhop, logger, welder, and iron worker. After Andrew was born, Kaz decided to stay in Winnipeg, taking a job as a machine operator, as opposed to working outside of the city in construction. Although the latter would have been more lucrative financially, he wanted to stay home – perhaps in a way that his own father was unable to do. Kaz also later worked as a maintenance man for his church, a bartender in a Polish legion, and as front door security/doorman at Veterans Manor and Polish Manor.

Kaz was driven by a strong faith in God as well as a genuine interest and appreciation of people. Although he was a devout Roman Catholic, Kaz was also a deeply spiritual and optimistic person who appreciated the beauty and value of all cultures and religious traditions.

Kaz loved meeting, helping, and connecting with people and had an excellent memory for the names, interests, and backgrounds of those he met. He was always telling stories and making jokes. He knew the names of the store owners, cashiers, and waitresses at the stores and restaurants he frequented. He would meet and talk to people wherever he went, become friends with them easily, and then invite them to breakfast or family gatherings. As a result, he always seemed to know where to sample or buy quality foods such as meats, cheeses and European delicacies and to indulge in a spot of beer, especially Polish beer. Kaz was fluent in English, Polish, and German, and he could also speak some Dutch and Russian.

Kaz loved to be out in nature, enjoying drives outside of the city, visiting different towns, parks, and lakes; looking for good restaurants and places to swim. He enjoyed sitting outside in the sun, in a park or at the lake, reading a good book, and feeding treats to birds, squirrels, and deer. Kaz enjoyed coming to Florence Lake in the Whiteshell in the summers to a family cottage. When he couldn’t be out in nature, he would watch nature shows on television.

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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