Educator led, taught by example

Stephen Dvorak was an educator in all facets of life, imparting wisdom to family and friends through his deed and disposition.

Be it in the classroom or the school system, on hockey rinks or basketball courts, on the river or in the woods, Dvorak shared hard-won lessons with the people in his life.

He was a man who did not know the meaning of the word "adversity," despite having experienced much of it.

"My father was someone who took time to be grateful for what he had. That’s something he taught us. He faced challenges, but he also had blessings, and he focused on the latter," said Dvorak’s son, Steven.

Born in the former RM of Minitonas in 1941, Dvorak grew up in a rural setting. As a boy, he dreamed of farming one day, like his parents.

In 1953, however, his life took a turn when he was diagnosed with polio. He spent a year in hospital in Winnipeg.

When he was released, Dvorak was wheelchair-bound — although that didn’t last. He soon graduated to crutches, which is how he got around for most of his life.

"If that had hit me at 13, I think it would have really changed how I viewed the world. But he adapted to it and made the best of it. You have to give him credit for that," said Steven.

"It really took his life off a course that seemed to be preordained. It set him on a path that took him from the smaller town and into the big city."

Not long after leaving the hospital at age 15, Dvorak met the love of his life, Carolyn. The two were married in 1962, and stayed together for the rest of his life.

After finishing high school, Dvorak headed to Winnipeg, enrolling in the University of Manitoba, intent on pursuing a career in education. With a degree in hand, he began his career as a teacher in the 1960s.

In the education system, Dvorak found a profession he excelled at and loved. After stints as a teacher in rural Manitoba, he settled in Winnipeg.

He landed a job with the Assiniboine South School Division, where he eventually rose to the position of superintendent, affecting the lives of thousands of children in the process.

"It was challenging work. He really loved it, getting to work with people. According to all I’ve ever heard, they all enjoyed working with him as well, the teachers and principals," said Carolyn.

After his retirement, Dvorak was awarded the Canadian Confederation Medal in 1992. It’s given to people who have made significant contributions to their fellow citizens, community or country.

With Carolyn, Dvorak had four sons: Steven, Jon, Donovan and Brendan.

"They were a handful," Carolyn said with a laugh.

Dvorak did not let his physical disability get in the way of playing an active role in his sons’ athletic pursuits. He was a dedicated coach, teaching the boys hockey, basketball and baseball.

"He was the same kind of coach as he was a parent: patient to a fault. He was a big sports fan. He didn’t miss a single game or practice," said Steven.

"He was always the parent driving kids around, whether he had to get up at four in the morning or stay out late at a practice at a local arena. He was always there, usually with a thermos of coffee and a piece of advice."

Steven recalls one life lesson his father imparted to him while driving to a hockey game. They passed through downtown Winnipeg, where Steven saw some people on Main Street who were "down and out."

"It’s a bit embarrassing to say, but I was young and I said something that was likely improper," Steven recalled.

"He pulled the car over and told me I was fortunate I had a warm bed and parents who cared for me. That I shouldn’t take that for granted, because not everyone had that; that I should be less judgmental. That one stuck with me more than anything."

There were other life lessons Dvorak imparted to his sons, particularly on the Red River or up in Duck Mountain, where he took his boys to fish for pickerel and catfish.

Steven remembers his father as a simple man, who enjoyed fishing, splitting wood and smoking homemade sausage, and who was a handyman around the house and a green thumb in the garden.

He imparted lessons to his sons by example, which was evident by how he faced down the resurgence of the disease that left him with paralysis as a boy.

Late in life, Dvorak was hit with post-polio syndrome, which led to numerous health complications. Eventually, the condition forced him to use a wheelchair again.

In 2015, he and Carolyn moved to Vernon, B.C., where it was hoped the milder winters would be easier on him. They settled in a home that overlooked farmland, silos and barns, against the backdrop of mountains.

"He loved the view out here. He liked that a lot, especially since he had to spend most of his time in bed," said Carolyn.

In B.C., as his health deteriorated, the stoic outlook that marked Dvorak’s disposition throughout life was not stifled, according to his son, who visited him multiple times every week.

"Aside from the odd complaint about back pain, not once did I ever get a sense of anything but contentment from him. I get the sense that he accepted where he was and looked on the positive side of things. He lived a good life," said Steven.

Dvorak died Aug. 22, 2018.

He was buried in his home community in the RM of Minitonas-Bowsman.

A gathering in his honour was held at the Assiniboine Park Pavilion in Winnipeg.

ryan.thorpe@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @rk_thorpe