- Winnipeg Free Press Passages
- All Titles
Search:
Notices are posted by 10 am Monday through Saturday
CHESTER STEVEN TESAROWSKI
Born: Nov 23, 1935
Date of Passing: Feb 18, 2008
Send Flowers to the Family Offer Condolences or MemoryCHESTER STEVEN TESAROWSKI November 23, 1935 February 18, 2008 It is with deep sadness that we announce the passing of Chester Tesarowski while on vacation in Mazatlan, Mexico on February 18, 2008. Chet was born in Calder, Saskatchewan to Antonette and Steven Tesarowski. He attended St. Joseph's College in Yorkton, University of North Dakota, Brandon University and the University of Manitoba. Chet decided he wanted to teach; consequently his education career brought him to the Northwest Territories, Virden, McCreary, Deloraine and Swan River. His greatest moments were working for the Canadian Government in Sarawak, Malaysia in developing a model secondary school. In 1971, Chet joined the Manitoba Department of Education where he was instrumental in revitalizing the correspondence school. Chet was service oriented and spent 25 years with the Lions. He was instrumental in starting the Lions Eye Bank of Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario. He received the Premier's award for this project. Chet was also instrumental in starting the Evergreen Foundation and the Frontier School Division Foundation. Chet excelled in fastball pitching and played in many North Dakota State and Manitoba tournaments. He also coached the Deloraine Hartney Juveniles to a provincial hockey championship and he was a member of the Horton Men's Provincial Championship team. After Chet's retirement from the Department of Education, he served as School Trustee for the Evergreen School Division and tried to deal with many educational issues. Chet also dabbled in making weather vanes which were on exhibit at the Manitoba Museum of Man and Nature. Chet and his beloved wife, Arneil, enjoyed spending time in Mexico for over 20 years. He founded The Friends of Mexico , an organization in Mazatlan to help members through the foundation to assist children to attend school. This year (2007-2008) he received a highly distinguished award for founding The Friends of Mexico organization. During the summers in Matlock, Chet was an avid gardener. His latest project was a preserving book of recipes, Preserving Treasury of Recipes . Chet was predeceased by his mother, father and brother (Benny), and sister-in-law, Violéot. Surviving Chet is his beloved wife and sparring partner, Arneil; sister Josephine; stepchildren, Suzanne (Stuart) with grandson Shane, David (Veronica) with grandchildren, Jessica, Daryn and Dale, Dennis with grandson Caleb; nephews, David (Dawn), Dale (Janice), Daryl; niece Donna along with many more nieces and nephews; great friends, Eleanor and Don Milne, the LaPointe's (Michele, Marisa and Nicholas), the Sansregrets (Patty, Gene, Crystal and Kyle); Aunt Rose Meikle and many cousins. Cremation has taken place and a private family service will take place at a later date in the Yorkton, Saskatchewan cemetery family plot. His ashes will be scattered over the ocean in Mexico. His gravestone reads: Adventure, Education and Humanitarian . Flowers gratefully declined, donations to be made to a charity of your choice. Good bye my love rest in peace.
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Feb 23, 2008
Condolences & Memories (1 entries)
-
I arrived at Three Rivers School Mukah, Sarawak in August 1963, three days late, my twin pioneer plane having crashed in the rain forest outside Sibu. Chester had lined up the school at the airstrip to greet me and had to tell the school my plane had been delayed. Chester was perhaps an old school headmaster marked by rumpled clothes and constant chewing of his cigar. But he knew how to release the energy and imagination of his very diverse staff and was himself a man of great if quiet energy. I noticed his obituary today as I start to write a memory of my time in Borneo. I think all the staff respected him though the student body probably found him a bit distant again old school style. He managed the various daily issues and crises with calm determination. He was closest to the outgoing British district officer, the Capitan Chinese (essentially the head of the Chinese chamber of commerce in the Bazar) and to two somewhat older than I (I was 17 when I arrived) US peace corps volunteers. He got involved in all the various activities of the school and was hands on, managing by walking around, effective leader. He met his match later that year when Vera Duffy, a mid-60 year old peace corps volunteer arrived from Denver and established her own quiet but strong presence. But as always Chet respected her, got the best out of her, and enjoyed her presence. He teased, cajoled, cracked jokes with and guided his staff to create a first rate school out his mixed student body of Malays, Chinese, Melanau and Dyak students. I think of him with gratitude for helping me settle in and making sure that I had a good year. - Posted by: Malcolm Bush (He was my headmaster at Three Rivers School Mukah Sarawak) on: Dec 29, 2018