JOHN KRUCHAK

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JOHN KRUCHAK In the face of cancer, John died peacefully on November 17, 2007. His life was a long one, beginning on a pioneer homestead in Ross, Manitoba, on February 2, 1918. As a young man, John worked as a logger and thresherman. When war broke out he joined the army but a medical discharge caused him to rethink his service to his country. He travelled to Montreal's shipyards where he apprenticed as an electrician and at the end of the war joined Canadian National Railways in Transcona. John's career flourished and in 1954 he moved to Sioux Lookout, Ontario as CN's district electrician, a position he held until he launched his own electrical contracting business, Kruchak's Electric Refrigeration. His skill as an electrician earned him substantial contracts to wire homes, schools and government buildings in remote Ontario communities. This experience led to a job with the Canadian government as a construction electrician in arctic communities, including Rankin Inlet and Baker Lake. In the mid-1960s, John rejoined CN in Winnipeg and his work life stretched full circle in 1983 when he retired from the railway's Transcona shops. John shared his long life with Josephine, his wife of 62 years, sons Barry, Brent and Bernie, daughter-in-law Monica and grandsons, Matt and Aaron. Their personal memories of John are his legacy. In his later years, when his health declined, John relied on the loving care of his wife and the much-appreciated support of a team of homecare workers. His sense of humour held out until the end and he died knowing there is more joy in the world than sorrow. At John's request, there will be no public service. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John's memory to the Canadian Cancer Society. GREEN ACRES Funeral Home and Cemetery Hwy. #1 E. at Navin, (204) 222-3241 Life stories may be shared with friends and family across the globe at www.mem.com

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 19, 2007