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STEVEN EDWARD KOSS  Obituary pic

STEVEN EDWARD KOSS

Born: Dec 25, 1926

Date of Passing: Dec 29, 2007

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STEVEN EDWARD KOSS Steven Edward Koss passed away December 29, 2007 at Riverview Health Centre following a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer. Steven was born on December 25, 1926, the seventh of eight children, to Mike and Mary Kosa of the Oakburn area in Manitoba. Steven leaves to mourn his passing his sister Catherine, her son Donald; his sister Elizabeth (Walter), their son Wally Joe (Sheila) and their children, Dustin and Macayla; extended family, relatives and many, many friends. Steven was predeceased by his parents, his sisters, Annie and Jessie; his brothers, Joseph, Marion and John. Having received his early schooling in rural Manitoba, at St. John's School, Steven set out then at age 16 for Winnipeg where he became a lifelong learner. Steven moved quickly from harvesting for farmers in the south-west corner of Manitoba to working in a bush camp in rugged Ontario. And just as quickly, Steven learned how to iron military caps towards the war effort, and how to quit this job when he was refused the .10 cent per hour raise which he was asking for. Steven's next learning experience was at a building products workplace from which, after only eight months, he was fired for paying too much attention to a fellow, although female, employee. The call of the meat packing plant neither passed Steven by, except that three years and three times laid off, this time it was Canada Packers that Steven left in order to seek out, yet again, other opportunities. Steven gave then his next 18 years to Bristol Aero, from where, in 1968 and at age 42, he would retire and turn instead to the deepening of his spiritual life, and to becoming a volunteer in our larger community. Having purchased a violin at Eaton's in 1948, Steven proceeded to take some 150 lessons that he might learn how to read and compose music, especially that of his Ukrainian heritage. In 1950, Steven formed his own band, playing, as his notes tell us, all over including at the French radio station CKSB and the Starland Theatre on Main Street of Winnipeg. Having been a musician from 1950 to 1978, Steven was more recently presented with two significant awards in recognition of his contribution to the development and preservation of Ukrainian music in Manitoba. On or about 2000, Steven joined the Winnipeg Christian Centre, becoming there also a volunteer for Winnipeg Harvest. The Canadian Red Cross recognized Steven with a number of certificates for his contribution of a total of 83 pints of blood over the years. Steven's sister, Jessie, had passed away in 1948 with Leukemia and Steven learned then the importance of giving so that someone else might live. In the fall of 1998, and on the eve of the International Year of Older Persons, Steven became at age 72 one of the founding members of the Manitoba Folk Dancers, to highlight, both, his career as a lifelong learner and his membership in our larger community as one of its greatest contributors. For seven years, Steven would come unfailingly every Monday to Crescentwood Community Centre and there would learn and practice the folk dances that he would then take and perform in the shopping centres, and the seniors and personal care homes of Manitoba; and as he writes in his notes, here in town and out of town to entertain these lonely patients . The peak of the lifelong learning of Steven was, however, the one opportunity to be able to bring to some other 450 seniors, in the fall of 2000 at Assiniboia Downs, the art of the folk-dance. Quietly, Steven would display on the door of his fridge in his modest home in north-end Winnipeg the number of certificates of achievement garnered as a member of the Manitoba Folk Dancers. Celebration of life will be held on Saturday, January 5, 2008 at the Winnipeg Christian Centre, 230 Provencher Blvd., at 10:00 a.m. The family would like to express to the staff of the Palliative Care Unit in 3East at Riverview, as well as to it's caregivers in the field, it's gratitude for their care and compassion towards Steven throughout his time of illness. Rest gently, dear friend. Funeral Arrangements in care of: WHEELER FUNERAL CHAPEL 211 REGENT AVENUE, WEST AT BOND 224-1525

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 04, 2008

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