PAUL KRYMINSKI, SR.

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PAUL KRYMINSKI, SR. April 24, 1927 - May 18, 2010 Paul was predeceased by his parents, Mary and Louis; infant granddaughter Danielle; eldest sister Lena LaPlume. Paul is survived by his life partner Florence; children, Paulette (Brian), Michelle (Danny), Louis (Betty), David (Doris); grandchildren, Paul Jr., Lisa, Keith, Connor, Sean; great-grandchildren, Danielle, Haley, Chantelle, Lynette, Allan David Jr.; sister Josy Fagan of Calgary, AB, extended family of nieces, nephews, cousins in Canada and abroad. Paul's family lived in Point Douglas and later moved to St. Boniface. Paul attended Provencher School and was taught by author and teacher Gabrielle Roy and the Marianist Brothers. Paul liked to go to Caliento, Manitoba to visit his cousins, as well as his maternal grandparents who arrived in Caliento in 1902, the same year his mother was born. In September 1942, he worked as a Telegram Messenger for C.P.R. Telegraphs. By April 1943 he was a deckhand on the Canadian National Steamship S.S. Prince George, sailing from Vancouver to Ketchikan Inlet, Alaska. He turned 16 and signed up on his first Merchant Navy ship, the S.S. Strathcona Park, sailing out of Vancouver on September 12, 1943. As a seaman, Paul made many transatlantic convoy crossings on various Merchant Navy vessels, sailing also through the Panama Canal, Dakar, as well as Durban and Cape Town in South Africa and along the South Atlantic and Pacific seaboards. Paul also sailed with the American and British Merchant Navy. In May of 1944, he signed up on the S.S. Arawa. This Merchant Navy ship sailed from Liverpool, England to New York to bring back American troops for the invasion of Europe. Upon leaving the Merchant Navy, he joined the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps in Vancouver, BC, as a private. Later, he was referred to the Canadian Officer Training School. From January 1948 to August 1950, he was with the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineers, first as a Sapper and in his second year, he was General Duties Corporal in the Administration Wing at Veddar Crossing, Chilliwack, BC. Paul left the army for a time and began employment with the C.N.R. Pipefitters in Transcona. After several years, he re-enlisted in the army. In 1954, he underwent training to operate vehicles of the Department of National Defence. Following this, he went to the Fort Osborne #9 Service Detention Barracks to join the Provost Corps in the rank of Lance Corporal. He retired from Military Service in January 1957, and worked for C.N.R., Safeway and Whitehall Laundry. In November 1964, he joined Winnipeg Transit as a bus driver and retired on December 14, 1985. In 1991, he visited Poland, the country his father was born in and met the relatives he had only heard stories about. In the mid 1990s, Paul was invited to join the Merchant Navy Veterans Association and thoroughly enjoyed the friendship and camaraderie of his fellow veterans. They celebrated a historical recognition of their service from the Canadian Government with the first official Merchant Navy Day, September 3, 2003. Paul's commitment to the Association was recognized when he was presented with the Merchant Navy Certificate for Outstanding Service for his role in maintaining the financial records of The Winnipeg Chapter until it disbanded. Paul enjoyed an active social life, and loved to dance and sing until his health began to fail. Paul's favourite waltz was Over the Waves . Life is a dance and the music lives on, and so, this is how we will remember him. The family would like to thank the doctors, nurses and support staff at St. Boniface Hospital Palliative Care Ward and Health Sciences Centre, 5th Floor CancerCare Ward, as well as speech pathologists, Candace Myers and Lorraine Lesiuk at CancerCare for their support and guidance throughout Paul's treatment and follow-up care. The family would also like to thank Dan, Paul's primary home care nurse, who uplifted Paul's spirits as well. Many thanks also to Paul's friends, extended family and to members of The Merchant Navy Association, who visited Paul and to those who sent cards and letters. In keeping with Paul's wishes, Wheeler Funeral Chapel and Reception Centre took care of arrangements. A private burial was held earlier in the year. GOD GRANT HIM ETERNAL MEMORY

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 18, 2010