JOHN (JAN) WARZEL

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JOHN (JAN) WARZEL On Monday, April 18, 2011, John Warzel, aged 84 years, passed away at the Seven Oaks Hospital. John was predeceased by his wife Jeannette, their daughter Mary, parents Stanislaw and Eleonora, and siblings Marian, Felicia, and step-brother Franek. John is lovingly remembered by his sons Edward (Sheri), Robert (Doreen), daughter Christine (Richard Prokopich), and grandchildren Robert, Ryan, Derek (Warzel), Michelle, Krista, Haley (Warzel), Samantha and Jorja (Prokopich). He also leaves to mourn his passing, sister Zofia Pieczonka and brother Bronislaw Warzel; as well as numerous nephews, nieces, family and friends. My grandpa, John Warzel, was born in Leki Dolne, Poland in 1926. His school had to fit 40 children and my grandpa had to walk four kilometres to go to school each day. As a teen my grandpa worked on his Dad's farm. He had to stop going to school in Grade 7 because the Germans were attacking Poland. The Germans took over his school and made him learn German. Finally, it got too dangerous to go to school so he stopped. The German soldiers went to his house one day and took him away to dig trenches for the German soldiers to hide in. He was held in a camp. One day there were only two guards on duty and my grandpa saw a split in the fence and knew he could fit through the fence, so when the guards weren't looking he ran through the split. He ran down a hill and through a ditch and the guards started to shoot at him. He lost his shoes because they got too heavy, wet and muddy. He ran to a far away train station. He got on a train and hid his feet because he was afraid someone would get suspicious and he would get caught again. After he got off the train he walked 60 kilometres home. My grandpa later joined the U.S. Army in Italy with the Polish Armed Forces. After the war ended, he went on a boat for 12 days and came to Halifax, NS. The boat ride was so bad he got very sick and said he would never go on a boat again and he hasn't! He ended up working on a farm for two years in Prince Albert, SK before moving to Red Lake, ON to work in a gold mine. After six years he decided to move to Winnipeg where he met my Grandma. He lived in Winnipeg the rest of his life where he enjoyed hanging out with his friends and gardening. John worked at Bellows Brothers and at Beaver Construction. He was also a member of the Polish Combatants Association. Thank you to the excellent staff at Seven Oaks Hospital, 5th Floor for their compassion and excellent care. You were able to treat our Dad with dignity and respect when he needed it most. Rosary will be said at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, April 26 with Mass of Christian Burial to be celebrated at 10:00 a.m. at Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Church, 341 Selkirk Ave. Interment will follow in Holy Ghost Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in John's memory to: The St. Amant Centre, which offers support to vulnerable persons with developmental disabilities, at 440 River Rd., Winnipeg, MB R2M 3Z9. CROPO FUNERAL CHAPEL 586-8044

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 23, 2011