PETER J. OLCHOWECKI

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PETER JACOB OLCHOWECKI Suddenly but peacefully on Friday, December 16, 2011, Peter (PJ) Olchowecki of Winnipeg passed away at the Concordia Hospital at the age of 100, with his nurse, Marie, by his side and his family near. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Anne (Dykun); his daughter, Mary Anne of Winnipeg; one brother, Alex (Victoria) of Saltspring Island, BC; his Aunt Lena Tesarski of Rainy River, ON; and many nieces and nephews. Peter was predeceased by his parents, Jacob and Frances (Monastyrski), who emigrated from Western Ukraine in the early 1900s; his sisters, Helen Beyak (Matt) and Jean Stark; and his brothers, Paul (Marjorie), Roman, Sam, and Michael. Peter was born July 29, 1911, in Winnipeg's North End and raised on a farm in the Lonesand/Sandilands area of MB. He attended high school at Gordon Bell and Kelvin in Winnipeg, and graduated from Normal school in Brandon. He began his 37-year teaching career in Dallas and taught throughout rural MB, becoming principal at Purple Bank High in Gardenton, St. Andrew's High, and Shevchenko Collegiate in Vita. He started to attend summer and weekend classes at the University of Manitoba and achieved his B.Ped., B.Sc., and B.Ed.. In 1961 he moved to Winnipeg and taught at River East Collegiate until he retired in 1974. Throughout his life, Peter was an active member of his local Ukrainian communities and organizations. In his early years, armed with his natural leadership abilities, sense of humour and his mandolin, he led choirs, taught dancing, organized concerts and C.Y.M.K. jamborees, and ran a movie theatre. He was a terrific pitcher and coached local baseball teams. During his later years in Winnipeg, he served on the Executive Committee of Ukrainian Canadian Congress and was president of the Ukrainian National Home for several years. Peter was a long time member of the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral and served in many capacities, including two years as president. Most recently he joined the Sons of Ukrainian Pioneers (SOUP Club) and very much enjoyed attending their monthly luncheon meetings. After he retired, he periodically continued to teach night school and as a private math tutor. Always interested in his roots, he travelled to Ukraine and was able to meet the distant family members that he had regularly corresponded with. He was an avid reader and gardener, loved going into the forest to pick wild berries and mushrooms, and learned the arts of beekeeping and grafting. He was devoted to his family and friends. Prayers will be sung 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 27 at Korban Funeral Chapel, 907 Main Street. Funeral services will be held 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, December 28 at the Holy Trinity Ukrainian Orthodox Metropolitan Cathedral, 1175 Main St. Interment will follow in Glen Eden Cemetery. Officiating will be Very Rev. G. Mielnik, assisted by Rt. Rev. J. Melnyk. The family extends their gratitude to the health care professionals who truly cared for and about Peter, including those from Home Care, at the Poseidon Care Center and at the Kildonan Personal Care Center, but especially to those at the Concordia Hospital for their outstanding performance in his final days as well as during his previous hospitalizations. Our beloved Husband and Tato, we will miss you dearly. VICHNAYA PAMYAT KORBAN FUNERAL CHAPEL 204-956-2193
Run Date: Dec 24, 2011

PETER J. OLCHOWECKI Suddenly, but peacefully, on Friday, December 16, 2011 at Concordia Hospital, Peter Olchowecki, beloved husband of Anne and father of MaryAnne. Prayers will be sung 7:00 p.m. Tuesday, December 27 at Korban Funeral Chapel, 907 Main St. Funeral service will be held 11:00 a.m. Wednesday, December 28 at the Holy Trinity Metropolitan Cathedral, 1175 Main St. Interment will follow in Glen Eden Cemetery. Further obituary to follow on Saturday, December 24. KORBAN FUNERAL CHAPEL 204-956-2193
Run Date: Dec 21, 2011

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 24, 2011