PAUL NEDOKIS

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

PAUL NEDOKIS Surrounded by family, our husband / father peacefully passed away at age 86 on January 7, 2016 after a short battle with cancer. Dad is survived by his wife of 56 years, Grace, children Rob (Julie), Colleen, Kelvin and Karen (Larry), brothers Ron (Bev), Norm (Sandra), and grandchildren, Tyler, Spence, Nate and Matt. He was predeceased by his parents Nicholas and Mary. Dad retired from Manitoba Hydro after 30+ years as an Engineering Technician, in the drafting and design division. Dad was an outgoing, gregarious fellow who made friends easily and treated all people equally. He was an active man, full of vitality. Whether it was having fun putting a top spin on his tennis serve, cross-country skiing in St. Vital Park, canoeing through La Barriere Park, going for long walks, puttering around the yard or watching a good movie, he embraced it all. Dad was handy with his hands and could build or fix anything with scrap material lying around. He was an ardent fan of Big Band and Jazz music, especially playing his Buffet clarinet and Selmer sax, which could be heard throughout the neighbourhood. He passed his love for music to his children. Then there were the family trips, which we will forever remember and cherish. Dad was most known for his lifelong photography passion. Though recognized for the countless weddings he took pictures of, he was most happy immortalizing on print, all that he saw as he hiked through early morning woods, late afternoon fields and evening lookouts, capturing flora and fauna, breathtaking clouds, gnarled trees, unique sunsets, trembling wildflowers, weathered barns and even outhouses. He called it Painting with Light, like his hero Ansel Adams, and that is what Dad did in his darkroom hideaway, making magic, some of which he won awards for. He was given the title of The Loni Beach Shutterbug at our cottage in Loni Beach, Gimli by the locals because he was always seen with his prized Leica or Hasselblad around his neck or on a tripod. Dad enjoyed 50 plus years at the cottage, where the family enjoyed quality time, living the rustic summers on Lake Winnipeg, and where the town / surrounding countryside were an inspiration for his photo exploits. Though not spiritual, Dad was an avid reader of world history. We will remember our father for his infectious humour and his love for a good joke, laughing at himself as well as everyone else, grinning from ear to ear! A private family gathering will be held at a later date to celebrate Dad's life.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 16, 2016