MICHAEL YASCHUK (MIKE)

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MICHAEL YASCHUK

It is with deep sorrow and heavy hearts that we say goodbye to Mike Yaschuk after his struggles with dementia on Friday, August 7, 2020 at the age of 97.
Mike did not walk softly on this earth but lived an adventure we all admired.
Born November 5, 1922 in Ituna, Saskatchewan the only child of John and Ann. They moved to Winnipeg living life on the Prairies in the 1930s.
Mike had a lifelong passion for hockey which saw him win the MJHL scoring title in 1942-43 with the St. Boniface Athletics. He played two years before answering the call to duty to serve on the H.M.C.S. Runnymede in the Second World War. Anyone who spent time with Mike would have heard the stories of many cold days spent on the ocean wondering where the enemy might be. He was always very proud to have served the country he loved, it showed he had the right stuff and stood tall for his beliefs.
Upon returning to Canada, after the war, Mike went on to play for the Winnipeg Reo Flyers. His motto should have been 'have skates, will travel' as he later played with the Saskatoon Quakers and then to London, UK to play for the English National League champions Streatham in 1949-50.
Settling down in Winnipeg, he married Aileen and raised a family with her while working first for North Star Oil which later became Shell Oil. He had a lengthy career in which he became Plant Superintendent of the Blending and Lubricants Plant on Archibald Street. If he wasn't playing hockey, working or spending time with the family, he was on the golf course. As a lifelong member of the St. Boniface Golf Club, he served on the Executive Board and became President in 1968.
When his playing days were over, he turned to coaching, spending 12 years coaching midget and juvenile at the Falcon Community Club in Norwood. In 1967 he and friend Aime Allaire co-founded the St. Boniface Mohawks Senior Hockey Team. The team had a long and proud history in Canadian senior hockey winning several Western Championships and runners up to two Allan Cups. As a result of many years stoking the fires of hockey, Mike was inducted into the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame. Mike continued to skate with longtime friends on the Winnipeg Steelers Hockey Club until he was 95 years old. He truly loved these guys as they too loved the "Coach".
Mike suffered and survived many great losses along the way. In 1989 his wife of 41 years, Aileen (Hanley) passed away from heart complications. Mike was also predeceased by his son Bill (2006), his companion from 1995, Ethel Drinnan (2009) and his daughter Christie Gershman (2015).
Mike is survived by his daughter Heather and son Don. He had nine grandchildren, Heather and Dave's children, Josh, Brittany and Braden, Don and Carol's children, Rick and Steve, and the children of his deceased daughter Christie and husband Greg, Don, Ashlee, Chelsee and Jordan. Additionally, Mike had four great-grandchildren, Josh and Cheryl's daughter Scarlett, Brittany and Thomas' daughter Charlotte and Chelsee, and Stephen's children, Keaton and Priya.
We would like to thank Sharon and Dr. Sen who made these last two years as comfortable as possible. Special thanks to Carol, Bradley, Rick and Steve who made possible Mike's wish to remain in his home with his family.
In keeping with Mike's wishes, cremation has taken place and a service will be held at Coutu Funeral Chapel on Saturday, September 5, 2020 at 11:30 a.m. and interment to follow at St. Boniface Cemetery.
The service is open to the public with social distancing in accordance with provincial regulations. A strict limit of 50 people is allowed in the funeral chapel.
Livestreaming of the service will be available by logging onto E.J. Coutu Funeral Home Facebook page and joining the livestream video.
The family requests that in honour of Mike's memory, that the attendees wear a hockey jersey of their choosing to respect Mike's lifelong passion for the game and the family will be doing so.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Manitoba Down Syndrome Society.

E.J. COUTU & CO. FUNERAL DIRECTORS
680 Archibald Street
204-253-5086
ejcoutu.ca

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 15, 2020