Louis KURCHABA

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KURCHABA: Louis. With deep sadness, the family and friends of Louis Kurchaba of Rossburn, MB, announce his passing at the Rossburn District Health Centre on Thursday, October 24, 2013 at the age of 86. Louis was born at Seech, Manitoba on August 16, 1927. He was the second youngest of eight children of Peter and Annie (nee Karasevich) Kurchaba. His family farmed, raised horses, operated a Post Office and had the first telephone pay station at Seech. Louis attended public school from grade one to nine, then attended Oakburn High School for three years to complete his high school education. After grade 12 he took the six-week teaching course and went to teach at Shell Valley near Roblin, Manitoba. His salary for the entire year was $900. After the permit teaching experience, he attended Normal School in Winnipeg. Following graduation, Louis taught at St. Martin, MB, but his next school brought him back home to Seech, where he taught for nine years. He then went to teach high school in Inglis, Manitoba, but in order to do this he needed to upgrade his education. Through summer school and correspondence he worked for 12 years to achieve his Bachelor of Arts from the University of Manitoba and a Bachelor of Education from Brandon University. He taught at Inglis for six years until the high school closed. His next position was in Rossburn at the Rossburn Collegiate. This is where he taught until he retired in 1984. He was proud of his 37-year teaching career and was a gifted teacher. He used every opportunity he could to explain and demonstrate concepts so that his students (whether official or not!) could grasp the idea. Louis thought that knowledge was power and always tried to keep informed on local, national and international news. He was a lifelong learner and an avid reader; he always had a stack of books, magazines and newspapers by his side. Louis married Phyllis Prosak in June 1961 and together they raised three children – Marilyn, Bernice and Jason in the home that they built in 1965 in Rossburn on Sprucewood Avenue. Louis lived an active life professionally and personally. In addition to teaching, Louis and Phyllis opened LPK Enterprises in 1979, a clothing and shoe store just off Main Street in Rossburn. They later sold the store to their daughter Marilyn and her husband Garry. Louis spent a great deal of time volunteering; he sat on numerous boards and committees and he loved politics. He was councillor for the Town of Rossburn from 1970 - 1971 and again from 1992 - 1998, he then became Mayor in 1971 and served for six years and was then re-elected in 1980 and served until 1986. He was a member of the Rossburn Lions Club for 45 years, he served on the Rossburn Hospital Board, the Rossburn Credit Union board and the Lions Manor. He also worked with the Ukrainian National Home, St. Eliah Ukrainian Orthodox Church, the Assiniboine Regional Health Authority, the Parkland Ukrainian Association, the Rink Committee and on the board for the Agri-Rec Centre. He was very proud to be part of a number of major projects such as the building of the Rossburn District Health Centre, the refurbishing of the buddas, many improvements within the town of Rossburn such as the beautification of downtown, repaving of the streets and sidewalks, building an addition to the town hall etc., plus the building of the new Agri-Rec Centre. In addition to his community service work he was a philanthropist, donating to many organizations that he believed in. Curling was his main sport and he loved to play pool, but in his younger years he also enjoyed golf and a good game of baseball. He also took pleasure in fishing and hunting and spent a lot of time in the great outdoors with his son, Jason, hunting ducks, geese, partridge, deer and elk. Louis also liked to travel. Phyllis and Louis took a number of trips across Canada, both east and west as a couple and as a family. They also went to California and on a three-week trip to the Ukraine in 1992. Louis was very proud of his Ukrainian heritage and tried to uphold as many traditions and customs as possible. He was also devoted to the church and his religion. Potatoes, potatoes, potatoes – what would life have been like without them? Louis thoroughly enjoyed gardening and filling the potato bin every year with big, plump potatoes. He also loved going picking with Phyllis and Marilyn – they were always on the hunt for hazelnuts, wild strawberries, saskatoons, pidpenky or shmorzhee! Farming was always a big part of Louis’ life and he liked going a daily tour to Bernice’s farm to see what her and her family were up to or to Seech to tinker and check things out. He usually made pits stops along the way at either Jerry’s or Alex’s or at one of the neighbours, but always at Olha. He also liked to take along one of the kids whenever he could, because there was always, always a stone or two to be picked! Louis was also very busy helping people – whether that was filling out income tax or some other form or translating documents from Ukrainain to English or English to Ukrainian. You just never knew what sort of project he was working on. While he enjoyed doing so many things, there’s a good chance that playing cards was his real passion. Crib, Holla (Seven’s) or King Pedro would be played ‘til the wee hours of the morning! It’s a good thing he never really got into playing poker or a lot people would have lost a lot of money. Louis is likely best known for his storytelling. He could tell stories from the old days like no other and had a real knack for making people laugh. He seemed to always have a joke in his back pocket that was appropriate for every situation. Louis lived life to the fullest and loved to spend time with family, especially with the love of his life, Phyllis. He welcomed his son-in-laws’ Garry and Brian and daughter-in-law Wanda to the family with open arms. He was extremely proud of his 11 grandchildren. He was an awesome role model for them and tried to enrich their lives as much as he could. He loved what he did and shared his passions with everyone as much as possible. Louis is predeceased by his parents, Peter and Annie and his seven siblings – Stella, Mike, Nick, Joe, Marjorie, George and Lena. He is survived by his devoted and loving wife, Phyllis of more than 52 years; his daughter Marilyn, her husband Garry Sabeski and their three sons – Daniel (special friend Bailey), Mikal (special friend Tajia) and Steven; his daughter Bernice, her husband Brian Schaworski and their children – Lanaya, Tayler, Kyle, Clayton, Travis and Dawson; his son Jason, his wife Wanda (nee Salyn) and their daughters – Mikayla and Marayna. He also leaves many special sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews, neighbours and friends. A funeral service was held with Rt. Rev. Skrumeda on Monday, October 28, 2013 at St. Eliah Ukrainian Orthodox Church in Rossburn. His seven grandsons were the pallbearers and cross bearer: Daniel Sabeski, Mikal Sabeski, Kyle Schaworski, Steven Sabeski, Clayton Schaworski, Travis Schaworski and Dawson Schaworski. Rt. Rev. Skrumeda read the eulogy. Interment followed in the Parish Cemetery. A prayers service was held on Sunday evening at 7:00 p.m. at the Rossburn Town Hall. Vichnaya Pam’yat.We’ve lost a good man and our world won’t be the samewithout him, but the next world has gained a great soul…Rae’s Funeral Service of Shoal Lake and Erickson were in care of the arrangements.

As published in Brandon Sun on Nov 02, 2013