- Winnipeg Free Press Passages
- All Titles
Search:
Notices are posted by 10 am Monday through Saturday
JOSEF KRAWAT
Surrounded by his family, Josef Krawat passed away after a short battle with cancer on December 28, 2025. He was 92 years old.
Born in Backa Palanka (former Yugoslavia), Joe had an incredible life story of survival, love for family, and the pursuit of a better existence.
Immigrating from Austria to Canada in 1952 at 19 years of age he embraced the advantages given to him at a chance to be Canadian.
He found love (twice actually), sacrificed to build a strong family, contributed to his community, and along side of a generation of immigrants helped forge a nation with his ethic, skill and dedication.
He loved to fish, he loved to bowl, if it had an engine he could make it run, and he was unquestionably our family's best dancer. In all, the man never quit any task he set his mind on doing.
In addition to his many gifts, his gift of languages may have been his most impressive. Not sure he could pass a high school equivalency for any of them, but he was certainly fluent in three and very capable in at least three more. The love of languages was closely tied to his love of people. He relished the opportunity to meet people both here and from around the world. When he did, odds were he would have something deeply in common with his new acquaintance.
People were his currency, and he was wealthy because if it.
His 36 years of service to the Canadian Pacific Railway provided him incredible skills, lifelong friends and the means to make the rest of his dreams come true.
Early in his marriage Joe and Stacy raised a family on Newman Ave. in Transcona, and he would reflect on it as being the best time of his life. They would later build a dream home in St. Andrews that allowed him the time and space to play with cars and enjoy his garden.
When his kids had grown and his wife was taken by cancer he had the courage to find a second love. Together they marvelled in his grandchildren, they adopted each others families, they travelled, they danced, and were inseparable until the end.
He is survived by his immediate family both here and abroad.
A private Celebration of Life will be held at a later date.
Sincerest gratitude to the incredible doctors and staff of the St. Boniface Hospital Palliative Care ward.
In lieu of flowers, donations could be made to a charity of your choice, take a friend to dinner, spoil your grandkids, or help someone in need!
As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 03, 2026
Condolences & Memories (1 entries)
-
Dear Tony, Roberta and family, Please accept our sincere condolences. We always enjoyed visiting with your Dad. He expressed genuine sincerity, care and love in his thought and word. Our last visit with your Dad was at our Uncle Ernie’s Funeral a little more than a year and a half ago. May memories of your Dad give you a measure of comfort now and in times ahead. Love and Hugs to you all!❤️❤️ - Posted by: Ed & Betty Budz (Uncle & Aunt) on: Jan 08, 2026