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| In Loving Memory of Kas Yaskowich Feb 23, 1923 - Jan 22, 2000 |
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| My father was a loving and gentleman. He will always hold a special place in our hearts. |
| His eulogy, delivered by my son-in-law, just skims the surface of how much he was cherished. |
| The word eulogy comes from the Greek word praise. And anyone who knew Kas Yaskowich, "Papa" had nothing but praise for him. |
| My name is Jim Murphy and I am honoured as the husband of his eldest grandchild, to read to you today the words of his family about the man we all loved. |
| Heaven smiled upon the earth, February 23, 1923 when Kas was born on the family homestead in Wynyard Saskatchewan. He loved his life on the farm and during his growing up years with his four brothers and three sisters, his parents instilled in him, the love of God and family. |
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| Frank and Anastasia Yaskowich (his parents) He would carry these deep-rooted values with him throughout his life, passing them on to his children and grandchildren. |
| Kas was known as a "gentle man" in every sense of the word. As a young man playing league baseball his sportsmanship shone through. His honor of providing for the family carried over to the sport of hunting which he loved to do. That is until he brought home a good-sized buck and a young Chris and Debbie cried that he had shot" Bambi." |
| His honor of duty to his country had him try to enlist when he was too young to do so, after he lost his older brother, Walter during W.W.II. So after being refused, he left the farm to work at Ontario's Sudbury Nickel Mine to help the war effort. |
| He returned to the farm and family, and enjoyed the life of a single fellow during his twenties. Nearing thirty it seemed he attending everyone else's wedding. But at one wedding for his sister-in-law, Bertha Yaskowich's sister, Adeline,-Bertha, was married to his brother Felix, he meta beautiful city girl he would make his bride. Rose Grodecki was raised in Wynyard but had moved to Winnipeg and returned to attend her brother's wedding. Kas wove his charm on her too and after a sweet courtship convinced her to make their long distance romance into a loving marriage. They were wed in Wynyard on July 31, 1954. |
| He began his family of three daughters with Chris and eighteen months later, Debbie before moving the family to Manitoba. |
| The move to the big city of Winnipeg saw his new career in barbering flourish and within a few years came the arrival of his youngest girl, Geri. There many trips back to the farm for visits which will be fondly remembered. Those six hour car trips were filled with family fun and the occasional complaint from his girls. Like - "How much longer till we get there Daddy" and "I have to go to the bathroom" to which he would teasing laugh and say, "I wish we had had boys so it wouldn't mean a twenty minute stop, Rose!" � |
| There is a touching story of Kas' compassion for children. A compassion that extended beyond his own family. Being much admired for his skills as a barber, a single mother of four regularly brought her three boys some distance to him for haircuts. For their good behavior in the barbershop, she would treat them all to a donut afterwards. One time, when they had come in, the fourth boy, just a toddler, had pleaded to get a hair cut too. The mother said to the other boys that if their baby brother got his haircut there would be no money for the donuts after. The four sad faces were too much for Papa. He told the lady to take the boys and go for the donuts and he would cut the little ones hair free. Grateful, she returned with a donut for him too and four handsome boys left the shop with smiles on their faces. |
| As the girls grew so did his patience and understanding of living in a house filled with women. From frilly little girl dresses to wedding dresses he was as doting and proud as any father could be. � |
| After nearly twenty years barbering, Kas took on a new career working for the Kamloops School District as a custodial engineer. He would come home and often share a humorous story of what happened at school and loved to feel that the kids needed him. He made many friends of co-workers and teachers alike. Bruno was a co-worker who once had asked him to help fix a lawnmower he was unable to get running. Papa loved a Mr. Fix-it challenge at the best of times, and took the mower home over the weekend. Bruno was so thrilled to have it back working like a charm that he gave him a huge jug of homemade Italian wine from his own private stock. |
| �Papa's fate of a peaceful retirement was cut short by the discovery of a large tumor on his brain which caused his blindness. It and compounded diagnosis of diabetes and heart problems would eventually lead to his long-term residency at Ponderosa Lodge and then finally, for the last couple of years at Overlander Extended Care Hospital. He leaves many nurses and caregivers that have all expressed their sadness of our loss and who will miss him dearly. |
| Papa was a shinning example for any man to follow. For in his foots steps you would become a devoted and loving husband. You could not help to then be a wonderful teacher for your children to cherish with all your being. And the reward would be you could boast of perfect grandchildren as he so often did of his. |
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| Papa and his grandkids and only great grandchild So don't be sad when you remember him. God gave him a heavy cross to bear at the end. A cross to teach us how important it to have compassion for those with handicaps. To help us fully understand that faith in God will make that burden less of a load and that love never dies, for our love for him will remain forever in our hearts. |
| We Love You Papa. God Bless you and rest in peace. � |
| We all struggle with the loss of a loved one and we all find strength to go on. Click the cross to read about how faith and love saw me through my father's death. |
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| Read a poem I wrote in my father's honor. |
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