Obituary of John Kazmerik
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Our beloved father, John Kazmerik, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 1, 2024 at Holy Family Home in Winnipeg, at the age of 96. John was born on October 17, 1927 in Elk Ranch, Manitoba, the son of Peter and Annie Kazmerik. He was the third youngest of ten children. At age seven, his family moved to Neepawa.
At an early age he started working in the grocery business and later learned the meat cutting trade at Orchards and Burgess stores. He joined Canada Safeway in 1948 working and managing meat departments in Neepawa, Winnipeg, Dauphin, Minnedosa and Brandon. In 1959 he was promoted to store manager and continued working at Safeway until his retirement in 1987.
He met Jessie Wiun when he spotted her on the dance floor in Dauphin. They married in July 1953. After welcoming their first child Brian in Winnipeg, they settled in Brandon. John took pride in building the family home on 25th Street with the help of his father. John and Jessie added to their family with two daughters Kathy and Trish. He was a very hard worker and self-taught carpenter renovating the cottage in Killarney and a rental house while raising his family. John was a member of The Knights of Columbus, Kiwanis Club, and the St. Mary’s Men’s Club. In 1974, he purchased a small farm 24 miles north of Brandon. John had never farmed but loved the challenge of grain farming with older equipment and the advice of his neighboring farmers and help of his relatives. He enjoyed many successful years hobby farming until he sold the farm in 2016.
In his free time, he found pleasure in playing golf, hockey, spending time with family and friends, and dancing at every opportunity. Later in life, he enjoyed time with his grandchildren and continued gardening and cooking. Most days he could be found with friends discussing daily news and events over coffee.
He was predeceased by his beloved wife, Jessie of 56 years in 2010, his sisters Jenny Kelunick (Nick), Kay (Peter) Kozak, Alice (Fred)Kozak, Mary (John) Kozak, Lena (Stan) Grasky, and brothers Bill (Kathleen), Mike (Lena), and Nick. John will be lovingly remembered by his sister Paulina Antoniuk (Tony); his children, Brian (Lisa), Kathy (Dan) Lepard, Trish (Kevin) McBeth; grandchildren Katrice Kazmerik (Derek Schmidtke), Alexandria Kazmerik, Nathan Lepard, and great grand child Luke Schmidtke. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Anne Wiun and many nieces and nephews
A Funeral service and reception will be held at Brockie Donovan Chapel, 332-8th Street, on Wednesday, April 10, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. with interment to follow at Brandon Cemetery. Flowers are gratefully declined. Donations in memory of John may be made to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Canada 1200-2300 Yonge Str., Box 2414 Toronto, ON M4P 1E4. The family wishes to extend their heartfelt gratitude to the staff at Holy Family Home for their compassionate care.
