EDWARD CARL TACIUM

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EDWARD CARL (TED) TACIUM November 15, 1921 - June 14, 2016 We are sad to announce that our beloved father, husband, grandfather and uncle, passed away at the age of 94, on Tuesday, June 14. Edward leaves in mourning, his wife of 63 years, Dorothy; his son David; daughter Debra; and grandsons, Joel and Zachary; nephews, Edward and John; nieces, Patricia and Susan; grand-nephew Johnny and grand-niece Ashley. He was predeceased by his son Kenneth, in 2012; his niece Sandra; and his sisters, Stefania (Stella) and Helen. Ted was born in 1921, in the town of Nysmychi, near L'viv (Ukraine), the eldest child of Aleksandra and Piotr Taciun. In 1934, the family, with three school-aged children, immigrated to Canada aboard the HMS Montcalm and settled initially in Edison and Raith, and eventually in Fort William, Thunder Bay. Ted was a slight, but handsome young man who was anxious to join the Armed Forces at the start of the Second World War. He was turned away from the Royal Canadian Air Force because of his youthful appearance. He managed to join the Canadian Army, Ontario Regiment, in 1940, and after training at Camp Borden, was initially stationed in Brighton, England. As a member of a tank regiment, he landed in Sicily and moved along with the Armed Forces through Italy in 1944, stopping in places such as Lanciano, Campobasso and Tornareccio, and eventually participating in the liberation of the Netherlands at the end of the war. In later years, he read voraciously on the campaigns he witnessed, studying regiment manoeuvres and military tactics as if trying to make sense of everything he had been through during those formative years, but never had a taste for war nostalgia or commemorations. He always maintained that he had no quarrels with anyone and believed that wars, at best nothing more than a series of missteps and pointless adventures, were the evidence of human inability to deal intelligently with pressures. Ted's instincts were always aligned against power. He said more than once that it was important to be skeptical of history, because it is inevitably written by the winners. Upon his return from the war, with thousands of other young soldiers, Ted realized that his future depended on obtaining a good education. Despite his interest and brilliant memory for history and geography, he chose to study in scientific fields and obtained a BSc in Chemistry from the University of Manitoba in 1952. That was the same year he married Dorothy Guyatt, a young nurse, also from Fort William. Ted worked for a few months at the pulp and paper mills in Thunder Bay, but the odours and chemicals made him violently ill. He found an opportunity to apprentice as a land surveyor, a technical profession that took him out into the fresh air, exploring many out-of-the-way locations in all seasons of the year. He never mustered enthusiasm for recreational camping after spending weeks in a tent during several winters. Summers weren't much better; there were clouds of mosquitos and black flies. He worked for several years with R.S. Kirkup & Son and led various teams of less than reliable assistants in expeditions through unmarked forests and muskeg, and never once lost his bearings. He spent many years taking detailed measurements of land in northern Ontario, Manitoba and Saskatchewan, and was eventually hired by the surveying department of Canadian National Railways in Winnipeg. He moved there with Dorothy and his two sons in 1967. Ted was a quietly devoted father who enjoyed many years of hockey with his sons. He never missed a game, and was their most devoted fan. He served as team manager with the St. Boniface Riels for a few years. When his daughter joined a local gymnastics club, he helped build and install various apparatus. In 1979, Kenneth suffered a catastrophic car accident near Falcon Lake. Ted was devastated, but worked tirelessly to secure all the support he needed to return to school and build a new life. When Ken graduated from law school in 1986, Ted was his right-hand man, assisting him in setting up a practice from home and delivering documents to firms and other locations throughout the city. After suffering a serious heart attack following his retirement in 1988, Ted made adjustments to his diet and lifestyle, and was able to enjoy many years of good health and sports activities, even returning to part-time surveying in more enjoyable weather. He took every opportunity to survey areas around Lake of the Woods, where he would sometimes go fishing with friends. Summer was for golfing and winter was for curling. He also loved travelling by car through Northern Ontario with David to visit his grandsons in Quebec. He took long walks through the streets of Montreal, as well as in the countryside. As he entered his 90's, his health and eyesight were in severe decline, and he underwent a series of delicate surgeries to his eyes and skin. Nevertheless, he travelled even as recently as last year to attend the school awards ceremonies of both grandsons, and was delighted to see the oldest receive the Governor General's Award. After such a long and full life, we grieve deeply our loss of a husband, father and grandfather who devoted so much of himself to making the way easier for his children and grandchildren, and still remaining true to his own pursuits. We miss his gentle teasing and sense of humour that always hit the mark, his belief that a true education is the responsibility of both those in charge, as well as each individual, his stories from the past that most often ended up in confusion because he wanted to get each detail completely and indisputably right, and everything in the correct order. We wish we could have had even more of him, and that he could still enjoy the beauty of the outdoors in places that were dear to him. We send a special thank you to the nurses and staff at Victoria General Hospital for the care Ted received. According to his wishes, there will be no funeral. The family will be holding a private memorial service at a later date. Family and friends may sign a book of condolences at glenlawn.ca Glen Lawn Funeral Home 204-982-7550

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 18, 2016