TONY PUHACH

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TONY PUHACH April 27, 1913 - December 3, 2004 Another Canadian who was born in a log cabin heated by a woodstove and who lived to travel in jet aircraft and fuel injected cars, Tony Puhach passed away at the McCreary/Alonsa Regional Health Centre in McCreary, MB on Friday, December 3, 2004 in his 92nd year. Tony was the first born of new Canadian migrants, the late John and Irene Puhach of the Glenhope district located between McCreary and Alonsa, MB. As was custom at the time, Tony left a one roomed school and worked with his father on the homestead quarter section using oxen. Eventually horses were purchased and finally a Case tractor during the Second World War. The family, with brothers and sisters, moved to a nearby farm with better land. This for years was known to us as Babas place. With conscription in the Second World War, Uncle Tony joined the Canadian Army and served on the west coast, training for a suspected invasion. A medical disability which continued to plague him for the rest of his life resulted in his discharge prior to the end of the war. A short return to farming with his parents led to other opportunities. Tony moved to Winnipeg in 1950 and found employment in service. He started to drive for Simkins Fuel, and as the firm expanded, drove gravel trucks as Riding Mountain National Park expanded. Simkins continued in construction and Tony followed, operating equipment, building bridges and the Trans Canada Highway as far east as Vermillion Bay. He continued developing Canadas mid North as Simkins expanded to BACM. He built roads into the uranium development of mid North Saskatchewan and helped construct the infrastructure and hydro electric dams of the Gillam area. We Canadians continue to benefit from his and others toil. Tony retired at the age of 60 and spent many years helping his sister Katie and his mother in their final years. He paid all expenses for their travels to Ukraine and the west coast and enjoyed the memories and pictures of those trips. In later years he enjoyed fishing locally and at The Pas, as well as gardening. His Master Angler award is a testament to his fishing prowess. He always went back to his Ukrainian heritage from Europe when he continued to pick mushrooms (hoobe) and berries in "the bush". We still laugh about the story of the liquid "pidpanki". Left to mourn his loss are brothers, Mike and Steve; sisters, Eva and Mary; numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents John and Irene; brother Nick; sisters, Katherine, Katie and Anne and by his highly thought of brother-in-law Bart Kobar. Prayers will be held at the Dobchuk-Anderson Funeral Home in McCreary on Monday, December 6 at 7:30 p.m. Funeral mass will be held at St. Marys Ukrainian Catholic Church in Glenhope on Tuesday, December 7 at 10:30 a.m. Interment to follow in Glenhope Cemetery. The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff at Mountainview Home in McCreary and the McCreary/Alonsa Regional Health Centre with a special thank you to Michelle Roncin who provided Tony with extra care and attention. Dobchuk-Anderson Funeral Home of McCreary was entrusted with funeral arrangements. Telephone (204) 835-2004.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Dec 05, 2004