JOHN GARRY SZKLARUK

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JOHN GARRY SZKLARUK
March 31, 1952 – November 13, 2022

It is with great sadness and a heavy heart that I announce the sudden, accidental passing of my husband and best friend on Lake Manitoba on Sunday, November 13, 2022.
John was born in Winnipeg on March 31, 1952 and grew up in the small town of St. Martin. While playing with his buddies on the only street in town, one could see that he had talent as a backcatcher in the game of fastball. Together, with his brother as pitcher, along with others in town, they formed a fastball team known as the Hijackers and delighted fans around the area at many fastball tournaments.
In early to mid-1970s, John showed a keen interest in Polaris snowmobiles and began competing in oval track racing throughout Manitoba culminating with being awarded Manitoba Driver of the Year in his racing category in 1976.
John attended Karpaty Elementary School and graduated from Gypsumville High School in 1971. His careers changed a few times during his life but he never left his home area. The first five winters of his life were spent on Lake Winnipeg where his parents did commercial fishing. As a teenager, he worked on the family farm and in his family's construction business as a caterpillar operator building roads in the area. After graduation, he started his own cattle farm on the homestead near Gypsumville where he resided until his passing. During this time, he also drove a school bus of high school students to Ashern from 1973 to 1976.
In the 1980s grain farming replaced cattle farming and later, an alfalfa/leaf cutter bee operation. This allowed more time for his first love, that of commercial fishing, which took him from Lake Manitoba (1974 to 1989), to Lake Winnipeg (1989 to 2007), and back to Lake Manitoba in the last few years, an occupation which spanned almost 50 years.
On June 29, 1974, John married me -Linda - his high school sweetheart. Together, we operated a restaurant/truck stop/gas station commonly known as Johnny's Esso from 1979 to 1994. This truckers' stop on Highway #6 became known for its delicious home cooked meals and friendly service.
Throughout summers, John spent many hours perfecting and manicuring the farmyard, massive garden, fruit trees, and a small nine hole golf course, as well as travelling in the motorhome throughout the northern USA and Western Canada. He also enjoyed cooking, with his specialty being fried pickerel. John was a very hard worker and a perfectionist in every endeavour he undertook.
Next to fishing was his love of travel. Together, we have visited every Caribbean island, travelled to many destinations in Mexico, Costa Rico, Panama, and Columbia, as well as enjoying numerous cruises and winter trips to Florida, Texas, and Arizona.
I, Linda, his wife of 48 years, am left to mourn his untimely passing with the support of our extended family and many friends, those relatives being: his mother-in-law Esther Michaniuk; sisters-in-law Shirley (Jim) Knowles and Debra (Bruce) Olender; nephew/godson Chad (Janyne) Szklaruk; nieces Kayla (Brian) Szklaruk, Kari (Matthew) Jordan, Nicole Lindell, April (Jimmy) Bejjani, and Tiffany (David) Bergin; great-nieces and nephew Kelsey and Kadence Lindell, Kemery Szklaruk, Haleigh and Max Jordan, Dior and Capri Bejjani; adult great-niece Tory Atkins, adult great-nephew Quaid Atkins; as well as many friends and relatives throughout Canada and the USA.
John was predeceased by his parents John and Mary Szklaruk, brother Bob Szklaruk, father-in-law Nick Michaniuk, and great-nephew Burke Szklaruk.
Thank you to everyone who had helped during this tragic time, especially honorary nephew Jason Budge for everything he has done during and after the rescue attempt, Bruce Olender, Derrick and Blaze Gould, Cody Helgason, Gypsumville RCMP and DNR for all of their assistance in the recovery effort. Thank you to family members and friends for their support and encouraging words at this time. Also, thank you to Anderson Family Funeral Home for attending the scene and taking care of all the arrangements. A plaque of remembrance will be placed at the St. Martin Cemetery at a future date. No funeral service will be held at this time, in keeping with John's wishes.
I, personally, wish I could thank Johnny once more for being a thoughtful and caring husband, a great companion, and a wonderful travelling partner for almost 50 years. May you rest in peace.

Arrangements entrusted to
ANDERSON FAMILY FUNERAL HOME
Ashern, MB 1 204 768 3606

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Nov 19, 2022