Obituary for
Victor Rubuliak
Victor was the last addition to the large farming family of Steve and Mary Rubuliak who as immigrants, labored to earn a living from their land located between the town of Smoky Lake, Alberta and the North Saskatchewan River.
He attended Ruthenia School as did his siblings and began farming in earnest as a young man. He worked several winters in logging camps to earn extra cash with which he bought his first new car. Victor also worked on a county road construction crew for a number of years; with the skill of being able to « eyeball » where the ground should be shaved or built up for proper drainage, he was considered a real asset to his foreman. Baseball was his favorite sport, and he played on the town team.
Over the years, Victor farmed nearly every imaginable grain crop and raised beef cattle, hogs, chickens and other fowl in addition to cutting timber for his small sawmill operation.
Though he never married or had children of his own, Vic was a well-known uncle to all his nieces and nephews, and later to their children. A weekend trip to Victor’s farm was an adventure for kids of any age. A common thread through the years was his famous vegetable gardening skills. Victor’s tomatoes had so much flavor that when compared to those from the grocery store, it was no contest. He prepared his own preserves and pickles each year for the upcoming winter and cut up twelve or thirteen truckloads of wood to heat his home; Vic was no stranger to hard work. Calving solo in February at minus 35 degrees takes a rare sort of man. Over the last 15 years, Vic scaled back his farming operation and focused on his gardening and egg production.
Vic appreciated his local farm friends. He could depend on them and they him for help any time of the day or night. Glen, Al, Kevin, and the guys from the Smoky Lake Colony, who often did combining for him, were all a part of his circle.
When his health deteriorated to the point where his « rustic » lifestyle was no longer feasible, he sold his farms and moved into town where he resided at the Bar-V-Nook Manor until his death.
It was hard for him to leave the land, but he adjusted well. His large new TV, hot shower and regular visits from niece Betty saw to that. Victor struggled with the decision to treat his cancer which was diagnosed last year, but once he decided to go for it, he fought hard, endured much discomfort, and was able to see it through.
He will be remembered as a gentle man, often of few words, who loved his animals (especially the cats that lived under the house) and was content to live in solitude. On days when the chores were done, and the weather was fair, he would drive down to the River Farm and sit on the bank just to watch the water flow by.
The river continues to flow, and the spirit of the farmer is there still.
Order Flowers
Nos plus sincères sympathies à la famille et aux amis de Victor
Rubuliak 2021..
Décès pour la Ville: Edmonton, Province: Alberta