Parcourez la nécrologie de Stanislaw Skadorwa July 10 1930
August 10 2023 résidant dans la province Ontario pour le détail des funérailles
In Celebration of
Stanislaw Skadorwa
July 10, 1930 –
August 10, 2023
With deep sadness, we wish to share with our family and friends that our dear Father and Grandfather Stanislaw (Stan; Stasziu; Staszek) died in his 93rd year at Copernicus Lodge
Stanislaw Skadorwa was born on the 10th of July 1930 in the settlement of Ireniewo, community of Wiszniew, county of Wolozyn, province of Nowogrodzkie in the eastern Kresy Region of Poland. He was the sixth of nine children born to Jozef and Ludwika Skadorwa (nee Kosobucka). One child died at birth and the youngest daughter, Janina, died in a labour camp in Siberia. Dad is predeceased by his parents and siblings Jadwiga, Helena, Janusz, Marysia, Tomasz, and Edek. He leaves behind his beloved wife of 65 years, Kazimiera Skadorwa, his children Marek (Julie) and Krysia (Paul). He was the proud Dziadzia of Katrina (Andrew), Alastair (Lianna), Andrew (Jessica), Eric (Melinda) and Monika (Nathan).
Prior to World War II, Dad and his siblings lived an idyllic childhood on the family farm, other than his first brush with death when he was run over by a team of horses and wagon. He was in a coma for two weeks but pulled through. In 1940 the farm was confiscated, and the family was forcibly deported to a Siberian labour camp, by the Russians. They were among the 1.7 million Polish people living in Eastern Poland who suffered this fate. The family was forced to fell trees and lived with constant starvation. With the dissolution of Soviet-Nazi co-operation, and Russia desperate for help, the family was able to leave and make their way through Karachi (then India), the Middle East, and the Persian Gulf towards the Polish Free Army.
Travelling through Isfahan, Tehran and East Africa, Dad ended up in the Abercorn refugee camp in northern Rhodesia (now Zambia). His father and oldest brother had by then left to join the English army and cadets, respectively. Dad spent five years in the camp and attended Polish School, played soccer, swam, and joined the Polish Boy Scouts. Dad always recalled those years with great fondness and often spoke of the natural beauty of the country and the jungle he so loved to spend time in. He made many lifelong friends while at Abercorn. These families shared similar histories and are important to our family to this day. The Krupa, Palimaka, Kiernicki, Staniszewski, Kurys and Galaszynski families became our family. Our childhood memories revolve around our time spent together and listening to our parents recall their stories. To this day the Skadorwa brothers’ exploits are still being retold: the brothers rafting and deciding to take bets to see if Dad could swim to shore faster than the nearby crocodiles; Dad using a large rock to take him to the bottom of the lake. How long would Dad stay in the jungle this time? And of course, did he make another new knife? It was also during this time that Dad survived his second brush with death when he contracted malaria. He was a tough kid.
The family was allowed to leave the camp in Africa several years after the war and re-join Dad’s father and oldest brother in England. He regrets to this day leaving behind a large dugout canoe that he was close to finishing. They stayed in a Displaced Persons camp in Melton-Mawbray, and eventually settled in Nottingham.
In England, Dad joined the Merchant Navy as a galley boy and worked his way up to the engine room. He enjoyed his life on the ships but had to give it up when his father had an accident. Instead, he came home to work in construction and look after his parents. He ended up travelling across southern England installing synthetic floors in schools and hospitals. During this time, he had a “slight” mishap on a motorcycle with his friend Kazik Palimaka. He ended up in a body cast for a fractured spine for six months. Just as the cast came off, he went to a Polish dance and met his future wife. He brushed off the injury as “something from work.” Mum only learned the true nature of his injuries a few weeks ago. They married in 1958 and welcomed the birth of their son, Marek, a year later. In March of 1963 they departed for Canada and settled in Toronto. Shortly after they welcomed the birth of their daughter, Krysia. Dad worked as a Millwright for Bathurst Tool & Die at Bathurst and Lakeshore Blvd. for many years. He was often on loan to other companies such as Ford Motor and Douglas Aircraft. To our great joy, Dad ended his working years at Christie Brown. We loved the constant supply of cookies and really did write letters that started off with “Dear Mr. Christie.” Dad was an indispensable employee for the executives at Christies, as he retooled the machines to make exclusive shortbreads for them at Christmas time (taking home a few samples himself) and made custom fittings for their yachts. Dad continued his love of nature and greatly enjoyed hunting, fishing and cottaging. In the early sixties, no one even batted an eye as he boarded the King streetcar on Friday mornings with his lunch pail in one hand and his rifle slung over his shoulder to meet with fellow hunters after work on a Friday afternoon.
Dad was very good with his hands and could fix anything, though sometimes his patience could run out before the fine finishing would start. He never found an object that couldn’t be made better from solid stainless steel. He was generous with his time and willingly helped his children and friends with their homes, cottages and any machines that needed fixing. Together with his friend Tadzik Gadzala, a licensed mechanic, they took our totalled family car and rebuilt it like new. He welcomed his son in law, Paul, and spent many hours “schooling” him on general home repairs. This came with the added bonus of offloading his “this will come in handy one day” hoard into Paul’s garage. It’s still all there.
In Dad’s retirement years he began facing health challenges. Despite his obstacles, he never missed a camping trip or cottage excursion with his grandchildren. He loved to fish with his grandsons; not so much with his granddaughters…” they don’t shut up; they scare away the fish.” He would do anything for them which included spending endless hours of driving them to practices, games and swim meets. He was a regular at hockey arenas, loved by players and parents alike. He was also a regular swimmer at Gus Ryder pool. The ladies at reception and the lifeguards loved getting their Riccola herb candies from him.
His years, however, were catching up to him. His mobility was failing, and he could only enjoy his passions from the sidelines. He watched with love and pride as his grandchildren grew and married, and unfortunately will not be here for the birth of his first great-grandchild in January.
The family will be forever grateful to all the very hardworking, compassionate, and professional staff at Copernicus Lodge, especially over the incredibly challenging COVID years. He loved the food, the activities, socializing, and most importantly the staff. Dad was happy at Copernicus. He often said, “if anyone complains about Copernicus, they are sinning.”
Family and friends may call at the Turner & Porter Yorke Chapel, 2357 Bloor Street West, Toronto, Ontario, M6S 1P4, at Windermere, east of the Jane subway, on Tuesday, August 22, 2023, from 5:00 to 8:00 pm.
Funeral Mass will take place the next day, Wednesday, August 23, 2023, at St. Casimir’s Catholic Church, 156 Roncesvalles Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M6R 2L4, at 10:00 am. For those who wish, donations in memory of Stanislaw Skadorwa may be made to Copernicus Lodge (www.copernicuslodge.com).
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July 10 1930
August 10 2023
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Décès pour la Ville:Toronto, Province: Ontario
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Nous offrons nos plus sincères condoléances à la famille et aux amis de Stanislaw Skadorwa July 10 1930
August 10 2023 et espérons que leur mémoire pourra être une source de réconfort pendant cette période difficile. Vos pensées et vos mots aimables sont grandement appréciés.