Obituary for John Hawrelko
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It is with great sadness that we announce the passing of John Hawrelko on January 21, 2019, at the age of 91 years. He will be lovingly remembered and dearly missed by Ella, his devoted wife of 64 years; daughters, Lynne and Estrella; son-in-law, Gary Schesnuk; grandsons, Ryan (Sacha), Mark and David Schesnuk; and great-grandson, Ivan Schesnuk. “Uncle John” will also be fondly remembered by his many nieces and nephews, and brothers- and sisters-in-law.
John was born in Opal, AB, where he attended elementary and junior high school; he completed his high school education at St. Joseph’s in Edmonton. After working for a time as a farmhand in Ontario, a tombstone engraver in Edmonton, and a bottler for Calgary Brewing, John enrolled at the University of Alberta in the Faculty of Education. He received His B.Ed (Art/History) in 1957 and his M.Ed (English/Linguistics) in 1962. While his PhD was incomplete, his passion for language remained strong through to his final years. Early in his career, he received bursaries from the Canada Council, the Canadian Linguistics Society and a tuition grant to the Banff School of Fine Arts.
John retired from teaching in 1982 after 33 years in the classrooms of Fort Saskatchewan, Redwater and Thorhild. However, a few months after retirement, he was called upon to temporarily assist with a large student enrolment aft the Alberta Correspondence School – a temporary assignment that lasted 18 years.
In total, John’s career in education spanned 51 years and included, in addition to teaching, committee involvement with the Department of Education in designing curriculums and examinations, and several terms serving in executive positions with the local chapter of the Alberta Teacher’s Association. John was a disciplined and devoted teacher and was especially proud that many of his students continued on to earn their bachelors, masters and doctoral degrees.
John lived in Redwater and was extensively involved in the community – with the golf and curling clubs and as chairman of both the district museum and the police commission. And, for nearly a decade, with notepad and polaroid camera in hand, he covered local news as a reporter for The Redwater News. In 1977, he was awarded the Queen’s Jubilee Medal and in 1979 was presented with the Town of Redwater’s inaugural Citizen of the Year.
John was predeceased by mother Margaret and father, Andrew; brothers, Michael, William and Peter; and sisters, Mary and Ann.
John leaves as his legacy his love for his family, hundreds of inspired students, a collection of short stories, a gallery’s worth of paintings and artwork, and the familiar logo of wheat sheaf, oil derrick and gasket that, for decades, was imprinted on the flags, letterhead and coffee mugs of the Town of Redwater.
The family wishes to thank staff from Shepherd’s Care Vanguard and Capital Care Dickensfield for their exceptional care of John these past 4 years.
Memorial Service Monday, January 28 at 11:00 a.m. at Park Memorial Chapel, 9709 – 111 Avenue, Edmonton.
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Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of John Hawrelko August 3 1927 –
January 21 2019..
Death notice for the town of: Edmonton, Province: Alberta