Obituary of Harry Kardynal
<p>It is with profound sadness that the family of Harry Kardynal announce his passing on December 9, 2022, at the age of 92 years. He is lovingly remembered by his wife Evelyn (Hydeman) sharing 65 years of marriage. He is survived by his children Roman (Oxana Letiuceaia), daughter in law Lori Kardynal, Lassia (Rick) Frenzel, Paula (Daryl) Yablonski and Greg (Twila). Grandchildren Katrina (Daniel) Trejo, Stefen Kardynal, Graham (Rachelle) Kardynal, Melanie (Jason) Sather, Jordan (RaeAnne Webb) Frenzel, Kya (Riley) Faber, Dylan (Kayly) Yablonski, Thomas Yablonski, Mikayla Kardynal (Sean McRae), Athena Kardynal. Great grandchildren Charlize and Leo Trejo, Luis Quinteros, Aylah, Ethan, and Elise Kardynal, Zaidon and Emily Sather, Jude and Lennon Yablonski. He was predeceased by his son Mark in 2020, parents Philip in 1985, Tekla in1981 and brother Taras in 2018. He is survived by his brothers Mike, Robert and Paul and many cousins, nieces and nephews.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Harry was born in Mukhavka, Chortkiv, Ukraine on July 27, 1930. The Kardynal family was sponsored to come to Canada by the Dutchak family of Canora, Saskatchewan in 1939. Harry traveled to Canada with his parents Philip and Tekla, brothers Mike and Taras in May of 1939. His brothers Robert and Paul were born after they settled in the Saltcoats area. The family traveled by ship to Canada and landed in Quebec City after 2 weeks, then went by train to Winnipeg, Manitoba then again by train to Canora, Sk. They stayed with the Dutchak family for a short time before living for a year in that area. From there the family moved to the Saltcoats area in 1940 and settled on a farm. Harry traveled by horse and bike to the Graham elementary school then he went to Saltcoats for high school. He also went to Winnipeg for one year of high school. After he graduated from high school, he went to Moose Jaw Teachers College for two years and obtained his teaching certificate in 1952. His first teaching job was in a one room school at Bridok, Sk. It was during his first teaching job that he met Evelyn Hydeman in 1952 while she was working at the general store in Donwell, Sk. They dated for five years before getting married on July 27, 1957, on Harry’s 27th birthday. Harry taught school in Bridok (2 years), Calder (3 years), Eden (2 years), Chatsworth (1 years), Otthon (7 years), Saltcoats (he was principal for 11 of the 13 years), Rose Valley (2 years) and back to Calder (3 years) where he retired after 32 years. During his years of moving to teach, Roman (1958), Mark (1960), Lassia (1962), Paula (1964) and Greg (1970) were born. Harry and Evelyn with their family settled on the family farm in Saltcoats in 1968 where Harry and Evelyn lived until 2004. In 2004 Harry and Evelyn moved into Yorkton, where he lived until his passing.</p><p style="text-align:justify">After 27 years of teaching, he advanced his education by achieving his Bachelor of Education through night and summer classes both at St Joseph’s College and University of Saskatchewan. During Harry’s teaching career his also taught the Ukrainian language during the school days and at the Community College during the evenings. After he retired, he continued to teach children and adults in Yorkton through the Community College until he was 80 years old. Many people asked him over the years to translate and write letters for them in Ukrainian. Harry is well known and recognized both during his teaching years and in retirement for his fun-loving adventurous nature. He built slides, homemade roundabouts, homemade go carts, hockey rinks, dug wells, change sheds, show and tell especially with live animals (porcupines, roosters, frogs, etc.), bike rides, field trips, his well-known tickle trunk, horse sleigh bells and just about anything he could entertain people with. He loved to buy antiques such as tractors, trucks and was always trading cars. During his teaching career and during his retirement, Harry also farmed with the help of his family. Harry loved teaching, making sure all his students had a balance of learning and having fun because he always said that variety is the spice of life. There is a time to get down to brass tax, do your work then you go out and play. All of Harry’s students learned the value of always having a Kleenex on themselves and the meaning of the almighty red pen. He continued to give instructions to everyone at any given time no matter where he was.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Harry was a very active person. He belonged to the Multicultural Society of Yorkton, Ukrainian Canadian Congress (in 2008 he was presented with the Community Recognition Award in recognition of his meritorious contribution in the area of Volunteerism and Cultural Preservation and Development), Ukrainian Professional Businessmen’s Organization, Brotherhood, Knights of Columbus, Saltcoats Agricultural Society, Saskatchewan Teachers Federation as well as the Retired Teachers Federation. He had many leadership roles within these organizations over the years.</p><p style="text-align:justify">After Harry retired, he belonged to the Saskatchewan local Senior games and competed in the Canadian Masters Senior games where he achieved and won a total of 24 medals. Harry was a proud patriarch of his Ukrainian heritage and a very active member of St. Mary’s Parish in Yorkton. He sang in the choir along with his wife Evelyn and often read the epistle in Ukrainian during liturgy.</p><p style="text-align:justify">His favorite activities were playing cards, traveling (they traveled across Canada, to Expo 1967 in Montreal, Vancouver Expo in 1986, many states throughout United States and Ukraine), playing games, curling and most of all he had a great love of dance.</p><p style="text-align:justify">In 1993 Harry and Evelyn traveled to Ukraine in which it was the first time he went back to his homeland after immigrating as a young boy. During this trip, he was able to find and visit his mother’s sister, brother and cousin. As well as Evelyn’s many relatives. Due to his health in 2016, he was unable to travel to Ukraine with Evelyn, Paula, Thomas, Melanie and Athena who went for a family wedding. He called everyday curious to where they were, who they were visiting and had said that it would be a very emotional trip in which it was.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Harry had a love and curiosity of people and what everyone did. He was always asking questions about people’s lives because he wanted to know about everyone and everything. He was a very social person. He went uptown almost everyday even if it was just for one item. He loved life to the fullest and was a voracious reader of almost anything he could read including 2 sets of encyclopedias. He was always with a book in hand. Harry knew three languages which were English, Ukrainian and Polish.</p><p style="text-align:justify">Harry most of all loved his wife and all her accomplishments, his beautiful family, church and Ukrainian heritage. Everything he did was around family and food, celebrating with tradition and culture. He and Evelyn were very proud of their families’ achievements, and they were always there to support them in anyway they could no matter where family lived. Harry lived by example and was very strong in his beliefs, values, morals and work ethic. He made a difference in the lives of all the people he met leaving an incredible legacy.</p><p> </p>
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