It is with deep sadness that the family announces the peaceful passing of Mieczyslaw (“Mietek” or “Mike”) Kalaska, 97 years of age, on January 5 2021, after a brief stay in hospital.
He leaves in mourning his wife Gertrude (Niewiadomy), three children, John (Constance Reid), Richard (Wendy Orr), and Mary (Marvin Wrigley), 6 grandchildren, Erin, Kyle, Colin, Kiara, Adriana, and Chad, and one great-granddaughter, Hannah, who he called “Hania” and who was his greatest source of joy during his final 7 years. He also leaves behind many family members in his native Poland. He was predeceased by one son, Stanley, in 2008, as well as family members in Poland.
Dad’s life story is representative of so many others of the “Greatest Generation”. He was born on March 20, 1923 in Checiny in central Poland and raised in the towns of Sosnow and Buczacz in eastern Poland (now Ukraine). He grew up experiencing the hardships of the Depression, but was preparing to begin higher education in engineering when he fled Poland at the age of 16 at the start of WWII in 1939.
He made his way to Yugoslavia, and then sailed to Lebanon on the steamship “Warszawa” provided by the Polish government in exile to transport refugees and combat volunteers. Once there, he joined Polish military forces forming in Palestine, eventually becoming a 2nd Lieutenant in the 3rd Carpathian Rifles, 2nd Polish Corps of the British 8th Army.
He served his homeland with great distinction, including battles in Egypt and Tobruk in North Africa, and at Monte Cassino, Bologna and Ancona in Italy. However, he rarely talked about those terrible years during which he lost many friends, preferring only to say that “I survived because I was a luckier soldier than many others, not a better soldier."
When the Soviet Union was allowed to retain control over Poland after WWII, he and thousands of other Poles scattered throughout Europe chose to immigrate to Canada. Many of them, including Dad, settled in what is now Thunder Bay. Like all of them, he arrived with nothing but his determination to build a better life in a new land.
As one of the conditions of his admission into Canada as an allied military veteran, Dad was obliged to work for 2 years in various farming and logging jobs for room and board. He met his wife-to-be Gertie at a social event while he was working at a logging camp outside of then Fort William. They married in St Casimir’s Church on June 18, 1949. They spent their honeymoon at Lake Louise, Alberta, after driving there in the brand new black 1949 Ford sedan that Dad had bought with all his savings.
Back home, once his 2-year obligation was over, he worked several different jobs before being hired by the McCabe Elevator (United Grain Growers), where he worked for over 35 years, starting at the bottom emptying grain cars and ending as shift foreman, before retiring in 1988.
While working hard and raising his own family, Dad also contributed to building a vibrant expatriate Polish community in Thunder Bay. He was a founding and lifetime member of the Royal Canadian Legion Polish Veterans Branch #149, where he spent many hours after work and on weekends managing affairs as a long-time member of the executive, including President for a number of years. He also belonged to other Polish organizations, including the Polish Combatants.
We fondly remember many huge social events at the Legion hall over the years, and frequent Sunday get-togethers at someone’s house, with the men in the dining room telling tales, laughing, singing and consuming far too much liquid refreshment, the wives in the kitchen cooking huge Polish meals, and many kids running wild throughout the house. He also remained very active in St. Casimir’s Church until his health finally prevented him from participating as a Mass attendant.
He was always mindful of his origins in Poland and kept it and his family there in his heart throughout his life. Nevertheless, he was a proud Canadian, and was forever thankful for the opportunities this amazing country offered him. He lived Canadian through and through. For example, when he needed to buy something, he would search out Canadian-made items even if it cost a bit more.
He spent many years before and after retirement endlessly expanding and remodelling his house on North Vickers Street to provide for his family, much to the amusement of his friends. They often said that once he finally took down the scaffolding around his house, they wouldn’t be able to recognize where he lived. He did most of the work himself, seeking help from friends when a big job required more than one person.
When asked why he didn’t hire professionals to do the work, he would answer “If you want something done right, do it yourself”.
The other reason was that he found great satisfaction in the act of building something in his workshop, much to the bemused chagrin of his son-in-law Marvin when his workshop moved from Vickers Street to the garage of Marvin and Mary’s new home in 2010. He also found immense pleasure in sharing moments in his workshop with his grandchildren, teaching them the art of building on their own.
He was a man of integrity, who was led by his principles and strong convictions. He wasn’t a man for idle chat but when he spoke, it was with great meaning and purpose. As children, we may not have always understood, but there was always a life lesson to be learned.
Although Dad was unable to fulfill his own educational dreams due to the war, he was a very learned man. He spoke several languages, always read widely about many topics, and kept up-to-date on World Politics. He strongly supported and encouraged his children to go to school and university and to build their own successful careers and lives, ending up in different parts of Canada in their own diaspora.
As each grandchild came into his life, the former stern father softened further and further into the indulgent grandfather. He thoroughly enjoyed watching them play and grow into the women and men they are today. He was always inquiring and interested in what they were up to, followed along on their journeys, and was so proud of them and their accomplishments. The highlight of his year was our family’s annual reunion when he could get together with all his children and grandchildren, catch up, absorb the love and laughter, and reinforce family bonds and traditions.
However, it was our great delight to see that stern father and indulgent grandfather become a puddle of mush when his precious “Hania” arrived. She could convince him with a simple smile or “Dziadziu” (“Grandpa”) to watch hours of cartoons and YouTube videos with her while sitting in his lap. They shared her snacks, even if he didn’t want them, and he even enjoyed being the subject of the occasional high-fashion makeover.
He spent his final years with his wife Gertie in the loving home environment of his immediate family. His was a life well lived. Like for so many others of his generation, we thank him and honour him for it.
We want to thank the nursing and clinical staff of the Emergency Room and 2B Medical of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre for their dedicated, attentive care of Dad and family members during his final days. Dad was a strong supporter of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Foundation. In lieu of other gestures, a donation in his honour to the Foundation would be a greatly appreciated tribute to him.
Due to the current Covid restrictions, a funeral and interment service will be held at a later date to be announced.
