Obituary of John Zazula

ZAZULA - Mr. John Zazula of Yorkton, formerly of Invermay and the Hendon district, beloved husband of the late Frances Zazula entered eternal life on June 9, 2017 at the Yorkton District Nursing Home. John Zazula, eldest of eight children, was born on July 4, 1927, in the Hendon area to Joe and Annie Zazula. He attended school in the Harrow District until grade 8 and then stayed home to work on the family farm. In 1947, he went to Hamilton, Ontario and worked at the Westinghouse Factory. While travelling to Hamilton by train in 1949, John met Frances Harrick and love blossomed. They were married in Plainview the following year and began farming in the Hendon area. They were blessed with three sons, Don, Harvey and Darcy. In 1960, they purchased a farm north of Invermay. In 1976, in addition to farming, they purchased and operated the Windsor Hotel in Buchanan. In 1979, they moved back to the farm until they retired in 1993 and moved into Invermay. In 2006, John and Frances sold their home in Invermay and moved to Yorkton. John was very involved in numerous committees, including the Feeder Co-op, Loch Sloy Snow Plow Committee, Invermay Rural Telephone Committee, Rama Coop, Knights of Columbus and Sask Wheat Pool. He served on the school board, drove the school bus for many years and worked for Kirsch Construction trucking gravel. John also served as President of St. Vladimir's and Olga Ukrainian Church in Invermay. Aside from the occasional nap in the recliner, John was a busy man. He loved a good card game and was all too happy to beat you in a game of crib, kaiser, canasta or any other game you wanted to challenge him at. He liked to play the occasional golf game, take in a few camping trips, cut a rug pattern dancing and pass winter months on a sheet of ice in the curling rink. John was an avid fisherman and in his younger years, enjoyed hunting deer. He also loved to garden and can his fruit and vegetables. Family was one of John's greatest prides. The time spent with Frances and the boys on the farm was a time spent not only as a way of life, but it was the love of his life. As the years went on and the boys married, John was happy to share his love and welcome with open arms his daughter-in-laws, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and great-great-grandchildren. John could always be counted on to show up for the grandchildren's hockey games, ball games, Ukrainian dancing or volleyball games. He would always be there to cheer them on and give them support. If a basement needed to be renovated or a grain bin built, he would be there with a smile on his face and a hammer in hand. That smile and twinkle in his eye will be missed by all that were blessed with it. Survived by and leaving to mourn his passing are John's sons, Don of Saskatoon, Harvey (Lorraine) of Yorkton and Darcy (Linda) of Red Deer, AB; seven grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren; siblings, Nellie (John) Koshman of Saskatoon, Mike (Connie) of Springside, Rose Ward of Thompson, MB, Vickie (Michael) McQuaid of Calgary, and Dennis (Janice) of Kelowna, BC, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. John was predeceased by his wife Frances, daughter-in-law Susan (Don), great-grandson Keadon Anderson, and two sisters Eunice and Mary. Prayers were held on Thursday, June 15, 2017 at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church in Yorkton with Very Rev. Fr. Bohdan Lukie, C.Ss.R. and Rev. Fr. Methodius Kushko, C.Ss.R. officiating. Leading in the responses were Bernadette Gabora and Victor Puchala. The Funeral Liturgy was held on Friday, May 16, 2017 at St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church with Very Rev. Father Bohdan Lukie, C.Ss.R. as the Celebrant. The cross bearer was Rose Ward and the epistle reader was Jordan Zazula. The interment took place in the Wadena Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery with Mike Zazula, Kraig Anderson, Shane Macknak, Kirsten Fidek, Jonathan Leicht and Derek Zazula serving as the casket bearers. Memorials in memory of John may be made to the Alzheimer's Society. Condolences can be sent to the family at www.baileysfuneralhome.com Vichnaya Pamyat! Eternal Memory! Service Information Thursday, June 15th, 2017 7:30pm, St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church Friday, June 16th, 2017 10:00am, St. Mary's Ukrainian Catholic Church