Obituary of Walter Russel Wuschenny

Walter was born November 13, 1939 to Alex and Katie (nee Plax) Wuschenny on the family farm in the Ituna District. He was the 9th child of 12. He grew up and helped on the family farm learning life values and the meaning of hard work. At 17 he left school to work for a farmer and at 18 went to work in Regina for the next six years, only coming back to the farm for the winter. He always told us that he lived on unemployment that paid $38 every two weeks. His first passion though was farming and in 1962 he and Richard bought some land and Richard farmed the land while he continued to work. On October 10, 1964 he married Mary Lulchak and they began their life together. They raised their children on the family farm and worked very hard to make an honest living. Both had to work at other jobs to subsidize the farming income. Both spent years driving school bus and it was during those years that he became the well respected, kind, and caring man many knew him to be. He was very active in the community serving on the Ituna Hospital Board, Ituna and District Pioneer Lodge Board, Ituna Curling Association, Ituna and District Lions Club, served as a councillor for many, many years in the RM of Tullymet and volunteered as a bus driver for many sporting and school events. In 1978, at the age of 39, he became a paramedic. He was one of the first of four paramedics in Ituna that enabled the community to acquire an ambulance and have it stationed and staffed within the community. He, as well as Nellie and Mary provided endless volunteer hours to the community in the years following. In 1987 he took this second passion to Prairie Ambulance in Fort Qu’Appelle, where he became an employee to Jim and Randy How. In 1988 he started Valley Ambulance Care Ltd and worked effortlessly to build the company into what it is today with the help of immediate family, Mary, Rick, Nellie and Sally, and many staff that he always considered, his extended EMS family. He would share his time, for the next 20 years, between Fort Qu’Appelle and Ituna, dedicating 30 years to the EMS profession while still farming alongside Alex. Dad was a hard-working man, but always made time for annual family fishing trips, skidooing, hunting, family get togethers, and spending as much time as he could with his only grandchild, Jaymie. In 1999 a farming accident would change his life on the EMS front line. He continued to manage operations until 2008. In May 2008 he was honored with two awards, The Governor General’s Award and the George Beaulac Memorial Award. In June 2008, after years of spending tireless hours trying to trace his family’s ancestry back to the old country, he and Mary, Nellie, Ed and Jean Windysh travelled to the Ukraine. He was unsuccessful at finding any of his roots and always dreamed that one day answers would be found about where the Wuschenny family originated. Following that trip, he retired and moved back to Ituna full time. His retirement was spent mastering Crib and Hearts on the computer, watching wrestling reruns, reading, listening to music, later spending time fishing at Al’s cabin and continuing to help on the farm until his health no longer made that possible. In 2019 mobility challenges forced dad into the retirement home where he resided until his passing. The biggest smile on his face would be the days that he knew family were coming for a visit or to take him out in the van for a drive in the country, family functions, pizza, or ice cream. He was blessed to have been able to attend his great niece’s wedding and his great granddaughter’s first birthday, both last August, as well as holidays, most recently, Easter, with family. Dad was a very kind and generous man, humble, yet proud. Pride in everything he did including farming, the business, and family and his legacy will continue to live on. He was young at heart – always loved hanging around the younger people and telling stories or making people laugh. He had some unique favorites, bologna and onion sandwiches (with lots of butter), herrings, maple walnut ice cream and Bohemian Beer (with clam). HIs greatest loves were curling, fishing and of course, family. He never missed a family function, near nor far, and always loved sharing family history. Until his passing, his mind was a strong as a whip and he could tell you anything you wanted to know from as far back as he could remember or that he was told. Walter passed away at the Yorkton Regional Health Centre on Wednesday, May 11, 2022 at the age of 82 years. He will be dearly missed by all who were blessed to have known him – Rest in Eternal Peace!! Walter was predeceased by his parents, Alex and Katie, daughter, Cathy, in infancy, grandson, Patrick, sisters, Mary (Mike) Patykewich, Rose (Mike) Korsak, Elsie (Doug) Weighell, brothers, Steve, Joe, Richard, Andrew (Darlene) and Sam (Rose), brothers-in-law, Tony Kowal, Peter (Leona) Lulchak, and John Nikonetz, special nephew Steven, other nieces, nephews and cousins. Walter leaves to mourn and cherish his memory, his wife of 57 years, Mary, daughter, Sally, son, Alex, grandson, Jaymie (his dad Martin), great granddaughter, Ever (her mom Samantha), Nellie, Terry and Marie, Rick, Carly (Mitch) Frank, Marci, Renee, and Dylan, sisters, Anne Kowal, Katherine Morrison and Zonia Wuschenny, sisters-in-law, Pauline and Flaxey Wuschenny and Anne Nikonetz, as well as, many other very special nieces, nephews, cousins, neighbors and cherished friends. Service Details. Prayers Thursday, May 19th, 2022 | 7:00pm When: Thursday, May 19th, 2022 7:00pm Location: Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church Address: Main St. N. ,Box 340 ITUNA, SK S0A 1N0 Funeral Liturgy Friday, May 20th, 2022 | 10:00am When: Friday, May 20th, 2022 10:00am Location: Sacred Heart Ukrainian Catholic Church Address: Main St. N. ,Box 340 ITUNA, SK S0A 1N0 Interment Location: Sacred Heart Parish Cemetery Address: Box 340 ITUNA, SK S0A 1N0 Online Memory & Photo Sharing Event Ongoing Online Event About this event In Loving Memory Of Walter Wuschenny November 13, 1939 - May 11, 2022 Look inside to read what others have shared Family and friends are coming together online to create a special keepsake. Every memory left on the online obituary will be automatically included in this book. View Tribute Book