NICHOLAS “PAT” PATRICK FESCHUK

It is with profound sadness that we announce the unexpected passing of Nicholas Patrick Feschuk at the age of 84. 

Pat is predeceased by his first wife Victoria, his sisters Marlene, Marion, and Carol, his brother Ted, and his step-daughter Linda. 

Pat will be lovingly remembered by his wife Elizabeth, his sisters Darlene and Irene, his sons Grant and David, stepdaughter Aleta, stepsons Robert and Vincent. Further, Patrick will be deeply missed by many other family members including his, step-grand children, step-great grandchildren, and the extended Marian and Stadnyk families as well as his many friends.  

In 1939, Pat was born in Elie, Manitoba to his parents Ann Marian of Winnipeg, and Theodore Feschuk of Chernivsti, Ukraine. Pat’s mother passed away when he was 10. Later, Theodore married Lena Petrachuk. When Pat was 27, his father passed away. 

Since Pat’s father was a foreman for the railroad, the family moved across Manitoba from the Municipality of Clanwilliam-Erickson all the way East to Sundown. They lived in box cars; one for family and the other for livestock. 

During that time, Pat attended one-room schools. At 16 years old, he moved to Winnipeg where he completed high school. After, Pat attended the University of Manitoba where he ultimately obtained a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering and another in Public Administration.  His father was extremely proud because Pat was the first to get an education.

Pat was a lifelong learner. If Pat didn't understand something practical, cultural or social, he'd read books, speak with people, and join a group.  Pat liked creative writing, so he took a course to get better. Pat did the same to improve on public speaking.  All of which, helped Pat tell his stories. 

With encouragement and support from their dad, Grant became a Police Officer, and David a Chiropractor and Cellist.

When he was younger, Pat enjoyed hunting, trapping and fishing with his father, especially in the Riding Mountain National Park area. Back then, if you didn’t find your own food, you didn’t eat. Pat liked Pickerel and his vegetables. 

Pat also liked playing farm field baseball, pond hockey and curling with his many friends. Back then, there were neither hockey helmets nor padding. As a goalie, Pat stopped a puck with his forehead. That scar was visible throughout his life. Even when older, with Grant and David, Pat remained a skilled ice skater and hockey stick handler. Pat also took up cross country skiing and tobogganing. 

Pat liked to read the Winnipeg Free Press every day and thoroughly enjoyed gardening, especially tomatoes. Pat listened to Ukrainian music and watched Westerns, and sung songs from both.  

Later in life, Patrick also really enjoyed travelling with his wife Liz, and they both enjoyed ballroom dancing together.  

Pat began his 30-year career at the Province of Manitoba in Water Management Engineering and Construction then finished with the City of Winnipeg as the Manager of Equipment and Materials Services Branch. 

If you've lived in Manitoba, you've definitely benefitted in some shape or form from Pat’s sense of responsibility to his community. 

Pat believed strongly in public service – from Provincial roads, dykes and dams, Oak Hammock Marsh, Red River Floodway, The Forks, Winnipeg’s drinking water supply, along with all the those vehicles, equipment and materials (graders, sanders, loaders, ga¬¬rbage trucks, street lights and signs, police cars, fire trucks and ambulances, asphalt and gravel productions plants) used to keep our streets in good repair and safe.

During the 1986 Winnipeg Blizzard, front-end loaders cleared the street in front of the family home, and Pat hopped in then went to work.  In anticipation of Winnipeg’s floods, Pat obtained automatic sand bag filling machines which were critical to repelling the 1997 Flood. 

Pat also volunteered in many long standing roles within local community centres (hockey and soccer coach), Royal Canadian Legion (poppies), Association of Professional Engineers of Manitoba (president, vice-president, etc), City of Winnipeg Retirees Association (board member, newsletter, etc), Manitoba Prostate Cancer Support Group (president, presenter, newsletter, etc) and others. 

Additionally, Pat has too many professional and personal accomplishments and awards to list, and was always seeking to learn something new. 

While raising Grant and David, Pat and Vicki would have many of family and friend get-togethers in their home. 

Pat also designed and built the Feschuk family’s cabin near Grand Beach Provincial Park where he enjoyed walking along the water and fishing.  Interestingly, that cabin was built along the railroad tracks that had brought him on day trips to that park’s famous beach and boardwalk as a youngster. 

When Vicki passed at age 49, Vicki asked him to make certain that Grant, then 19, and David, then 16, could take care of themselves. Pat promised and made that happen.

Pat also kept in close contact with the Stadnyks after Vicki’s passing, as he considered them and they considered him family. For him, there was no difference between Feschuks and Stadnyks, they were all brothers and sisters and their kids were his children.

Pat was particularly close to his first wife mom’s sister Nettie, and his mom Ann’s sisters Mary and Rosie, and brother Steve, his cousins Sandra, Patty, and Noel. Pat would visit them regularly. 

It was easy to spot Pat in any room. He was the charismatic man dressed smartly in a dress shirt and slacks, with his hands held at the small of his back, swaying slightly back and forth, while smiling and chatting with people.

Pat was truly a genuine human-being that was caring, kind-hearted, generous to a fault, and the best listener. We will all dearly miss hearing his many stories and jokes.  

A Celebration of Life will be held on Friday, March 22, 2024, at 2 PM, at the Deer Lodge Centre located in the Worship Centre, 2nd Floor, Tower Building, 2109 Portage Ave, Winnipeg, Manitoba. Visitor parking is available at the centre, and across Portage Ave along Assiniboine River. Please write down your licence plate number. The parking fee is to be paid inside the centre’s main building. 

To honour Pat’s memory, donations can be made to the Manitoba Prostate Cancer Support Group, charity number: 88907 1882 RR001, visit www.manpros.org, email manpros@mts.net. The group holds monthly meetings with medical guest speakers, has a monthly newsletter, and provides informative presentations for community events. Both men and women are welcome to volunteer. 

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ETHICAL DEATH CARE

Cremation & Life Celebrations

530 St. Mary Avenue - Winnipeg

204-421-5501 - www.ethicaldeathcare.com

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