Mr. Nick Shelfontiuk

A celebration of life will be held in the chapel of First Memorial Funeral Services on Wednesday, June 18, 2003 at 12 Noon with inurnment to follow at Park Memorial Cemetery.

Nick was born on his parent’s farm in Meacham, Saskatchewan on May 18, 1923. He and his wife Helen settled in Castlegar in 1954. During his life Nick worked as a carpenter at Celgar until his retirement in 1988.

He is survived by his son, Keith (Roxanne) Shelefontiuk, four daughters, Sharon Arnett (Eric Taylor), Rhonda (Jack) Swetlishoff, Andrea (Stewart) McCullagh and Holly Smith all of Castlegar, ten grandchildren and four great grandchildren, brother, Matt (Irene) Shelfontiuk of Castlegar, sister, Dorothy Kolendreski of Saskatoon, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.

Nick joins in eternal peace, his loving wife Helen (nee Ritter) November 1995, brother Andy Shelfontiuk October 1978, and grandson, Bryce Cameron Shelefontiuk, December 1985.

Nick Shelfontiuk's Eulogy by his son, Keith

My Dad, Nick Shelfontiuk was born on May 18, 1923. It was a time in history that proved to be tough – the "Dirty Thirties", the Great Depression, and World War II. Therefore, his strength and determination came to him early in life. That strength, determination, and sometimes stubbornness, made him a difficult man to live with and be around at times. He was born and raised in a time where it was viewed upon as weak to say simple words like "I love you" or even "I am proud of you". So in his remembrance, sometime today, please tell your loved ones that you love them and are proud of them. Although I know he loved his children, grandchildren and great grandchildren very much it would have been nice to hear him say it. His strength, and determination also made him a god-sent to have around. Nick was a good husband, father and provider. He needed to be surrounded by his family, which made us a very close-knit family, and more than that we became the best of friends.

He was a fighter all of his life, like his ancestors the Cossack warriors that came from the homeland, the Ukraine generations before him. There wasn't anything he would not try, at times winning and once in a while losing. As you drive around town his legacy can be seen everywhere you go – through his carpentry, masonry and stone work. He renovated the Highlight Restaurant, layed rock on Ron's Motel and at Champion Lakes Park – on the fountains, gates and the original change room. He worked on and helped develop Crestview Crescent, the subdivision his brother resides in to this day, and possibly built or remodelled some of the homes you live in. Nick and his two brothers, Matt and Andy, built the Elk Theater, Castlegar's first drive-in theater, only to lose it to the flooding of the Columbia River. The drive-in was located in the area where the Millennium Park is today.

Nick was more than a carpenter, which was his trade when he retired from Celgar in 1988. He was a mason working with stone, concrete, stucco and brick. Once he manufactured a motorbike, which all of us children enjoyed. Another time he assembled a travel trailer. He built a boat in his basement that was so large he had to break up a concrete wall to take it out. He constructed a couple of utility trailers. Dad was a plumber, an electrician, a cabinetmaker, and an artist. Nick sculpted rifle stocks, inlaying animal heads into the butt of the stock. Nick was taught by his mother, under the light of a coal oil lamp, how to embroider, knit, and sew at his parent’s farm in Meacham near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Dad gave all of his children needlepoint tapestries, which we all display proudly in our homes. Can you imagine this large man with the hands the size of bear's paws doing needlework?

Nick also enjoyed gardening, building a small greenhouse to house his tomatoes, peppers and cucumbers. We would all pinch his vegetables from behind his back, they were the best in town! After Dad's retirement, Mom and Dad spent hours together in their yard planting vegetables, flowers, plants and shrubs. They also spent time on the road with the travel trailer touring B.C. Nick and Helen both enjoyed camping with family and friends.

The young lads of the neighbourhood used to come around and challenge Dad to a wrist-twist. They would grab those big hands of his .... he would simply close his fingers, bringing them to their knees and they would be yelling, "Uncle!! Uncle!!" They knew better than to arm wrestle him. A few of them left the house with sore knuckles after their hands were slammed into the wooden table! He would just laugh at them and say come back when you're a little stronger. They would always come back. When they became strong enough to take him, they would still cry out "Uncle!! Uncle!!" because of their respect of him.

Nick was well respected by all of his friends, young and old. People would come to the house to sit and play crib and drink coffee with him, asking his advice on carpentry, masonry, and what ever else they thought he might know, or just to swap lies about a hunting or fishing trip.

Nick's family and friends would see him happiest with his eye on the river and a fishing rod in hand. Many of our family adventures were spent huddled in an old blue station-wagon on the top of a mountain in the lightening, thunder and pouring rain.... waiting to spot Dad, drenched, walking down the creek with a kreel full of brook trout and a smile on his face. Mom grumbling, "Is he crazy?" We would reply, "No Mom, just happy."

He was also quite a hunter. As a young teenager, I would follow behind him endlessly hiking, climbing over wind fall and rock, over mountains, in valleys, toughing rain and snow, until he shot that prize elk. Just to drag it all the way back to camp. At the hunting cabins he would tell me to get to bed as we were going to do it all again tomorrow, "we need to get you an elk, too!" Like I had a choice about sleeping, after being totally exhausted and after consuming the very strong hot-rum night cap he would give me to drink. I would lay there on my bed, the room spinning, listening to dad and George Maloff swapping hunting stories (most of them greatly exaggerated) while they played crib and drank rum until I would drift off to sleep. These are my most happy and cherished time I spent with my father. Happy hunting Nick and George.

Nick served in the armed forces as a military police officer. It was at that time he met a beautiful young waitress in a cafe in Regina, Saskatchewan. Her name was Helen Ritter. When he saw those sparkling eyes, beautiful long wavy brown hair and that bright smile of hers, he knew he had to have her. I believe that is how he became hooked on coffee. Sitting there staring at her time and time again, drinking coffee until he was brave enough to ask her out on a date. They married in Oliver, B.C. On Sept. 12, 1947. They settled in the Castlegar area in 1954. Helen came from a large family and she was determined to have one. She bore five children with Nick. Sharon in 1952, Rhonda in '54, Keith in '55, Andrea in '56 and Holly in '57. Mom and Dad eventually bought the house on Columbia Avenue and settled there.

Nick's interest in Policing came to him in the armed forces. He pursued this interest by serving for many years as an auxiliary police officer with the Castlegar detachment of the R.C.M.P. We learned respect and even friendship with police officers, as there was always a pot of coffee on at Shelfontiuk's. Many hours were passed talking, laughing and drinking coffee at Dad and Mom's kitchen table, with not only cops but anyone who enjoyed our company. Our home became known as "Helen's Hangout" to all of our friends. Although Nick pretended to be grumpy and tired of all of the people coming and going all the time, I believed he quite like all of the attention. Especially from all those beautiful young girls my sister would bring around.

Nick was a fighter, when it came to his health too. He suffered for many years with a bad heart. He was well-liked at the Castlegar Hospital by the nursing staff. Many times he would go into that hospital, all of us wondering whether he would come home again. Cats everywhere wish they had as many lives as him.

God bless you Nick Shelfontiuk – husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, carpenter, cabinetmaker, mason, bricklayer, stone layer, plumber, electrician, gardener and artist.

You will be missed.