John Bartkowiak

It is with heavy hearts that we say a difficult goodbye to an extraordinary man—husband, father, and Dziadzia—someone whose love and strength taught us all so much. Johnny passed away peacefully at Pinecrest, with his wife Margaret holding his hand.

He was predeceased by his parents, Weronica and Stanislov Bartkowiak; his sisters, Bernice (Cuzzie Literovich) and Stella Young; his in-laws, Edward and Viola Densley; and his sisters- and brothers-in-law, Joyce and Jim Green, Phyllis and Bruce Hansen, and Helmut Karlstedt. He will be missed by Don Young, Muriel and Bob Laewetz, and Doris Karlstedt.

He will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by his devoted wife, Margaret; his son, John Bartkowiak Jr. (Eva Wojcik), and their sons, Cole and Mitchell; his daughter, Ang Harasemchuk (George), and their daughters, Spencer (Jake) and Jaymesen. He was a proud and dedicated Dziadzia whose happiest moments were spent with his grandchildren—whether he was walking the field following the play, cheering from the stands, quietly reading them a book, or going for a walk, he was happy to be there and wouldn't have traded that time for anything.

John Stanley Bartkowiak was born May 28, 1935, in Gostyn, Poland. In August of 1950, following World War II, John immigrated to Canada with his parents, joining his sisters in Kenora, Ontario. It was there that he met the love of his life and dance partner of 62 years, Margaret. Together, they built a home and raised their family on Laurenson’s Lake, enjoying trips to Minaki in the boat, swimming, water skiing, cliff jumping, and camping with family.

John worked for the CPR in his early years in Ignace, but that meant time away, so to be home with family he transferred to Kenora Pulp and Paper Mill, where he spent 25 years working on the Finishing Floor. He was fortunate enough to retire from the mill at the age of 57 and enjoyed 33 years of retirement. During this time, he liked doing odd jobs out in Clearwater Bay and travelling with Marg. Together, they enjoyed many trips to different places in the Caribbean, driving through the mountains out west and down to the Badlands, as well as going back to Poland on several occasions. He was proud of his Polish heritage and enjoyed going back to visit family, sharing traditions and sense of identity.

Soccer was a defining passion in his life. He shared that love in every way he could—coaching, helping build and maintain local fields, and playing the game for as long as he could. He was a dedicated goalkeeper for many years and later moved to defense until he retired from the sport in his fifties. He was also an incredibly creative woodworker and carver—a true jack of all trades. There never seemed to be anything he couldn’t fix, build, or somehow make better with his own two hands.

John lived by strong but meaningful words: “You are always better to try and fail and learn from it, rather than not trying at all.” He wasn’t the kind of dad who rushed in to save the day. Instead, he gave us the space, and the tools required to figure things out. We always knew he was there watching, waiting, and ready if we needed him. At times, that meant some hard lessons learned, but looking back, it was one of the greatest gifts he gave us, and we are the best parts of him because of that.

Dad was known for his long goodbyes, the kind that always came with a tight, lingering hug, a heartfelt “thank you for coming.”, a “it was good to see you,” and always, “come again sometime,”. Those moments felt so ordinary then, just a part of who he was, but now they carry so much more meaning. Looking back, it almost feels as though he was gently preparing us for this long goodbye that we have had. Just because it was long doesn't make it any easier. We will miss him more than words can say, but we hope he is out on the dance floor, whittling a piece of wood with friends and family by the campfire or out on the pitch.

The family extends their sincere gratitude to the staff of Pinecrest Home for the Aged, Unit 4, Nurse Practitioner Janaya, Janice Parmeter, as well as Brenda Robertson and Starr Schott, who we will always have a special place in our hearts. Thank you for brightening his day and caring for him.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to Kenora Youth Soccer or the Kenora Alzheimer's Society. Funeral service will be held May 23, 2026, at 11:00 am at Notre Dame Church, with cemetery to follow and a luncheon at Pinecrest.