Victor Raymond Skromny DeFehr

Victor was born September 25, 1961 at University Hospital in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. He passed away peacefully on April 11, 2022 in Saskatoon, after suffering from multiple sclerosis for over 20 years.

He is survived by his loving parents, mother Maggie (née Stadnyk), father Vic, brother David and wife Lesley, his two precious nieces Olivia and Jasmine, along with cousins Mona, Stephen, Anna-Marie, Doug, Max, Lance, Lisa, Tracy, Les, Jeff, Denise and Glen, Aunt Helen and Uncle Max, and special friends Horace and Eva Waselick who shared his life from birth. Sadly, he was pre-deceased by his cousins Shawn and Colleen, Aunts Mary and Fran, Uncles Billy and Stan, and his grandparents Oma and Opa Skromny, Baba and Gido Stadnyk. He was a descendant of refugees, and enjoyed a childhood full of joyous family interactions in true Ukrainian, Polish, German and Canadian spirit.

A resident of Parkridge Centre Special Care Home for over 13 years, Victor’s life was disrupted by MS. The staff of Parkridge East 2 are truly special. He was well cared for and loved while in residence. Though visitations were restricted during the pandemic, staff made great efforts to prepare him to visit family and friends both inside and away from the Centre, when permitted. Special thanks to Heather, Early, Cindy and Dr. Miakhl who were so kind and caring, and to Cecile Coppens, his massage therapist and friend, who formed a special bond during his many years there.

Victor’s life was much more than battling MS. He was a fast, agile athlete in his youth. He played hockey from a very young age into his later teens, participated in track and field, played one year of junior football and junior basketball at Mount Royal Collegiate, was a talented badminton and tennis player at Riverside Tennis and Badminton Club, and played soccer for a number of years in his childhood community of Westview.

Though physically active, Victor was an excellent student and enjoyed thoughtful challenges, especially chess. He and his great friend Azmat Hussain shared a love for chess, and teaching, travelling to the U.S. for competitions. Besides his membership in the Saskatoon Chess Club, he was an avid Star Trek fan when it first aired, and remained an avid reader of science-fiction.

He started school at Buena Vista then, when the family moved, attended the shining new Caroline Robins Elementary. In grade four he was selected to attend Brunskill, as a gifted student, where he flourished both academically and artistically. There he had great friendships and was thoroughly motivated to excel. His high school days at Mount Royal were not as joyful, and like others of his generation he became sidetracked by addictions in his final years.

Always an enthusiastic worker, Victor started at McDonald’s during high school followed by jobs as a courier, waiter, accounting clerk, pizza deliverer, cook for Daisy’s Restaurant, and was Assistant Chef at Heritage Inn, as well as an excellent tutor for Wise Owl Learning.

Victor graduated from the University of Saskatchewan with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics in 1996. After a successful first year in 1979, his second turbulent year was followed by a 15-year hiatus due to his struggles with addictions. He gained his Bachelor of Education and teaching credentials in 1998, and seemed to once again find his wings. A practicum at Nutana Collegiate was his final preparation for the real world of teaching. Soon after he landed a job, during a tight labour market, at Chief Poundmaker School near Cutknife, on the Poundmaker Cree Nation. He was thoroughly engaged, and inspired by his new environment. The love and dedication he brought to his students was reflected back in their respect and joy within the school. He raided his family library on more than one occasion to provide books to young students and mothers to read. He enjoyed playing sports, especially basketball and soccer, with the students and felt a strong connection to the community.

Cruelly, that is when his MS began to appear, and after less than five years of teaching he was forced to stop due to disabling symptoms and a rapid physical deterioration. Victor never gave up hope though he suffered greatly, both physically and mentally, in coming to grips with a debilitating disease whose origins continue to evade researchers. Like any family faced with such a traumatic change in circumstances, it became an exhausting journey of support and grieving for Maggie and Vic.

When friends and family visited Victor he always enjoyed a Tim Horton’s double-double, and simply sharing the comforting feeling of love and companionship we all cherish. He had some great supports assisting him with computer chess, email, and watching movies. Maggie and Vic would bring him home most Sundays in the summer where he loved playing Skip-Bo in the gazebo and enjoyed KFC. In the winter they spent time with Victor at Parkridge, including special events at Christmas and private gatherings. He also enjoyed many shows at Centennial Auditorium and Persephone Theatre. During the pandemic, they were forced to meet outside Parkridge or heat up the garage so his wheelchair could be managed during a visit. He was happiest when Olivia and Jasmine would come to town, their beautiful smiles and uninhibited joy in his company were medicine of another kind.

Victor was never one to complain about his circumstances, but he did confide in Maggie the extent of his pain and torment. Thankfully his passing is a blessing that ends his suffering, even if a tremendous sadness is felt by those who knew him.

At Victor’s request, there will be no funeral. Victor’s ashes will join his Oma and Opa at Woodlawn Cemetery for eternity. The family asks that in lieu of flowers a donation in Victor’s name be given to further his love of education to: Resilience Scholarship or Bursary, two awards supporting students with mental illness at the University of Saskatchewan Resilience Scholarship Fund University Relations – Advancement Office G16 Thorvoldson Building 110 Science Place Saskatoon, Saskatchewan S7N 5C9; or Chief Poundmaker School Fundraising, to support development of their athletic programs. Chief Poundmaker School, Fundraising Box 640 Cutknife, Saskatchewan S0M 0N0

Rest in peace dear Victor, you lived a life of vigour, exploring your boundaries. Your love of life, as well as your suffering, will never be forgotten.