Nicholas Stephen Mutz

Nick was born on April 19, 1924 in Rakow, Poland to Stephen and Paraska Mutz. In 1934, at the age of 9, he came to Canada with his mother and sister, Mary, to join his father. He attended Robert Moore School and Fort Frances High School, graduating in 1940. During the summers he worked for Shevlin Clark and Herrem Woodworkers.

He served his country in the RCAF during WWII as an aircraft mechanic. After his training in Canada he was posted in England and stationed at Topcliffe Yorkshire where he worked on Halifax Bombers. In 1946 he took an auto repair course and started his apprenticeship with Stuart Motors. During his 42 year career as a master mechanic he also worked at Fort Frances Motor Products for Jack McVey and Jack Turple, and Causeway Motors for Ray Rousseau. He retired in 1988 from Causeway Motors.

He was a devoted member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church as well as a member of the Knights of Columbus, the Elks Lodge and the Royal Canadian Legion. He was awarded his 70 year pin from the Fort Frances Legion Branch 29 in 2017.

On October 29, 1955 he married the love of life, Emelia Duchnicki. They shared 57 loving years together until her passing on November 24, 2012.

Nick was a quiet, caring, loving and kind man who was always happy to help family members and friends with odd jobs, especially repairing their vehicles. Home and Family were very important to him. He also enjoyed hunting and fishing in his younger years.

He will be dearly missed and lovingly remembered by his special niece Barb (Don) Koczkur and their family, Sherry (Doug) Watt (Thomas and Kenton), Stacey (Grant) Donais (Hunter) and Shawn (Justin) Langtry; nephew Derric (Teri) Drawson and their family Tyler (Alex) and Danielle (Paul) Krawec. He is also survived by nieces and nephews in the Duchnicki family, Josie (Luke) Schill, Tom (Rochelle) Duchnicki, Karen (Randy) Anderson, Mike (Dot) Duchnicki and Don (Judy) Kingerski and their families.

Along with his wife Emelia, Nick was predeceased by his parents Stephen (1968), Paraska (1981) and his sister Mary (1999) as well as sisters-in-law Mary Kingerski, Kay Duchnicki, Lena Duchnicki and brothers-in-law Nick Kingerski, Walter Duchnicki and John Duchnicki.

A visitation was held on Monday, September 17, 2018 from 7 pm until 8:30 pm at Green Funeral Home in Fort Frances, Ontario. Parish prayers were offered at 7:30 p.m.

Funeral mass was held on Tuesday, September 18, 2018 at 11 a.m. at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Fort Frances, Ontario with Father Thomas Mullamangalam officiating.

Following the lunch at the Royal Canadian Legion, Nick was laid to rest in the family plot at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Fort Frances, Ontario.

The active pallbearers were Chris Duchnicki, Shawn Langtry, Derric Drawson, Doug Watt, Justin Stanley and Tom Duchnicki.

The honorary pallbearers were Randy Anderson, Fred Boustead, Grant Donais, Mike Duchnicki, Don Kingerski, Don Koczkur, Luke Schill, Ken Badiuk and Bill Dobransky.

Should friends so desire in memoriam donations may be made to the Riverside Health Care Foundation – Rainycrest LTC Activation Department, 110 Victoria Avenue, Fort Frances, ON, P9A 2B7 or Hospice Northwest, 63 Carrie St, Thunder Bay, ON, P7A 6A9 or St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, 209 Victoria Avenue, Fort Frances, ON, P9A 2B7.

Online condolences may be made in care of www.greenfuneralhomefortfrances.com.