Mike Klym

Mike was born on October 10, 1931 to Annie (née Krawchuk) and Michael (Mike) Klym, both immigrants to Canada from Ukraine around 1900. Mike and his older five siblings, Harry, John, Pauline (Symchuk), Bill and Andrew, grew up on the family farm in Lowland, Manitoba. Pauline helped raise Mike from infancy and cared for him like her own son. They both had a great sense of humour, and always found things to joke about.

Mike attended the one-room Woodrow School No. 1897 (RM of Lac du Bonnet). He worked for CP Transport in Winnipeg from 1955 until his retirement in 1988. As a young carefree bachelor Mike travelled around North America by Greyhound bus, but his life changed completely when he met Emily at an anniversary party. They married in 1974 and settled down on Bannerman Ave in Winnipeg. Their home became a centre for family dinners and celebrations, and was less than a kilometre from St Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Church where they were devoted parishioners. The couple kept a large, productive garden; Mike delighted in growing hollyhocks, huge sunflowers, delicious raspberries and sweet grapes. Once the kids left home, they doted on their beloved (black and white) dog named ‘Rusty’.

They enjoyed visiting family and friends in Manitoba, Sudbury, Sicamous, Calgary, and Victoria. They twice vacationed in Cuba, making sure to bring clothing and goods for the disadvantaged local residents. The couple also travelled to Mexico, around Europe, to Ukraine, Thailand, China, Singapore, and fulfilled a life-long dream by making a pilgrimage to the Holy Land.

In 2010, a year after Emily passed away, Mike moved to Victoria and joined another St Nicholas Church, where he greatly appreciated the perogy sales! He spent many happy days testing his skill among friends at the Lake Hill Lawn Bowling Club. He welcomed the opportunity to help Carol and Barry harvest blueberries from their garden, and to look after their dogs. An accomplished Jenga player, he would successfully make the riskiest moves — his sparkling blue eyes quickly smiled when the tower collapsed.

Mike spent his final years at Highgate Lodge where the cheerful staff and fellow residents always looked forward to his quiet affable presence. Vaccinated and boosted, he sailed through a bout of Covid-19 in 2022. However, in recent years his big, generous heart eventually started to decline.

Mike loved his family very much; we miss him and will keep his memory alive in our hearts. He was predeceased by his wife Emily (née Bilinsky), by his parents and siblings.

He is survived by Emily’s children Carol Burman (née Shwart), Luke Shwart, Trish Shwart and their partners Barry Burman, Michael Brenner and Barry Herring. Additional relatives include grandchildren Abe (Gena), Yascha (Queenie), and Phoebe (Duncan) Friesen, six great-grandchildren: Kaia, Callan, Mai, Kien, Dion and Maisie. He is very fondly remembered by his sister Pauline’s children, especially Val, Carol, Livia and Sheila.

At his request Mike’s remains were cremated. The ashes will rest next to Emily in Winnipeg’s Holy Family Cemetery (interment at a future date).