Victor Nickolas Karwacki

Surrounded by the love of his children and grandchildren, Vic passed away gently at Sherbrooke Community Centre in Saskatoon on the morning of May 7th, returning to God in the belief of reuniting with the love of his life -- edie.

Vic leaves an incredible legacy as a husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, and as an educator, coach and community builder.

His example of a life well-lived is left to his family: Nicole (Andrew) Scheidl and their family: David & Tanya; Jacqueline & Brendan McKernan with Edith; Nicholas & Megan; Stephen & Sophie with Elise; Anna; Joseph & Frances Santiago; and Katherine & Grant Kaduck. David (Laurie) Karwacki and their family: Jonathan & Brittany with Emma, and the twins Bella and Brooklyn; Alix & Connor Goshawk with Charli; Sarah & Graham Solie with Joey and Russell; Luke & Cassandra; and Laurie’s & David’s angel, baby Matthew (deceased). Andrea (Jeff) Urquhart and their family: Joshua; Mackenzie; and Zachary & Kaylee with Harriet. Grant Karwacki and Tom Tan, all who hope to honour his life by striving to exercise kindness and compassion, in particular to those who live on the margins.

Born on the farm near Alvena, SK, to Thadeus “Ted” Karwacki and Mary (Tokar), he was formed in the spirit of the prairie community at the farm workbench of his grandfather and in the spiritual kindness of his mother -- always supported by his two surviving sisters, Anne (Dobko) and Joan (Fingler).

His youth was filled with hard work (threshing and baling on the farm, washing trucks at the stockyards) and sport (playing goalie for Saskatoon United soccer, Westmount baseball, and hockey). He admired his coaches and mentors like Gus Sauer and Johnny Sawchuk, who ignited his passion for sport and coaching later in life.

After moving to Saskatoon from Alvena, Vic pursued his education while attending Westmount, then Tech -- loving engine repair in shop and carpentry. At the insistence of the Leier family, Vic went to St. Paul's High School where he was fortunate to attract sufficient academic attention in math and science to gain scholarships to attend U of S in the Sciences. He graduated with a B.Sc. and B.Ed., majoring in Biology and later achieved his M. Ed.

In his professional life, Vic combined his love of the outdoors with science and was a passionate biologist, working summers for Saskatchewan fisheries in La Ronge. These adventures on the Churchill River system would later fuel his famous biology labs. During a survey of lakes in the Porcupine Plains district, he fell in love with a lifeguard on the swing set at Greenwater Provincial Park and a fifty-year love affair was ignited with edie. They taught together at Humboldt Collegiate. Vic later became part of the founding staff under Fr. James P. Mahoney at Holy Cross High School.

Alongside Principal Bill Loran, Vic guided the physical expansion of Holy Cross, as well as its academic offerings. He supported the extracurricular life of the school as formative to the lives of students: Barb Wotherspoon’s Drama productions solicited Vic’s cameo appearance in Westside Story; Peter England’s Band instruments and John Perret’s signature art classes were always a high priority. His love of coaching and attending basketball clinics helped forge a lifelong friendship with the early Crusaders, and Coach Dave Hardy, who along with Linda, was with Vic the day before his passing.

As a west-side boy from Avenue L North, Vic embraced his time as Principal of E.D. Feehan with a great mentoring love for the students. He was deeply grateful to Ken McDonough for placing the Catholic Board's trust in him to lead the design/build, alongside the architectural team, of St. Joseph's High School as its first Principal. Its signature grasslands natural landscaping and natural atrium lighting were his inspiration.

His love of building up his family and building things culminated in the creation of an intergenerational haven at Chitek Lake, where he taught his sons David and Grant how to swing a hammer, guided by the caring 'suggestions' of neighbour Ed Solie. The grandkids listened to campfire stories, explored the woods together, wakeboarded and tubed to exhaustion while being towed by Grandpa.

Always civic-minded, as the godson of Chief Justice Bayda, Vic poured his heart into community service, running for public office under the Hon Ralph Goodale, and serving as Liberal Party President under the RT Hon Jean Chrétien.

He was a founding member of his home parish of Holy Spirit, first at Holy Cross in the old gym and then working with Fr Ralph Kleiter to push through to completion the building of the current church at 114 Kingsmere Place, Saskatoon. Mass of Christian Burial for Vic will be celebrated at 10:30 am on Saturday, May 24th at Holy Spirit Parish. For those unable to join the funeral mass in person may join via livestream

https://www.youtube.com/live/8_X-728MNOk

His legacy will live on through his family and his faith. The family would like to extend a special heartfelt embrace to Mary Lynn, Laverne and Lynne of Home Instead for facilitating Vic's independent living at St. Volodymyr. If you wish to make a donation to honour his life’s work, we ask that you make it to the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Foundation. Arrangements in care of Aime Laventure.