Krystian Michal Waluga

Krystian was born in Poland to parents Agnieszka and Antoni.He grew up after WWII, and spent his childhood playing with undetonated ammunition (according to him!) and getting up to other mischief – the future jokester was born! He had an older sister Gabriela, and has a younger sister Ania, who still resides in Austria along with her son Mathias and his family. After completing post-secondary, Krys started his career in coal mining and rescue, then managed a crew that maintained Polmozbyt car dealerships. During this time he met his wife of 54 years, Alicja, a teacher, and they married in 1969. The following year they had their son, Michael, and four and a half years later, their daughter, Magda. Krystian’s dream was to start a new life, not under a Russian communist regime, and in the summer of 1981 the family of four left everything behind and fled Poland for Austria, where they lived in a refugee camp, then in a room in a boarding house while Krys worked and the kids started school. Four months after leaving Poland, they were sponsored to come to Canada (it was either going to be Canada or Australia), and in November they flew into Edmonton and were transported to Grande Cache, Alberta, where Krys began work at Smoky River Coal Mine. Unfortunately, the mine shut down just months later, and Krys found work temporarily in Tuktoyaktuk, NWT, the hardest job of his life, he claimed. A year and a half after the family’s arrival in Canada a new coal mine was opening in Hinton, 1.5 hours southeast of Grande Cache, where Krys got a job as a rail car loader, until he updated some courses and challenged his Millwright ticket. He worked at Greg River Mine until its closure in 2000, at which time he had the third highest seniority in the company, and along with a couple of other employees, dismantled the equipment at the mine and was one of the last to leave.

In 2003, Krys and Alicja moved from Hinton to Kelowna where Mike had already been living for 14 years, and they were soon followed by Magda. In Kelowna Krys began a job with Gorman Brothers, where he worked for many years and which he immensely enjoyed. During their years in Hinton, Krys and Alicja vacationed throughout Alberta, B.C., and the U.S., especially enjoying 3-week long tent trailer holidays in the Okanagan when the kids were young. They vacationed in sunny destinations, as well, from Spain to Mexico, and took trips back to Poland once communism fell. Unfortunately, due to this, Krys never saw his mother again after he left Poland in ‘81. Krys loved sailing and had a little sailboat in Hinton, which he upgraded to a MacGregor 26X, the boat of his dreams, once he moved to Kelowna. Apart from sailing, Krys loved skiing, socializing, reading, good conversation, telling stories and jokes, and laughing, but most of all he loved his family – his wife and kids, and eventually his grandkids who were born after his move to Kelowna, Mike’s boys Seth and Logan in 2005, and Magda’s children, Jacob in 2007 and Sophia in 2010. He adored his grandkids as he had his kids, spending countless days teaching them how to ski, swim, play piano, repair things and just being silly with them and delighting in their time together.

Perhaps most of all, Krys was an exceptional provider and an incredibly hard working man. His work ethic was unparalleled. He would do anything for his family and went out of his way for friends. A good handyman, he often worked tirelessly on everyone’s houses, yards, building projects and vehicles… anything that he could manage, and on many occasions, he financially helped out his children, even sponsored a family to immigrate to Canada in his Hinton days. He did this all having come to Canada with nothing but two suitcases in hand and his family in tow, not yet knowing the language.

Finally, he was an intelligent, lively man, a buff at Polish and European history, loved animals, food, and sneaking the occasional cigarette. He is desperately missed by his family.

Krzysku, Tato, Dziadek… we will look for you in rainbows, as you asked us to.

As per Krys’ wishes, the funeral will only be attended by family.

In lieu of coordinating and purchasing flowers, please take the time to remember the man we loved. Raise a glass to him, tell a joke, do something thoughtful for your neighbour, and/or spend the money on a charity close to your heart.

Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.firstmemorialfuneralkelowna.com

Arrangements entrusted with First Memorial Funeral Services, Kelowna, BC 250-762-2299