Obituary of Boleslaw KURYLO

BOLESLAW KURYLO FEBRUARY 10,1920-MARCH 22,2010 With great sadness and sorrow the family announces the passing of our father, grandfather, and great grandfather. He was predeceased by his wife of 54 years Anna and youngest son Arthur. Left to cherish his memory are Richard (Isabel), Tedd (Kim), Barbara (Leslie) Sytkowski, grandchildren Lisa, Tommy, Tyler (Kaylee), Michael and Daniel and new great grandchild Gavin. He is also survived by his family in Poland including his sister Eugenia and many nieces and nephews, as well as his extended family in Canada including Michelle (Rob), Ashton and Ava Howarth. Dad was born in eastern Poland near Szuszyn and joined the Polish army at the age of seventeen. In September, 1939 as Hitler's Germany attacked Poland from the west, Stalin's Russia marched in from the east. Our dad was taken prisoner and interned in a remote Siberian slave labour camp (Gulag). In 1942 the Allies negotiated his release, which allowed him and other camp survivors to assemble in Uzbekistan under Polish General W. Anders. They were deployed to Iran, Iraq, Palestine, and Egypt, where the 2nd Polish Corps formed and joined the British 8th Army for the invasion of Italy. The 2nd Corps went on to fight in the Italian campaign in battles at Monte Casino, Ancona, and Bologna. He was fiercely proud to have been a member of the Pulk Ulan Karpackich Regiment and to have received the Krzyza Pamiatkowego and Krzyzem Zeslancow Sybiru. After the war, unable to return to Poland, he immigrated to Canada and settled in Winnipeg, where he met and married our mother. He worked for the CN Railway until his retirement in 1984. Dad was a member of the Polish Combatants Association #13 and the Andrew Mynarski V.C. R.C.L. #34 for over 57 years. He was also a member of Holy Ghost Parish and St. John Cantius seniors club. Dad loved the outdoors and wild life, often taking the family to the Whiteshell for camping and fishing trips. In his retirement, he was able to enjoy many trips to Hawaii, Mexico, and California. Dziadziu (grand-dad) found great joy in his grand children particularly when they would visit him during family celebrations. Dziadziu also took great pride and joy in teaching us the basics of gardening. Special thank you to Pan Stefan Mazur, homecare providers, Bogdana, Stanislawa and Krystyna, whom he loved very much. You were our angels. Sincere thanks to the staff at Seven Oaks Hospital, 3rd floor units, U3 and U5, for their compassionate care in his final days. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, March 27, 2010 at 09:30am. at Holy Ghost Roman Catholic Church, 341 Selkirk Ave. with an Oblate Father officiating. Interment will follow at Holy Ghost Cemetery.