Obituary of TED STOYKO  

TED STOYKO  

It is with deep sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Mr. Teddy Emilo Stoyko, at the age of 79 years, at his home on Wednesday, March 14, 2018. Ted was a beloved husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, colleague and friend to many. 

Ted was born in a log cabin on a farm in the RM of Springfield, Manitoba on May 14, 1938, the youngest of the four children of Olimpya and Harry Stoyko. Growing up on the farm, he became adept at milking the cows, gathering eggs, storing butter in the surface wells, picking stones off of the fields, being the signpost when planting took place, and helping with the harvest.  His experience growing up on the farm was his basis for his later love of horticulture as a hobby.

He attended Eastdale School in Springfield and after finishing 8^th grade, he moved to the city’s North End (living at 622 Stella Avenue) to attend Isaac Newton High School.   After graduating, Ted attended teachers college (Normal School) where he studied to become a teacher.  Education was important to Ted. He began teaching in a one-room schoolhouse at Sunnyside School No. 40 in the RM of Springfield (1958-59). He rapidly moved into administration and continued within Transcona-Springfield School Division for his entire career.

Ted met June Zegil at a volleyball camp in Gimli and they were married on August 12, 1961. They settled on a five-acre property near Dugald and spent the next 20 years nurturing bountiful vegetable gardens and fruit trees, planting beautiful flowers and hosting many bonfires and dinners in their lovely home.  His experienced green thumb was advantageous to his daughter’s tropical landscaped yard where he tended to papaya trees, lilikoi, lemons, tangerines, gardenias, torch ginger and orchids in Hawaii.

In 1969 Ted and June had their daughter, Lois-Lynn. When Lois-Lynn was an infant, Ted taught during the day and attended night school at the University of Manitoba where he earned a Bachelor of Education degree in 1971. He went on to become a principal at Dugald Elementary School, Margaret Underhill Elementary School, Wayoata Elementary School and Oakbank Elementary School. He was especially proud of the English-Ukrainian Bilingual Program at Oakbank Elementary School and fondly recalled many of his hard-working, talented and creative colleagues in education. After 39 years (1958-1997), he retired from Transcona-Springfield School Division.

Ted was an avid sports fan. He had seasons tickets to the original Winnipeg Jets and continued to have seasons tickets to the Winnipeg Blue Bombers for 41 consecutive years. He was also an avid golfer and spent many hours on the links with his grandson, Lance, in Hawaii and in Winnipeg.

Over the last 25 years he visited his daughter, Lois-Lynn and her family, in Hawaii, Italy, Germany, Florida, California, Kansas and North Carolina, helping them set up new households wherever their professions took them. Ted loved traveling around the world (especially cruising) and had many adventures in the Alaska, Hawaii, Europe, the Caribbean, the South Pacific (New Zealand, Australia and Tasmania), South America and Africa.

He went on an exotic African safari in Serengeti National Park in Tanzania, ate churrasco on a cattle ranch in Argentina, viewed penguins near Antarctica, herded sheep with Border Collies in New Zealand, sipped Sangiovese along the canals of Venice, raised his stein in the beer tents during Octoberfest in Germany, ate schnitzel atop Austrian Alps, viewed the lights of Paris from the top of the Eiffel Tower, trekked through Machu Picchu in Peru, explored volcanoes on the Hawaiian Islands and traversed by sea through the Panama Canal and around the treacherous Cape Horn on the tip of South America. 

As a humble leader, he has been involved in numerous service organizations and volunteer committees throughout his life including Chairman of the Board of Directors for Metropolitan Kiwanis Homes, Member At Large of  Kiwanis Homes of East Kildonan Board, President (and other positions) of his condominium association, President and Secretary of the Kiwanis Club of East Kildonan, Chairman of Young Children Priority One, East Kildonan Kiwanis Golf Tournament coordinate, St. Stephen’s Anglican Church (committees), prepared and served meals at Siloam Mission, Folk Festival Transportation, Players Golf Tournament and he rang the bell for the Salvation Army Kettles at Christmas.  Over the years, he was the Kiwanis advisor for kids clubs, builders clubs and key clubs at local schools.

He leaves to cherish his memory daughter Dr. Lois-Lynn S. Deuel, son-in-law, Lieutenant Colonel (US Army) George Lawrence Deuel, and grandson, Lance Michael Deuel of Honolulu, HI, and special friend, Patricia Thompson of Winnipeg.

He is predeceased by his wife of 49 years, June Stoyko, his brother, Steve Stoyko and his parents, Harry and Olimpya Stoyko.  He was also recently predeceased by his niece’s husband, Don Hutniak.

He will be lovingly remembered by his sister, Nadia (Ed) Karan, his brother, Wally (Gail) Stoyko and his sister-in-law Rose Stoyko.  He will be deeply missed by nieces, nephews and their families, Beverly (Mark) Pope – Evan and Cailyn, Terry Karan, Marilyn (Paul) Kess, Crystal (Matthew) Greenaway and family, Vanessa Kess (Robbie), Tyler (Michele) Kess and family, Janet (Martin) King and family, Greg Stoyko, Brenda (Al) McDermid and family, Linda Stoyko and Gary Finney, David (Jan) Stoyko and family and Douglas (Sandra) Stoyko and family.  He will also be deeply missed by his niece Bonnie Hutniak and great nieces Lisa (Joël Simard) Hutniak and Sara (Chris) Gerullis.

Cremation has already taken place. Please join us at a service to celebrate his life at 1:00 p.m. on Friday, March 23^rd at St. Stephen's Anglican Church, 220 Helmsdale Avenue, Winnipeg, MB. Reception to follow.