Obituary of WACLAW (VANCE) KUZIA

WACLAW (VANCE) KUZIA 1913 - 2014 Waclaw Kuzia, loyal, valiant son of Poland and proud, naturalized Canadian passed away on Tuesday, January 28, 2014 at Health Sciences Centre at the age of 100 years, following an accidental fall at the family home. Predeceased by his brother Aleksander and nephew Krzysztof, Wacek is survived by his wife Genowefa (Jean), children Henry (Joanne) and Christine (Dennis), grandchildren John and Elizabeth, sisters Alexandra, Stanislawa, Regina and sister-in-law Elzbieta, and their families. Born in Maly Plock, north-eastern Poland on October 15, 1913 as the first son of Boleslaw and Maria Kuzia, Wacek was deported to Siberia in 1915 along with his parents, grandparents and hundreds of thousands of other Poles. With the conclusion of the war the family returned to Maly Plock, where their house was still standing and farming life resumed. After finishing primary and junior high grades he began to work full-time on the family farm. Following the fall harvest he worked in the local Borys millwork shop where he perfected his carpentry skills. In 1933 he was called for military duty, trained at the Military Police Training Academy in Grudziadz and then assigned to the 1st Gendarmerie Division in Warsaw. After fulfilling his military obligations he returned home where he ran the farm and studied for two years at the Agricultural School in Marianow. In August, 1939, in expectation of hostilities, Polish authorities ordered general mobilization and Wacek reported for duty in Lomza, saw action in northeastern Poland before being taken prisoner by the Soviet Army. He was interned in various Soviet prisons including the Kozielsk prison camp, from which prisoners were taken for execution in the infamous Katyn Forest. Following the Nazi invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941 most Polish prisoners-of-war were released and he re-joined the Polish Army which had begun re-forming under Gen. Wladyslaw Anders, and then via a circuitous route through Kazakhstan and Turkmenistan, crossed the Caspian Sea in a coal barge to arrive at Pahlavi, Persia. He carried out Military Police duties while stationed in Persia, Iraq, Palestine and Egypt until June, 1944 when he was transferred to Naples, Italy. While stationed in the Middle East Wacek bought a Zeiss Ikon camera which he always had with him. While on duty he rode a British Triumph or American Indian motorcycle and documented his travels with photos of the sites he was able to visit from the Sphinx to the Temple of Luxor, the Vatican and many more. He leaves behind hundreds of negatives which he was able to identify and label during his retirement years. When the war ended he was demobilized in England, and on his family’s advice not to return to Poland, following the installation of Communist rule, he chose Canada as his new home. In return for passage and entry to Canada Polish ex-military members were required to work two seasons on farms, in forestry or mining. Wacek spent his first summer working the sugar beet fields of southern Manitoba. His next assignment was to the farm of Edward Zwierciadlowski, just north of Stonewall, MB. Here, he met Edward’s young wife Janina, recently arrived from a refugee camp in Mexico, Colonia Santa Rosa, near Leon, in the state of Gaunajuato, who later introduced Wacek to her niece Genowefa whom she sponsored to Canada from Mexico. This introduction resulted in their marriage in July, 1949. Following his farming work Wacek settled in Winnipeg, and soon began work for Haag Construction which was building homes in the developing Riverview area; he quickly rose through the ranks and became Otto Haag’s head field manager supervising the firm’s residential construction projects in Fort Rouge, Windsor Park, River Heights, and finally a 300 unit project in Fort William (now Thunder Bay). In 1959 Wacek chose self-employment, carrying out residential and commercial construction and renovations until he was well into his 70's. Waclaw was active in the Polish Canadian community, being one of the founding members of the Polish Combatants’ Association Branch 13 in Winnipeg as well as the PCA Credit Union. He served the Combatants’ Association in various executive positions, including two terms as President. In 1953 when difficulties were encountered in the building of the St. Andrew Bobola church in St. Boniface he was asked to assist and with his construction expertise was able to resolve the problems. He and Genia decided to join the parish and have been life-long members. He was a supporter of any worthwhile project or cause within the Polish Canadian community as well as the community at large. Wacek and Genia supported and encouraged their children in all of their endeavours and ensured they were kept busy with Saturday Polish language classes, catechism, scouts, Polish dancing, music lessons, travels abroad and more. In his retirement years Wacek traveled to Poland often to visit family, participate with other military police alumni in various activities, and to see parts of Poland he’d not seen before. In 2009 he was invited by the Polish Ministry of Veterans’ Affairs to participate in ceremonies marking the 70th anniversary of the outbreak of World War II and did so with great pride. Wacek never forgot his Polish roots and was eternally grateful to Canada for opening her doors and giving him every opportunity he could have ever wanted. Prayers will be held on Friday, February 7, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. at Cropo Funeral Chapel, 1442 Main Street. Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Saturday, February 8 at 10:00 a.m. at St. Andrew Bobola Parish, 541 Marion Street with Fr. Sebastian Gacki officiating. Interment will follow in Holy Ghost Cemetery. We wish to thank our care givers who have assisted our parents during recent years with their care and support. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Andrew Bobola Parish or the Ogniwo Polish Museum Society. Wieczny odpoczynek racz mu dac Panie