of one of the province's long time basketball coaches, Russ Pastuck. Russ coached a number of basketball teams in the 1950's and 60's at St. John's High School. Many of his players went on to be infludentail members of the basketballl community including Bill & Ross Wedlake , Irv Hanec, Hymie Fox and Ken Kelsch. A memorial service will be held in Winnipeg on Saturday, April 12, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. at Neil Bardal Inc., 984 Portage Ave.
Russell Pastuck,
husband of Hilda, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Saturday,
March 29, 2008 after a long and fulfilling life. Russell was the eldest
child born to Anton and Maria Pastuck in Winnipeg. In his youth in
North End Winnipeg he played sports at Robertson Memorial House. He
would later attend church at Robertson Memorial United Church where he
met his wife Ruth and was a Sunday School teacher, Elder and Board
Member. Russ graduated from the University of Manitoba in 1933 and
received his Master's degree in Education from the University of
Minnesota in 1955. He taught in Vita, Manitoba for three years and then
in Winnipeg for the next 37 years, 28 of them at St. John's High School
as a physical education teacher. He loved his role as the coach! Many
students benefited from his dedication to sport as he coached
basketball, football, track and field and gymnastics and he was
especially proud of having ballroom dancing added to the curriculum. In
his time at St. John's, he coached and taught many individuals who went
on to have very successful athletic and coaching careers. Education was
very important to Russ and he spent his entire life learning and
teaching. He was a voracious reader and always enjoyed sharing his
knowledge. Russ had an impact on those he met throughout his life and
left a lasting impression right up to his final days. He was very proud
of his children's and grandchildren's achievements.
In 1973 Russ
retired from the Winnipeg School Division and he and Hilda settled on
their acreage in Abbotsford, B.C. There they enjoyed developing the
property and forming new friendships. He took great pleasure in caring
for his animals, gardening, painting, golfing and many other
activities. Russ spent the last two years in Calgary in the loving care
of his daughter Maureen and her husband Ken.
Russ is survived by his
wife Hilda of Abbotsford, BC; his children Richard (Lena) of
Tallahassee, FL, Doug (Vicki) of Winnipeg, and Maureen (Ken) Parker of
Calgary, AB; his grandchildren RuthAnne (Matt) of Tallahassee, FL,
Kerry Parker Smith (Paul) of Vancouver, BC, Michael Parker (Sue Measor)
of Calgary, AB, and Daniel of Winnipeg; his stepdaughters Joan (Norm
deceased) Rogers of Brooks, AB and Maureen (Eric) Janzen of Abbotsford,
BC and their families; his sister Tiny Patton of Toronto, ON and Olga
Dedick of Winnipeg, and many nieces and nephews. Russ was predeceased
by his wife Ruth in 1963 and his sisters Anne Laurila and Carla
Landino.
A memorial service will be held in Winnipeg on Saturday, April
12, 2008 at 1:30 p.m. at Neil Bardal Inc., 984 Portage Ave. (entrance
on Aubrey). In lieu of flowers memorial tributes may be made directly
to Special Olympics Manitoba - Winnipeg, 200 Main Street, Winnipeg, R3C
4M2. NEIL BARDAL INC. 949-2200 nbardal.mb.ca