Obituary of Czeslaw (Chester) Siudy

August 1, 1925 – Kliszow, Poland

April 5, 2022 – Calgary, Alberta

Chester Siudy, beloved husband of Pelagia Siudy (Pietraszewski) of Calgary, AB, passed away on Tuesday, April 5, 2022, at the age of 96 years.

Chester was born in Kliszow, Poland, in 1925. He was the oldest of two brothers. Chester’s dad, John, came to Canada in 1929 looking for a better life. Chester came to Canada in 1937, when he was 12 years old, with his mother Katheryna.  They travelled on a ship, The Batory, across the Atlantic and they took on a homestead in Buck Lake. Chester fought in WW2 in England, Germany, France, and Belgium. He was shot in the shoulder three different times and returned home in 1944, after being medically discharged. He was awarded four medals; the 1939-1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the 1939-1945 War Medal, and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. He remained a member of Royal Canadian Legion.

Chester met Pelagia from Żdżary, the love of his life, and were married in 1965 in Buck Lake, with their honeymoon in Montreal. Both grew up within 30 miles of each other in Poland, in villages between Tarnow and Meilec. After his dad John passed away from a simple surgery in 1968, they made the decision based on Chester’s health, that he could not farm anymore and moved to Wetaskiwin, AB, in 1972.  Over the years, they helped in bringing over some of Pelagia’s brothers and sisters. A family that started with two in Canada, is now more than fifty strong.

In Wetaskiwin, they lived at 53A Street, and he worked for Central Oilfield company. This and the house on Willow Drive, is where the family grew up. Friday nights were Tommy Hunter (he loved country music), and Saturday was Saturday Night Hockey; first the Leafs and then the Oilers. One day those damn Oilers will win the cup again.

Chester and Pelagia went back to Poland in 1975, and then Chester went with his brother-in-law Julian around 1985. That was his last visit back to Poland; his family was here.

As a family we, especially Dad, loved BC and any hot springs. We remember many summers taking the trailer into the Okanagan. We always knew when our holiday was coming to an end when we woke up and Mom would say that we’re picking fruit today. We picked for the next couple days and then drove home. One time I remember Dad was driving us home and Mom had David on her lap. Mom opened the door to throw something out and David almost fell out of the car.  He was always a good dad and made sure we were in sports, baseball, and hockey mostly.  He got involved helping on the bench at times, and I remember a game in small-town Alberta where our team was getting beat up and he stuck out his arm to stop one of their players. Our friends always found dad to be a lot of fun and he was cool. Most friends were scared of Mom, and her famous words while standing three steps higher above all, saying while shaking her finger, “party party party that’s all you boys do”. Yes, all three of us (and our friends) got this.

His daughter-in-law Crystal remembers when she was welcomed into this family when she was 17 years old. The first time she met Chester was at Richard’s 18th birthday party. She walked into the back yard, full of relatives, and there was Chester sitting with all the uncles. He said, “Hello Crystal, have a cold beer”. She didn’t want to be rude, and it was hot out, so she took the beer. It was then that she learnt that Chester’s “cold” beer was different from most. He chilled his beer on a concrete floor still in its box. She teased him every time she could about his “cold” beer. He was the best JaJa, they loved living down the street from them when Jordan was young. When the kids got older and they moved up to Whitecourt, Chester said he’s moving to Whitecourt too. When they would visit, Jordan and Alex would hug Babchia and then go sit with JaJa. JaJa wanted to be filled in on everything that they had been doing. Then when the boys got up from the couch, their pockets were bulging with money. She swears he went to the bank right before they arrived just to spoil those boys, and they loved it.

Chester’s steady foot had him driving until he was 91 years old. Us kids thought we were so smart when stuff happened to our vehicles. But whether hitting the ditch or something else, we could not hide it. He knew that we had done it, even when we had cleaned or tried to cover it up. Dad taught all three of us boys to drive on the country roads around Wetaskiwin. Chester was also a great carpenter; he could build anything. Grandson Keith always remembers being with Chester while he worked on projects: his truck or the basement development in Wetaskiwin. Afterwards, they would always go for a hamburger and root beer in a frosty mug. Even in his later years, Chester came to "supervise" the fence construction at David's new house. Chester had his mind and wit to the end, even with his rollercoaster health ride. His favourite saying was “Chinese food”; he loved Chinese food.

His grandson Jordan will always hear JaJa’s voice saying, “Stop Chasing Girls”. Grandson Spencer thinks how Jaja created the most amazing and strongest family. He remembers Jaja as a strong-willed man, never seeing him angry no matter what, and never letting anything change the fact that he was a nice guy and a good person. Whether it was chasing dreams or chasing girls, Jaja was always very supportive. He was always kind to people and appreciated all the help from the people at Agecare, Midnapore. We are thankful to all the team there. When he was young, it was all the Edmonton area Polish parties with families and friends. That never really ended until late in life. His last great joy was this past Christmas party at granddaughter Megan’s. He always loved family time, and he was so overjoyed he even took out a railing to prove it! Covid had really taken a toll on him and Pelagia; at times they could not see each other for weeks on end. Although this was hard on the both of them, he still really looked forward to any visits, but especially from all his grandchildren. He always chuckled whenever he got a card from the family with JAJA (Grandpa) on it, as in Polish it reads YAYA. Jaja was so full of life, it seems impossible that he's gone now, but he still remains in the hearts of the entire family.

Besides his loving wife Pelagia, Chester is survived by his three sons, Stan, Richard and David and three daughters-in-law, Tracy, Crystal and Lerae; Stan and Tracy Siudy with their sons, Spencer and Zachery of Calgary, AB; Richard and Crystal Siudy of Whitecourt, AB, with their sons Jordan (Vancouver) and Alex (Whitecourt); David and Lerae Siudy of Vernon, BC, and their son Keith (Adam), daughters Megan (Steven), and Taylor, and one great-grandson, Hunter, all of Calgary AB.

Chester is also survived by a number of brothers and sisters-in-law, Stasec (Mila), Relec (Marilla), Jean (Andy), Halina (Julian) and all of their families of the Edmonton area; and Joe (Mary) Krakow, and Mary (Zdzary), as well as his last cousin Kristina (Rhysard) Kalicki of Meilec, Poland.

Chester was predeceased by his father John in 1968, mother Katheryna in 2002, and his younger brother Stanley in 2009, at the age of 71.

Dad lived a long great life, almost as long as his mom, who lived to be 99. Dad-Dziadzia we will miss you, your love, and your wit. Till then relax and enjoy heaven.

Goodbye to you, always our trusted friend, teaching us right from wrong. Good bye Dad and Dziadzia (Jaja), it's hard to see you go, you gave us love and helped us find the way.

We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun. Now that spring is in the air, we all wish we could be there. But the wine and the song like all seasons have all gone….

We will remember you.

Till we all see each other once again…..Na Razie….

 Funeral Services will be held at St Albert the Great Catholic Church (10 Prestwick Drive SE, Calgary, AB) on Tuesday, April 12, 2022, at 1:00 pm. Reception to follow in the Hospitality Centre at McInnis & Holloway (Deerfoot South, 12281 – 40th Street SE, Calgary, AB). Graveside service to follow at a later date at the Wetaskiwin Cemetery. Condolences, memories, and photos can also be shared and viewed here.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to the Poppy Fund, 2020 – 15th Street NW, Calgary, AB T2M 3N8, Telephone: (403) 265-6304 or to Veterans Affairs Canada, https://vetscanada.org/english/give-help#donateArea

In living memory of Czeslaw (Chester) Siudy, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis & Holloway Funeral Homes, Fish Creek, 14441 Bannister Road SE, Calgary, AB T2X 3J3, Telephone: 403-256-9575.