Orest Walter Kowalyshyn died at his home in Fernie, BC on August 26, 2014 after a year of battling end stage cancer. He was 73.
Orest was born to the late Mary and Eugene Kowalyshyn in Pelly, SK on November 2, 1940 and attended school to grade 11 in Sturgis, SK. He graduated from high school in Rossland, BC, studied at the Devry Technical Institute in Los Angeles, and spent four years as an Airman and Crew Chief (C-130, B-47) with the United States Air Force. He subsequently attended the Selkirk College in Castlegar, completing his degree at the University of Victoria.
Orest was a man of many talents and could fix anything. He worked as a farmer, logger, jet mechanic, pilot, and teacher during his adult years and had a favorite horse named Roger as a child. He spent 4 years travelling the world; working, living and flying in places like Alaska, Japan, and the Philippines. Returning to British Columbia, he spent the next 30 years teaching at Fernie Secondary School, mentoring and positively influencing the youth of the Elk Valley in shop, science and math class. He valued education and took the time to get to know many of his students personally.
Orest was a quiet, kind, loving, generous, and modest man that loved mountains, hunting, growing vegetables, fishing, amateur ham radio and anything mechanical. He believed that life is what you make of it.
He is survived by his devoted wife of 47 years, Jesusa, his son Orwell (Diana) from Surrey, BC, his daughter Grace (Jason) from Fort Collins, CO and two granddaughters, Olivia and Violet.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Elk Valley Hospital Foundation, Tom Baker Cancer Centre in Calgary, or the Canadian Cancer Society.