Wladyslaw Skwarek

Wladyslaw Szkwarek was born on 28 February 1929 in Tlumacz, Trojany Poland.

At the young age of 11, Wladyslaw, along with his parents and three siblings, was deported, via cattle cars to Komi, Russia, a Siberian Slave camp. While there, his brother Mieczyslaw died of scurvy. The Polish families suffering in Siberia were later granted “Amnesty” when Stalin made a pact with the Allies. Wadyslaw's family journeyed south through Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan to join the Polish Army being formed there. They were evacuated to Tehran, Persia (now Iran) with the army. During this period, Wladyslaw’s father Marcin and sister Genowefa died of typhoid. Wladyslaw then enlisted in the Polish Cadets stationed in Egypt, and he continued his education at the Cadet School.

After the war Wladyslaw reunited with his mother Anna and sister Janina in Scotland. At the age of 22 years, Wladyslaw emigrated to Canada. He settled in Port Arthur, where that he met his wife, Krystyna Grzegorczyk. They were married in 1954 and raised two daughters Basia and Alinka. In 1969 his beloved mother, Anna, passed away.

Wladyslaw worked hard as a millwright, was a proud member of the Polish Combatant's and was very involved in the Polish Community. In his retirement years, Wladyslaw enjoyed his garden, travelling with his wife and, most of all, spending time with his grandchildren Annika and Evan Bunkis, especially following the unexpected passing of their father, Eriks Bunkis in 1997.

Wladyslaw was the picture of health and was always physically active. In his mid-seventies, he began showing signs of Alzheimer's disease and in 2009, he moved to Hogarth Riverview Manor where he resided until his passing.

Wladyslaw Szkwarek passed away at the age of 86 years on 4 April 2015.