With heavy, but grateful hearts we announce the passing of Fred Trach.   He left this world quickly and peacefully, surrounded by love.  He is home.

On February 18, 1927 Dad was born to Emil and Annie (nee Bocian) Trach in a log home on their family homestead.  He was a farm boy at heart all the days of his life.

He told stories of growing up with his siblings Stanley, Paul, Mary, George, and Helen.  He was particularly fond of telling the story of his first red bicycle, earned as a boy, by cleaning his school & starting the fire before the other children arrived.  His mother passed away when he was 11.  His father later remarried and 3 teenage girls blended into the family.

Dad married Mom (Anne Hlibchuk) in 1949 and raised a family of 4 children – Larry, Linda, Marilyn, and Paul.  The days were filled with mixed farming, big gardens, lots of calculations and planning done at the kitchen table, working as a councillor and later Reeve of the RM of Garden River, sitting on school and hospital boards, and a bid in provincial politics.   He especially enjoyed playing Kaiser and dancing.  There was always a big farm dog (or two or three) in his life, and for some odd reason strays were known to ‘just jump in the truck box’.  Sadly, he lost his son Paul in 1977.

The 1980s and beyond saw Dad try his hand at several business ventures in Prince Albert, while continuing farming.  When a major tenant left his South Gate Plaza, Dad opened the Foodland grocery store.  He cleaned the parking lot in the wee hours of the morning, and took the deposits to the bank, often well after closing.  In between, he worked throughout the store, fuelled by pots of coffee in Freddie’s Restaurant.  Ten years later he sold the store.  It pained him to do so, as he said he was a collector and not a seller.  Mom joked that because Dad could never part with anything he would never part with her.

After 64 years of marriage Mom passed in 2013.  Two years later Dad married Leticia Chua who selflessly and tirelessly cared for Dad.   In the last couple of years, Dad’s health declined but his strong, positive nature never wavered.   He was not one to complain and always felt ‘really good’.  We miss him already.

Dad is survived by:

Children: Larry (Claire) Trach, Linda (Paul) Bec and Marilyn (Craig) Elmer.

Grandchildren: Ryan Palibroda (McCauley Wanner), David Palibroda (Tia Cowie), Karen Palibroda (Jeremiah Kopeck), Suzanne Andrew, Sean (Kim) Elmer, Catherine (Whit) Saretsky, Kelly Trach and Jillian Trach.

Great Grandchild:  Emmett Elmer

Wife/Caregiver: Leticia Chua

Step Sister: Kay Samyka

Sisters in law:  Olga (Jerry) Chambul and Sylvia (Bill) Zacharki

Dad is predeceased by:

Parents:  Emil & Annie Trach

Wife:  Anne Mary Trach

Son:  Paul Trach

Siblings:  Stanley (Anne) Trach, Paul (Anne) Trach, Mary (Nick) Neschuk, George Trach, Helen (Nick) Fedusiak and John Samyka.

There will be a Prayer Service at Gray’s Funeral Chapel, 575 28 Street West, Prince Albert, SK on Sunday, January 26 at 7 pm.  The Funeral Service will be conducted on Monday, January 27 at 11 am at St. George’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 752 14 Street West, Prince Albert, SK. Interment will follow at South Hill Cemetery.

In lieu of other tributes, donations may be made to The Rose Garden Hospice, 450 – 1403 Central Avenue, Prince Albert, Sask. S6V 7J4

Condolences may be sent to the family at www.grays.ca.  Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Gray’s Funeral Chapel, (306) 922-4729.

 

• Date : 2020-01-20
• Location : Prince Albert, SK