Thursday, August 8, 2019
Our sincere sympathy to all Peter’s family in USA and to all his long time caring neighbours and friends .
Peter was my mother Elizabeth’s cousin Tony and Ely were my grandfather’s younger brothers Tony and Ely and Bill half brother arrived in Canada before my grandparents Micheal who was the eldest Semak boy and Frances (his wife.)Semak. They arrived in the Port of Quebec , May 1913 on the S.S Pisa ship . They boarded the train west to Edson. Apparently Tony was to come on his wagon and horse and pick up Michael Frances Jenny 7years and Wasyl 4years . I can’t imagine this family sitting in a strange train station on the Canadian Prairie waiting , no cell phones in those days.
My grandmother became very anxious who was only in her twenties , said to Michael more or less “”we are getting back on the train”, and that they did . They got off the train in Keewatin Ontario .
To this day our family never knew why they got off there. Whether they had talked to someone on the train or grandpa saw the Five Roses Flower Milll of which he was an employee all his working years .My mother Elizabeth ,her brother Peter (who was one of those train riders in the 1920-30’s )arrived in Vancouver and spent his working years in the bread company. He married Nettie from Norman now part of Kenora. They had 3 children . You could see a resemblance of Peter in his uncle Peter.
Stella the youngest Semak lived her years at the other end of Keewatin with her husband Jim and 3 children Litkowski.
Jenny the eldest married Nick Wonsowich They had 4 girls farmed in Niverville Manitoba
They all immigrated to Lancaster California in 1967. I remember Peter Visited with them in his younger years.
We met Peter 3 times at the farm in Claremont.
Once I came on Greyhound 1978 with 3 of our children and mom and dad Betty and Bill Cook,that was some ride. Mary and Peter put foil on bedroom windows so our three young boys could sleep as daylight in Claremont went on into the night.We also visited Olge his sister.
The other time we drive up to Claremont with Jens brother Christian and wife Doris visiting us from Denmark in 1974. We also met Jenny and two of her boys from USA . Tony and Mary had a wonderful-productive farm. Mary knew how to make pies her freezer was full. I asked Tony if he arrived at the train station in Edson he said ,”I sure did but they weren’t there. “Can you imagine what went thru Tony’s head all that way for nothing.
Not sure what he said to his brother Michael next time he met him . But they were still friendly brothers seeing each , due to far away distance occasionally visiting. I remember Ely Mary and some of their family visiting in Keewatin 1953 We came by train from Toronto.
More recently our last visit was a sad one when we came by the farm and talked for awhile with Peter. He was sitting in his rocker his coffee table was full of mail ,newspapers , and convenient food store wrappings.We had some conversation I wanted to find out more if the Semak stories but I guess his hearing and memory were failing. but he still remembered us.I felt so sad leaving him in this farm that no longer looked like the place we came to when Mary and Tony were still alive.
It bothered me a lot so I kept in touch with Ted and Iris and then one day they told me he finally was given a bed in the long term care center. That gave me some peace.
I used to send His parents our annual Christmas letter and after Tony and later Mary (who came here to our home in Calgary on her way home from visiting her family one year) . So I continued sending our letter each year to Peter and for some years when he was still able he would write back and let us know here in Calgary (the big city )what the price of the grains were that year in Grand Prairie Claremont ??? Jens and myself looked forward to Peter’s letters. He enjoyed hearing each Christmas the stories about our family activities. I actually have some of his letters.
Peter had quite a mechanic shop and Jens enjoyed going out there with Peter.I’m sure he helped many a desperate farmer to get their machines in order to get the job done.
I am so sorry that we cannot be with Peter’s friends on Friday.
May Peter Rest In Peace. Amazing 96 years of life Thanks Peter for sharing a part of your life with us Kaacks here in Calgary.
Patricia Jens Kaack and our children Stephen (Bonnie )Erik (Cynthia )Ian (Keely )Karen Kevin) -and our precious 12 grand children .
