It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved husband and father, John Kolodiy. He passed away in his home on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at the age of 79 years.

John is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Maria; children, Danuta (Lucien), Teresa (Yuriy), and Andre, all of whom he was very proud of; grandchildren, Kristina, Jessica, Volodimir (Julia), Katerina (Dylan), Dimitri, and Anna; and sister, Stefaniya.

John was preceded in death by his parents, Vasil and Yaroslava.

John was born January 15, 1944, in Ternopil, Ukraine, where he remained throughout childhood. At a young age he began a carpentry apprenticeship. Carpentry would remain a huge part of Johns’ life, as both work and as a hobby. He remained in Ukraine to attend technical school to become a mining equipment technician. He was then called into service for the Ukrainian army, where he served as a prison guard until he moved to Poland.

While living in Poland, he met and married Maria. They lived in Poland together while he worked in a carpentry shop, before immigrating to Canada in the 1960s. Once in Canada, John worked both on farms and in carpentry, opening his own successful carpentry business and beekeeping business. John was an animal lover who deeply enjoyed his beekeeping and caring for livestock, especially his cherished chickens. He was also an avid gardener. He loved sharing his fresh grown vegetables with his wife and family. Family was a huge priority for John and he treasured spending time with his grandchildren, teaching them all about carpentry and construction. His passion was contagious and he helped his children and grandchildren with countless projects over the years. His passionate and strong nature will be deeply missed by all who knew him.

A Prayer Service will be held Thursday, April 27, 2023, at 6 p.m. at Park Memorial Chapel, 9709 – 111 Ave, Edmonton. A Divine Liturgy will be held on Friday, April 28, 2023, at 11 a.m. at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church, 11305 - 95A Street NW, Edmonton, with interment in St. Michael’s Cemetery. To view a livestream of the service and interment, please visit www.parkmemorial.com and select “Webcasting” from John’s Book of Memories.

“Say not in grief that he is no more, but in thankfulness that he was”
– Ancient Proverb