Kazimierz 'Kazik' Sztainert

December 13, 1921 - June 11, 2022
In Loving Memory ~
Kazimierz 'Kazik' Sztainert passed away quietly in his sleep on Saturday, June 11th, 2022, at the age of 100 years. Kazik was born in Suloszowa, Poland on December 13th, 1921, the eldest of nine children.
Kazik was just eighteen years old when Germany invaded Poland. He was forced to serve in the German army but managed to escape and make his way across Europe to England where he joined the Polish Division of the British Army and served as a Troop Carrier Driver for the remaining years of the war.
Having earned his passage to Canada, he arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia on June 12, 1947. As a condition of immigration, he served two and a half years as a laborer on a dairy farm in Gatineau, Quebec for room and board only.
Kazik then moved to Toronto with five dollars to his name where he found work in a dairy plant and received his Canadian Citizenship. He met and married Margaret Hosking on February 24th, 1951, and they had three children.
Kazik continued to work at the dairy plant as a respected pasteurizer until his retirement, rising each morning at 3:00 a.m. to drive forty minutes to work the early shift. After his wife Margaret passed away in 1993, Kazik moved to Red Deer and purchased a house.
There he met Maria Dobia. They shared a Polish heritage and language and were able to travel extensively around the world for over twenty years, including China, Europe, Mexico, Costa Rica, Cuba and the Arctic.
After his ninetieth birthday, both Kazik and Maria (Mary) began to have health issues but were still able to remain at home with lots of loving help from Kazik's daughter Kristyna, Maria's daughter Barbara and Kazik's personal health care provider, Margaret Dawson and her husband Jim, as well as Alberta Home Care.
In 2013 Mary's health declined and a few years later she was admitted to the Rosefield Nursing Home in Innisfail, Alberta, where she resides today. Kazik remained in his home, with a lot of assistance, until June of 2021 when his own health declined.
He moved into assisted living at Points West Living Seniors Residences in Red Deer where, in addition to his family, he was also looked after by Gord Brown, Margaret and Jim Dawson of Red Deer, and his wonderful caring staff members at Points West Living.
Kazik will be lovingly remembered by his three children, Kristyna Ann (Edward) Warner (nee Sztainert), Gail Maria Fischer (nee Sztainert), and Paul Antony (Debbie Lois) Sztainert, his grandchildren, Sarah Margaret (Hayden) Knorr (nee Warner), Travis Kazimierz (Chrissy) Sztainert, Ryan Tyler Sztainert, and Nicholas John Fischer, his great grandchildren, Antonius Sztainert and Lewis Knorr, his two sisters, Genowefa (Genia) Mikoajun (nee Sztajnert) and Anna Marczk (nee Sztajnert) of Poland, as well as numerous nephews, nieces and cousins in Poland, Sweden and Canada.
Kazik is also survived by his soul mate of the last twenty-five years, Maria Angela Dobia and her daughter, Barbara (Rod) Hogan (nee Dobia), her children Jen and Derrick, and her grandchild A.J.
Kazik is predeceased by his parents, Jozef and Marianna Sztajnert (nee Karcz) of Poland, his siblings Henryk, Jozef, Stanislaw, Wieslawa Majerska (nee Sztajnert), and Maria Jachimowicz (nee Sztajnert) all of Poland, Czeslaw of Chicago, United States of America, and his loving wife of forty-two years, Margaret Alice Sztainert (nee Hosking).
A Visitation and Prayer Service will be held at Parkland Funeral Home on Monday, June 20, 2022, at 2:00 p.m. A Celebration of Life for Kazik will be held at a later date. Cremation entrusted to Parkland Funeral Home and Crematorium. Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed at www.parklandfuneralhome.com
Arrangements in care of Parkland Funeral Home and Crematorium, 6287 - 67 A Street (Taylor Drive), Red Deer. 403.340.4040.
Parkland Funeral Home and Crematorium