As often happens, when one partner passes away, the other soon follows, and so it was with Dad. He joined his wife Bernie exactly two weeks after she left him. 

Nick Cebryk Jr. was born on January 28, 1935, to Annie (nee Bayda) and Nick Cebryk in Alvena, Saskatchewan. He died on August 27, 2024, at the age of 89, in Medicine Hat, Alberta, and is survived by his three sons, Brian and Charlene, Ponte de Lima, Portugal, grandchildren Connor, Aidan, and Laurissa, Dwayne and Sharon, Port Coquitlam, British Columbia, grandchildren Jared (Randi), Caitlin (Adam), Jake, and great-grandson Max, and Jeff, Calgary, Alberta.

Dad was the second of five boys and was, by all accounts, a handful for his strict parents thanks to his cheeky, social personality and a mind for pulling off near-impossible pranks. At the age of 17, prior to finishing high school, he moved to Geraldton, Ontario. A job with CN Railway as interim station agent in Geraldton was the start of a career in administration and accounting. His path with CN Rail eventually brought him to Edmonton, where he met Bernie Osinchuk. 

After getting married in November 1958, they had three sons, Brian (1960), Dwayne (1964) and Jeff (1968). Determined to advance his career, Dad went to night school, finishing his high school diploma and completing the long road to a Registered Industrial Accounting (RIA) designation, now Certified Professional Accountant (CPA)—A designation that Dad was very proud to hold. 

In late 1965, Dad accepted a job with Alwinsal Potash, and the family moved from Edmonton to Lanigan, Saskatchewan. He worked in the potash industry for 35 years, had a grocery store with his brother Andrew for a few years, and then retired in 2000.

His time in Lanigan was busy, and he embarked on several activities to hang out with his kids, including coaching his sons in hockey (despite never having played), fishing and camping with his family, and hunting geese in the fall. Dad was also very involved with the Air Cadets and Knights of Columbus in Lanigan, and he eventually became Grand Knight. 

Retirement in 2000 saw Mom and Dad move to Medicine Hat, Alberta. They embraced life in this small city, and to Dad, this meant adding to his lifelong collections, gardening, 10-pin bowling, events with the Happy Hatters, golfing, and travel. Together with Bernie, trips were made to Alaska, Mexico, Hawaii, and Europe. In 2010, at 75, Dad even embarked on a three-week trip to Ukraine with Brian and saw the house where his father was born in 1900.

To paraphrase Irish poet William Butler Yeats, Dad lived by the adage that “there are no strangers here, only friends you haven’t met.” He was a guy who would talk with anyone, anywhere, anytime, and—despite his bad jokes—was well-known by many for his charm and warm personality. 

It’s with this same warm personality and charm that Dad pushed forward through life despite later health complications and difficult events. Ever the stoic, he always said, “This is what you have been given, and you must deal with it and go forward.” When his lifelong partner passed away, he finally found the place he could no longer keep going forward. 

We would like to acknowledge and thank the people who have been instrumental in attending to Dad’s healthcare needs over the years: Dr. Monty Van der Westhuizen and his staff at MediCross Clinic, the team at HomeCare, the staff at Chinook Village, and briefly, the staff at Meadowlands, doctors and nurses at the Medicine Hat Regional Hospital, and at St. Joseph’s.

A memorial service will be held at PATTISON FUNERAL HOME CELEBRATION OF LIFE CENTRE on Saturday, October 5, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. The service will be live-streamed. Please click the link here to view https://youtube.com/live/D1vGow7EgRs?feature=share.

In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to A.J.’s Loan Cupboard (Alan Joys Memorial Fund Society) Box 45006, McKenzie Postal Outlet, Medicine Hat, AB T1A 7H3 a wonderful organization in Medicine Hat.