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Modest Michael Kowal
November 14, 1947 - February 9, 2017
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<div itemprop="description">Modest Michael Kowal <br>1947-2017 <br> <br>Modest Michael Kowal passed into the loving arms of his Lord and Saviour at the age of 69 on February 9, 2017, following a courageous battle with cancer. <br> <br>Left to cherish the memories and celebrate his life are his children Johanna (Murray Dietrich), Alicia (Graeme Carey), Justin (Lauren Dickson), and Katherine (Garrett Gregoire); his grandchildren Rebecca and Stephen Dietrich, Isabella and Alexandria Carey, and Charlotte, Gabriella and Ewan Kowal; his brother Neil (+Helen) of Calgary, and many nieces and nephews. <br> <br>He was predeceased in 2012 by his wife of almost 42 years, Mary Anne (nee Kowbel), his mother, Ola (nee Stratychuk), in 2009, and his father, Michael, in 1976. <br> <br>Modest was born in Canora, SK on November 15, 1947. He literally grew up in the classroom – his mother taught him for several grades in a one-room school house near Canora. After graduating from high school, he moved to Saskatoon in 1965 to attend the University of Saskatchewan and graduated with a B.A. and B.Ed. He married Mary Anne in 1970 and began his teaching career with Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools at Holy Cross High School. <br> <br>He completed his M.Ed. in 1979 before pursuing a career in adult education and administration at the Saskatoon Regional Community College and SIAST, where he served for more than six years as principal of Kelsey Campus. He ended his career in the classroom at E.D. Feehan High School where he leveraged his adult ed experience; he taught career ed and established a program that teaches life skills. He retired in 2003. <br> <br>Modest believed strongly in the importance of Catholic education and serving his community. He was a trustee on the Catholic school board for 18 years (1976-94), serving his last term as chair; he was involved in the formation of the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Foundation in 1993. He also served on countless boards and committees over the years, with a strong focus on Ukrainian Catholic organizations and supporting his children’s interests. <br> <br>Modest was a private and intensely proud person who cherished his family. His children's many achievements brought him great joy, yet none compared to the love and fulfillment that his grandchildren brought to his life in the last decade. In his spare time Modest enjoyed playing golf and travelling both near and far. More recently, Modest spent warm summer days at the family cabin at Jackfish Lake enjoying boat rides and teaching his grandchildren to fish off the dock. Throughout the past few years, Modest enjoyed spending time with Jackie McKnight – cooking, travelling, laughing, and relishing retirement together. <br> <br>In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools Foundation (http://foundation.gscs.sk.ca/). <br> <br>A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Ken Beck on Mon. Feb. 13 at 2:00 p.m. at Holy Spirit Roman Catholic Church (114 Kingsmere Place). Interment will take place at Canora Cemetery at a later date. <br> <br>Arrangements are entrusted to Greg Lalach at Park Funeral Chapel (306-244-2103). <br></div>