Mr. Lew Oleszko

Obituary

Lew was a good citizen, a close friend, and a loving son who took care of his parents with great attention and love until their last days. He was born in a small village in Poland (on the land given to Poland by Lenin in 1922, previously belonging to Belarus). Lew spent his first 5 years living peacefully in the countryside, his family subsisted as farmers and they lived without fear, and existed in a moderate democracy. This all changed in 1939 when Stalin and Hitler began WWII and the peaceful land where Lew and his family resided was taken back and confiscated by Russia. Uprooted from their life of freedom they were bonded into slavery and sent to a gulag (labour camp) in Siberia. It is hard to imagine 5-year-old Lew living with another 30 or so families in one barrack with only one stove to share and surviving off minimal rations of bread, water and salt.

Change soon came when Polish General Sikorsky (who was fighting alongside the British Army against Hitler) pressed hard on Stalin to liberate Polish citizens from Russian labour camps. Because of this, Lew and his family were further displaced through Russia, to the Middle East, and then settled in a temporary British camp in Uganda, Africa. Lew and his family stayed there until the end of WWII. His father and older brother enlisted in the British Army, and after living in the harsh tropical country of Uganda until 1947, the British government moved them to England.

During his time in Uganda, Lew survived malaria twice; although as a result he developed epilepsy and had many complications due to this.

In 1950, Lew and his family decided to move to Canada, where he lived for the remaining duration of his life. Lew was a very hard worker and had many jobs, on account of his employers laying him off upon learning about his epileptic condition. Nevertheless he persisted and was a fighter who never gave up and always helped others. Every Sunday service you could find Lew at the Belarussian Orthodox Church; he was a dutiful parishioner who found belonging with the religious community.

We will always look to Lew as a prime example of resilience and as inspiration to never give up and to persevere even when the odds are against us. He had a witty sense of humour and had many jokes and anecdotes in his repertoire.

Lew Oleszko will always be in our thoughts and we will continue to keep his memory alive in our hearts.

   

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