Mr. Michael Jasenko

I'm so sorry to hear about the passing of Mike. He and I met my first year managing High Park Curling Club. He was a lovely man and I enjoyed getting to know him. My condolences.

I only met Mike after we both had retired from full time teaching. We were both supply teaching at that time. I met Mike at events of the Occasional Teachers and the Association of Retired Members of the OSSTF. After getting to know Mike a little better at several of these occasions he asked me, but I don’t recall his exact words, is your heritage also Ukrainian as is mine? I replied yes and asked: “How is Jasenko a Ukrainian name?”. He explained that that was the way his father’s name was transliterated when his family arrived in Canada. I understood, these errors were made with many families in decades past. If I was to transliterate Mike’s surname today I would write Yashchenko. He smiled and said he would stay with Jasenko. So started a friendship that has now been cut too short. During our get togethers I discovered that I had met Mike’s wife Carol when Carol and I were both young teachers at Earl Haig Secondary School. Carol then moved on to Eastern High School of Commerce where she met Mike who was also a teacher at Eastern. Unfortunately Mike was predeceased by their son and later Carol. Mike and I spoke fondly of times past. He always told me about his garden and fruit trees. We spoke about all matters involving the current state of education, often on the picket line if the situation required it. As the pandemic progressed we didn’t see each other in person, but we always stayed in touch by phone and email. Mike was very happy to find the second love of his life Maria. As Mike’s health deteriorated in recent months and he was transferred from one hospital to the next, I would phone him about once a week. We discussed his health, the situation in education and he was also interested in what the situation was with the war in Ukraine. Most of all he would repeat what good care Maria and her son was taking of him. He would tell me exactly what Maria brought him for lunch or dinner. The last time we spoke was last weekend, when I gave him greetings for Julian Christmas and sang a Ukrainian Christmas hymn/carol “Boh Predvichnyj (God Eternal)”. I told him to get well soon. Unfortunatly he left way too soon, and we will miss him. Вічная Пам’ять (cyrillic) Vichnaya Pamyat (transliterated) May His Memory Be Eternal (translated)

Mike was blessed to have such a beautiful family – Maria, Roman, Carol (dec) and David (dec). Mike had so many friends from his Curling Club days and never-ending teaching and union career. Mike always spoke of them with pride and love. Michael cherished relationships and led a full and rich life with his lovely and caring Maria. We are thinking of you and praying that God gives you strength to cope with your loss during this difficult time. I will miss Mike’s wit, humour, smile, sailor’s tongue, and wisdom. Where are those tomatoes and zucchini plants from Lady Rose for my garden! Mike made all of us better. Let’s treasure our memories of him as he lives on in each of us. May his memory be eternal