Methodius Bzdel

Methodius (Matt) Bzdel

December 30, 1940 - November 22, 2015Methody passed away suddenly at his home in Manitou Beach, Sask., in the early morning of November 22, 2015, at the age of 74. He had recently "retired" to Manitou Beach from his long-time home in Saskatoon. Matt grew up in the Wishart district; he went to public school in Honey Bank and high school in Foam Lake. In 1954 his parents, Metro and Jean, bought a farm near Elfros. Whilst in high school, Methody, Stan Yowney and Larry McMartin started a band called "The String Busters." Methody played the violin and guitar. In 1956 he had a farm accident in which he lost some fingers, but after recovering he went back to his love of music and taught himself to play the steel guitar and bass. He never knew how to read music; he always played by ear. He had a beautiful gift and recently took up playing his bass guitar again for "gigs," as he liked to call them, in and around Manitou Beach. In 1960 he married Carol Sorochan, to whom he was married to for 51 years and had four children. After high school he went to electrical school in Moose Jaw, where he achieved his Certificate. He worked for Alex Dublanica for a few years until around 1966, when he moved to Saskatoon and worked for Wright Electric. Methody and Ed Poole started Poole & Bzdel Elec Ltd. in 1976. In 1988 he took over the company where he succeeded in business through a very high level of standards and ethics. He was very proud of the work he did. Methody started to play hockey as soon as he learned to skate. Most Sundays as kids were spent playing hockey on Yowney's pond. He continued to play hockey until his heart bypass. He used to talk about "The Rangers" like they were some sort of superpower association - maybe it was because those teammates were very dear to him and were his lifelong, loyal friends. He really loved those times. In an extension of his joy of hockey he was also a much-loved and respected coach for many years. Between his work and his sports, he knew someone everywhere he went. He was a long-time member of the Knights of Columbus and a dedicated supporter of the Diabetes Association and the Heart Foundation, for whom he canvassed and raised money on a regular basis. He donated to the Wildlife Association and The Crisis Nursery, both of which were very dear to his heart. He steadfastly played the Lotto and rarely won anything but true to his nature would just say,"You can't win it if you're not in it," and that applied to how he lived his life. He did not just sit back and wait for his life to come to him - he went for it and took you with him. He had an enviable green thumb and always had beautiful, bright gardens. While he was loyal beyond reproach, he was at times stubborn beyond belief and we would tease him that his gardens survived so beautifully because he just would not allow them to wither until he decided it was time. He enjoyed the outdoors, his dogs, The Roughriders, dancing, fishing, golfing, DIY projects and bags upon bags of candy. He retired at the beginning of 2015 and soon after acquired a busy beachside coffee and homemade pie cafAC., where he immediately appointed himself the official pie taster. He did his job well! He thoroughly enjoyed chatting to customers from all over the world and you would often see him pulling up a chair with a group of strangers with whom he would talk and laugh for ages. He would say with a huge grin on his face, "Who knew I was going to be doing this in retirement? So much fun!"Whether you knew him as Matt, Meth, Methody or Methodius, as Dad and Grandpa, he was our home, our safety, our love and our stability. He was a kind and generous man. If he called you friend it meant lifelong. He had a great sense of humour and loved a good laugh. His calmness, loyalty and open heartedness immediately drew respect. He was and is, a true inspiration. A great, great man. He was predeceased by his wife Carol (2011); his parents, Metro (1997) and Jean (2009); his brother Eugene (2013) and his uncle Most Reverend Michael Bzdel, Archbishop and Metropolitan for Ukrainian Catholics in Canada (2012).

He loved his children, grandchildren and great-grandson and will be deeply missed by his daughters, Dolores (Corey), her children, Sean (his son Matthew), Krystopher, Jarika and Matthew, Laurie, Michelle, her son Jason as well as son Richard (Marsha) and their children, Keeley, Jocelyn and Cash; his sisters, Margaret (Larry) and Elizabeth (John); brother Charles and sister-in-law Adele, as well as many beloved nephews and nieces.