Obituary of Roman Meredyk

Roman Meredyk passed away peacefully in Calgary with his wife Kristina and daughter Dana at his side at sunrise on Monday, January 14, 2013. Born in Niedzborz, Poland on September 27, 1925, Roman brought his family to Minton, Saskatchewan on January 16, 1948 from a refugee camp in Doddington Park, Cheshire, UK. After arriving at his fathers (Stanley Meredyk) homestead he worked hard breaking the prairie turning it into productive fields and raising cattle. In those first few years he sponsored many relatives to help them escape the difficulties they faced in Europe after the war and assisted them financially once they arrived. The year he turned 60, when most people think of retirement, he started his legacy project, the Dream Islands. In the middle of a slough he built paradise. Two islands using rocks and boulders picked off the fields to line the canals around them. Every stone was picked, loaded and placed by hand. In the middle of the islands he planted thousands of trees. He was most proud of the oak as he remembered the trees in Europe that were 500 years old. Throughout the municipality of Surprise Valley No 9 he donated his time and materials to construct stone monuments for war veterans, the RCMP and the first pioneers to honor the history of those who came before. While in his 80s he was still planting hundreds of tree seedlings. He did the work of many men in his lifetime. Everything he built was solid? for the generations to follow. Roman is survived by his wife Kristina; daughter Dana; grandson Colin; granddaughter-in-law Vivian and great-grandchildren Niko and Kody. Funeral Service will be held at Speers Funeral Chapel, 2136 College Avenue, Regina on Tuesday, January 22, 2013 at 1:00 p.m. with reception to follow. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Eugene Roman Catholic Church, Minton Saskatchewan on Thursday, January 24, 2013 at 11:00 a.m. with interment to follow at the Minton Cemetery. To leave an online message of condolence, please visit www.speersfuneralchapel.com