It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of our beloved father, husband, brother, grandfather and dear friend Zdzisław Jan (John) Tatar

John had the warmest soul and a natural ability to make anyone in his presence feel special, including his beloved dogs Cheeto and Princess. It was impossible to have a conversation with John without him making you laugh. As a true hobbyist, John always had home made wine or beer ready to be bottled, handcrafted sausage in the freezer or a fishing line in the water. His favorite place to go camping and fishing for many summers was Green Lake Lodge and he loved traveling anywhere in the Canadian Rockies. By purchasing a modest used motorhome and a used boat, John and Wanda made it possible for their son Mark, his wife Ali and four grandchildren Kasey, Denis, Bianca and Basia that they had enough beautiful memories of times spent together to last a lifetime. John was a pillar of strength and generosity to the very end and will be missed dearly.

John was born on a warm summer day, June 15th 1949 in Zielona Góra (Green Mountain) located in western part of Poland. He was the youngest of six siblings, three boys and three girls. When he turned 19 years old, John completed two years of obligatory military service as a member of Military Police, as most men of that age were forced to perform during the communist era. After leaving the army, he has held several jobs working for low wages, often having to find other ways to make extra money to support his family, especially around the holidays. One that stands out the most is him and several friends unloading coal from railroad cars with shovels for many hours after already having worked a full day. He would often return home tired late at night with not much time to rest before going back to work in the morning. In 1984 John and his close friend Leonard decided in secret to leave Poland in hopes of finding a better place to live for their families and future generations. They were not allowed to discuss this with anyone in fear of the word getting to the wrong people, as they would not be allowed to leave the country. We later found out the single person he told, was his mother. John and Leonard joined a four-day church tour to the Vatican City in Italy to see Pope John Paul II, following which they did not return home. In those days many people were escaping the harsh reality of life in Poland, where residents were still living under the communist system. It was the era of the Iron Curtain and the rise of the Solidarity movement, with Polish residents leaving the country for better lives elsewhere. While in Rome, both men sought asylum in an immigration camp, John applying for Canada and Leonard for USA. Approximately one year later, Leonard was sent to Oklahoma, USA and John ended up in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, where he lived, worked and loved his well-deserved spare moments until his untimely death on May 16th 2022.

John will be remembered with love by his wife Wanda, son Mark (Ali), grandchildren Kasey (Caleigh), Denis, Bianca and Basia, sister Daniela Kordzinska (residing in Poland)

He was predeceased by his parents Wladyslaw and Stefania, sisters Stasia and Irena, brothers Jerzy and Marian.

Condolences for the family can be left at www.eternalmemoriesfuneral.ca Arrangements have been entrusted to Eternal Memories Funeral Service & Crematorium – Trevor Watts Funeral Director.

• Date : 2022-05-19
• Location : Battleford, SK