Educator, community activist, school official.
Born at Meleb on 13 April 1931, son of Alex Capar (1894-1968) and Martha Lubinski (1901-1956), he attended Meleb School, Teulon School, and in later years attended summer and evening classes towards obtaining his BEd and BA degrees from the Univeristy of Manitoba as well as his Principal’s Certificate. He first taught on permit at Shorencliffe School followed with tenure as both teacher (1955-1966) and Principal (1961-1966) of Fraserwood School, after which he taught at Gimli High School / Gimli Composite High School (1966-1986), where he organized the Occupational Entrance Program. In retirement, he served as a School Trustee and Board Chairman of the Evergreen School Division as well as intermittent appearances within local classroom as a substitute teacher. First married to Phyllis Irene Smolinski (1935-1964), with whom he had a son John Capar (?-1964), he re-married on 2 July 1966 to fellow teacher Olga Jean Onyschuk (1932-2011) and they had two children; Peter and Petra.
Heavily involved within his community, he was Secretary of the Gimli Area Development Board, Assistant Administrator of the Ukrainian Park Camp (at St. Volodymyr Ukrainian Catholic Chapel), and served as President of a litany of organizations, including the Ukrainian National Home / Fraserwood Hall (40 years), Ukrainian Catholic Brotherhood (14 years, East-Interlake Region charter member), Winnipeg Beach Ukrainian Homestead and Museum, the Selkirk-Interlake Progressive Conservative Riding Association, the Gimli Restitution and Reconciliation Committee, Evergreen Teachers’ Association, and Sts. Peter and Paul Ukrainian Catholic Church (34 years, also choir member). In 2006, his contributions and community service lead to him being the Rural Municipality of Armstrong’s nominee for the Premier’s Achievement Award. For approximately 25 years, he was the drummer for The Sunset Boys.
He died at his residence on 17 May 2007 and was buried at the Holy Ghost Cemetery.
Obituary [Phyllis Irene Caper, sic], Winnipeg Tribune, 4 June 1964, page 14.
Obituary [Phyllis Irene Capar], Winnipeg Free Press, 3 June 1964, page 28.
“Perogy sales help achieve a million dollar dream,” Winnipeg Free Press, 20 September 2003, Town & Country page 1.
Obituary, Winnipeg Free Press 22 May 2007.
Obituary [Olga Capar], Winnipeg Free Press, 8 January 2011.
Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Cemetery burial transcriptions [Meleb], FindAGrave.
Holy Ghost Ukrainian Independent Cemetery burial transcriptions [Gimli Ridge], FindAGrave.
This page was prepared by Nathan Kramer.
Page revised: 9 October 2023
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