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LIIDLII KUE/FORT SIMPSON
The number of lives that a Fort Simpson resident touched was reflected on the casket he was buried in on Aug. 13.

Paul Stipdonk, seen here with his wife Deborah, was remembered as an amazing coach, teacher, volunteer, husband and father during a memorial service in Fort Simpson on Aug. 13. - photo courtesy of Deborah Stipdonk

Following the memorial service for Paul Stipdonk that was held in the Fort Simpson recreation centre with more than 100 people in attendance, those gathered were invited to write messages with permanent markers on the lid and sides of Paul's coffin. The wooden surface was soon covered with tributes to a man who will be remembered as an amazing coach, teacher, husband and father and who contributed to his community in numerous ways.

Paul died in the Fort Simpson long-term care facility on Aug. 8 at the age of 65 as the result of cancer. He began his life across the Atlantic Ocean in Zeist, Holland, on Aug. 22, 1947.

As a young man, Paul decided to see the world by working on a freight ship as a deck hand. He landed in Canada at the age of 18 in 1965 speaking very little English.

He learned the language by listening to the radio and watching news on the television, as well as reading every newspaper he could find. He continued to love reading newspapers throughout his life.

With no family in Canada, Paul put himself through high school and then university earning a bachelor of arts in fine arts and then a degree in education specializing in special needs education.

Paul met his future wife Deborah in Calgary in 1981 in a waiting room where they were both looking for teaching jobs. The couple was married on June 30, 1983, after a three-week engagement.

Three weeks later, they started their teaching career in Pelly Bay, now Kugaaruk. Two years later, they moved to Gjoa Haven, or Uqsuqtuuq, and their first son, Chris, was born.

The family moved to Fort Simpson in 1987. There, Paul continued to work as an elementary teacher, teaching at Bompas Elementary School. Grades 3/4 splits were his favourite, said Deborah.

Paul felt that by that point, the students had a strong educational basis, were a bit more independent, but were still so enthusiastic, she said.

"He thought that was the perfect age of kids," she said.

"It really was a lot of fun for him to teach."

Kim Hardisty was Paul's co-worker for 15 years at Bompas. For 10 of those years, they had classrooms next to each other.

"He really wanted to be there for the kids," Hardisty said.

Paul decorated his classroom to give it an outdoor feel. Poplar trees, fur pelts and fossils adorned the walls.

Paul's sense of humour is one thing that many people remember him for.

"He was funny, he always had some crazy thing to tell me each day," she said.

In addition to teaching, Paul also had a passion for motorcycles. Hardisty said even after he retired in 2005, Paul continued to tell her what new vintage bikes he was planning to bring back from his next trip to Europe and how he was planning to restore them.

"He loved old bikes," said Deborah.

He brought his first motorcycle back from Europe in pieces in his hand luggage. At the time of his death, Paul had three motorcycles along with a penny-farthing bicycle.

Soccer was Paul's other passion. Outdoor soccer was a large part of his Dutch heritage and it was something he could do in any community, said Deborah. It was also something he could share with his three sons: Chris, as well as Colin and Tyrone, who joined the family in Fort Simpson.

Paul first got involved in soccer in the North when he organized a match in 1985 in Gjoa Haven. He went on to fill many roles in the sport in the territory, including coach, referee, tournament organizer, fundraiser and bus driver, said Shane Thompson, a long-time friend who gave the eulogy at the memorial service.

He took every opportunity to learn from each new adventure and to help the youth have a positive and enjoyable experience, said Thompson. Paul made sure youth could travel with the teams, making arrangements for them to go even if they couldn't afford the registration fees. He also often gave his own money to soccer players so they would have a bit of spending money to make the trip more enjoyable, Thompson said.

After he retired, Paul got his Class 2 drivers licence so he could transport youth to tournaments in a bus. His driving earned him the name the Flying Dutchman.

"I'll sadly miss him," Thompson said.

"Paul was a man who didn't have a mean bone in his body. A warm, friendly man who made his mark in the world not with grand gestures or fancy titles, but by the basic goodness and generosity of his character.

"For people who didn't know him, he seemed to be this gruff gentleman, but for his friends, he was this great character full of life and craziness," said Thompson. Stipdonk also contributed to Fort Simpson in other ways apart from teaching and his involvement with soccer. For 10 years, he was a member of the Fort Simpson Volunteer Fire Department, which earned him the title of Superman from his students when he used to dash off to fight a fire.

Deborah said she and Paul have been very appreciative of the love and support they've received from people during their years in the North, particularly in the last few months.

"We've both felt very fortunate that we've lived our life up here," she said.

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