Passing pioneer taught hundreds
Schidlowsky, a teacher and musician, died on birthday
John McFadden
Northern News Services
Friday, October 7, 2016
SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE
Yellowknife is mourning the passing of one of the city's true pioneers today.
A plaque, left, hangs in the hall of the Yellowknife Catholic Schools board office honouring Wilf Schidlowsky, right. The longtime St. Patrick's High School teacher died on Sept. 30 at Avens Centre. - photo courtesy of Johnnie Bowden, NNSL file photo |
Wilfred "Wilf" Schidlowsky died on his birthday at age 86 on Sept. 30 at the Avens Centre. He was well-known as a teacher, musician and bicycle repairman but perhaps most of all as someone who would give the shirt off his back to just about anyone.
Born 1930 in Humboldt, Sask., he taught in his home province until he came North in the mid-1960s and proceeded to teach at the old St. Patrick's High School before semi-retiring in 1989. He stayed on as a substitute teacher until March 2003, completing no less than 53 years in public education.
Yellowknife Catholic Schools assistant superintendent Johnnie Bowden taught with Schidlowsky at St. Patrick High School in the 1960s and 70s.
"Wilf was one of those hands-on teachers who cared deeply about his students and who saw the value in teaching kids practical skills about how to make it in the world," Bowden said.
He added that preparing students for the real world was the idea behind the Kimberlite Career and Technical Centre across the street from the current St. Patrick High School which is dedicated to Schidlowsky. He was also well-known for keeping in touch with the students he taught as he watched them get married and build families.
Schidlowsky was best-known as a math teacher. Hundreds of Yellowknifers passed through his classroom over the years.
He was a widower having lost his wife, Elaine, some years ago. They had three daughters and five grandchildren, said his daughter Laureen Schidlowsky.
Schidlowsky suffered a stroke a few years back which somewhat restricted his activities, according to his good friend, neighbour, fellow teacher and band mate Alex Czarnecki. The Yellowknifer has nothing but fond memories of his time with Schidlowsky who played rhythm guitar in bands such as the Alley Cats and put on elaborate musical productions with Czarnecki.
"Wilf had a little band and asked me if I'd be interested in joining that, and I did," Czarnecki said. "It resulted in about 14 years of playing music together every Friday and Saturday night at the Legion or the Elks."
Schidlowsky had a unique relationship with his students, said Czarnecki.
"Wilf's legacy is that the students who crossed his path respected him. He treated them with the same respect," Czarnecki said. "He had fun with them. He taught them and they loved him and when they finished they had great memories of their time with him."
Czarnecki said the best way to describe Schidlowsky is as someone willing to step in when needed.
"He did not say no when someone asked him to do something. He was very generous with his time," Czarnecki said. "If someone needed to borrow money, things like that. He was just a very good soul, a very dear friend."
Schidlowsky was also well-known as a bike repairman having a business in the JSL Mechanical building on Coronation Drive in Kam Lake. Matthew Grogono, proprietor of Old Town Bikeworks, said he learned a lot from Schidlowsky.
"When I first opened up the bicycle shop I wanted to see how a veteran bicycle repair mechanic trues bike rims," Grogono said. "I gave him some of the most difficult wheels I could find and he showed me how to straighten them."
Jed Watson, head mechanic at Old Town Bikeworks, said he learned his trade while working under Schidlowsky for a couple of years.
"He was pretty strict with everything to do with the bikes. But he always gave kids a break when they came in with a broken bike," Watson said. "It could be a $20 or $30 job and he'd say five bucks and come back when you have the money. It was never about the money for him - it was about helping the community."
A funeral for Schidlowsky will be held today at 1 p.m. at St. Patrick's Church with burial to follow at Lakeview Cemetery. A reception will be held following the burial at the Baker Community Centre at Avens.
