RUSHAK, Norman
May 4, 1933 – November 20th, 2016
Norm passed into the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, after contracting pneumonia due to diabetic complications at the age of 83. He was born in Toronto, Ontario and is predeceased by his parents and four siblings: Walter, Julie, Ann, & Peter. He married Stella (Nahachewski) in 1957 and had two children: Patricia and Noel. That marriage ended in 1975. Sixteen years later he remarried and was married for one month shy of 25 years. He is survived by his loving wife, Geralynn; his children, Noel Rushak (Diane) and Patricia Mamic (Denis); his two grandsons, Nicholas and Michael; a number of nieces and nephews in Ontario; and his former wife, Stella. Norm grew up on a fruit farm in Grimsby, Ontario where he completed both elementary & high school and then went on to take architectural drafting at Ryerson University, graduating in 1953. He had a varied career in architecture with stints of architectural, structural, mechanical & nuclear drafting. He was also a construction superintendant for two years, and had experience in prefabrication construction. He moved to Nanaimo in 1964 joining McArravy & Barley Architects and the following year went into private practice. He had the distinction of knowing the National Building Code by memory. Norm specialized in fixer-uppers and had an eye for the potential of a property. In the fall of 1973 he completed his Bachelor of Education and began teaching architectural drafting and woodworking at the high school level. He took early retirement in 1988 because of health issues. Norm enjoyed boating and fishing, owning seventeen boats in his life-time! He spent his retirement years doing research into Biblical Prophecy and co-writing booklets about it.
There will be a Celebration of Life on Ukrainian Christmas, Sunday, January 8th. at 1:30 P.M. at Christ Community Church, 2221 Bowen Road, Nanaimo, B.C. If preferred, in lieu of Christmas-themed flowers, a donation to the Gideon International Society of Canada (www.gideons.ca) in the name of Norman Rushak would be appreciated. Condolences may be offered by visiting www.telfordsnanaimo.com.