Emile Andruchuk

With heavy hearts, we say goodbye to Emile, a man who lived his life in his own way and stayed true to himself until the very end.

Emile was stubborn. He was hard-headed. And he was proud of both. He wasn't the kind of man who easily changed his mind or let someone else tell him how to live. He was simply Emile — and he remained that way right to the end.

He enjoyed the little things in life, especially sitting back with a doobie and taking things as they came. He kept doing what he loved and being the person he was, even when life became difficult. In his own way, that was one of the things that made him special.

We will always be grateful for the time we had with him. We shared heart-to-heart conversations that we will never forget. Some of our favourite memories are the times we spent together on the front porch, sparking a joint or talking about whatever was on our minds.

Those moments were simple, but they meant a lot to us.

Emile will be remembered and missed by his many brothers and sister, nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, extended family, friends and everyone who had the privilege — and sometimes the challenge — of knowing him. He left his mark on the people around him and will not be forgotten.

He didn't change who he was for anyone.

He stayed Emile until the very end.

And that's how we will remember him.

Rest easy, Emile. You will be missed.

"I leave this poem for my uncle:

He drew his lines deep in the sand,

A bullheaded man who took his stand.

And stayed himself right to the end.

You couldn't change him if you tried

He wore his stubbornness with pride.

So spark a joint and let him go,

Beyond the stars, out in the blue

Uncle/Emile, just keep on being you

I leave this song in memory of my Uncle Emile. It will always remind me of him and the memories we shared.

Stuck in the middle with you - Stealers Wheel."

- Jessea Lawlis-morgan

"We thought of you with love today,

But that is nothing new.

We thought about you yesterday,

And days before that, too.

We think of you in silence,

We often speak your name.

Now all we have are memories,

And your picture in a frame.

Your memory is our keepsake,

With which we'll never part.

God has you in his keeping,

We have you in our heart.

— Rose M. De Leon"

- Marilyn P.