Vincent Broda

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“Who’s in for Friday night steak at Buffalo Junction, any takers?”  That was typical of Vincent who welcomed everyone to share in his culinary rituals, and lucky you if you sat down to one of his spaghetti feasts or sauerkraut suppers. 

Vincent loved a good feast and lucky you if you sat down to one of his spaghetti feasts or sauerkraut suppers. He was worldly, and homespun. 

He was born March 7th, 1942 in Cote, Saskatchewan, near Kamsack. He was schooled in Rama with university in Saskatoon and art studies in Perugia, Italy. He made Melbourne, Australia, home for a decade with his wife Rosemarie and their three children, Beckett, Paige and Roland. He worked mainly as a teacher, art being his focus. 

This focus continued when he returned to Canada. He published and patented a process for using oil pastels and preserved a collection of these works inspired by  B.C.’s Carmanah Walbran Forest. 

He showed in galleries, donated to the Calgary Foothills Hospital, and his greeting cards circulated in several countries. Vincent went the whole nine yards as an artist even when the call of the prairie-scapes brought him back to the Duck Mountains of his youth. However, a chronic shoulder ailment gradually retired him from further producing fine art and he would spend the next eighteen years redesigning every nook and cranny of his home that he called his, ‘hata’. The veranda that cousins Dennis and Bobby built would become Vincent’s ultimate pride and joy. 

In his seventy-nine years, primed with a chew of snuff (weird tobacco), and a home brewed glass of vino or espresso Vincent would sit on his veranda and wax poetic on the magnificence right there in his own backyard. It was the hub of storytelling, sharing food, and pondering life.

This prairie lad was an artist, educator, friend, father, and the grandfather of nine. He favoured history, current events, movies, and the weather report, he was foremost a student of life. But it was his handwritten notes on photos, in cards and letters that told the stories of friendships formed over his lifetime. He was and is loved by many of us, and ultimately this was his greatest accomplishment.

On heavens half acre (actually his 2.5 acres) Vincent was called to a new assignment on new horizons.

The assignment came with an irresistible bonus: a reunion with family and friends whom Vincent had not seen in a long while: His parents, Stella and Andrew Broda and siblings, Phyllis, Lucas, and Florence. Uncles and Aunts: Barney and Nellie Broda, and Stanley and Rosie Matycio, also Casimir, Ray and Ed Broda to name a few. Lord knows all the friends from Canada, Europe and Australia who looked forward to this soul returning home.

There’s every likelihood that heaven will soon find Vincent in work robes ready to attempt ‘painting with light’. Raphael and Michelangelo may take him under their wings to apprentice for the art program known far and wide as the aurora borealis.

Let’s hope there are a few other perks for our Vincent like Italian tunes in surround sound, rosemary, dill and the sizzle of garlic on the grill. And wine barrels, cheese platters and buckets of olives. One can only imagine between sips, slurps and lip smacking antipasto, his rendition of the journey through delight at the end of the tunnel. 

On his behalf I’d like to give a shout out to those who made his life and gradual departure, as good as could be: His sisters; Mary from Wakaw, who did most of the leg work with helping hands Louie and Bernie, thanks so much you guys. Debbie from Calgary, who sent out most of the progress reports and Betty from Vernon who did loads of praying.

And from the Broda Clan; thank-you Dennis or Den Den as Vincent called him, and Den’s sister Sharon Broda who were like Vincent’s siblings in Calgary and Kamsack. Thanks for your constant support and friendship.

In Kamsack is Marie Broda, Adeline Oystreck and Helen MacFarlane and Louie Broda. And his friends here; Bernie and Hilda Brandt big thanks, Annie Armstrong (thanks for always helping and for the flowers both you and Marie brought today). Other friends, John Adamyk, Angela and brother Glen Diduck, Denise Podivinikoff, and Father Joseph Kuruvilla officiating here today.

Connected farther afield are Vincent’s kids Beckett in Western Australia and Paige i Nanimo BC. Vincent’s niece Christina Smith and her father Wayne Roberts in BC, and long time friends; Paul Taylor, George Strmotich, Wayne Willie, Gloria Milos and Ferdinando in Saskatoon. Henry Jackal in Edmonton, Vivian and Angelo Coppola in Victoria, Jill and Steve Crow and Pat and Bill Taylor in Western Australia. And Diane Hartland, Joyce Klaver, who became friends in Palm Springs, and many more.

Also very special thanks are in order to the hospital and home-care nurses who cared for Vincent, and his pallbearers: Louie Broda, Bernie Brandt, John Adamyk, Bob Hellegards, Clifford Leis, and Wayne Belay, who will carry Vincent to rest at St. Nicholas Ukrainian Catholic Cemetery in Pelly, Sask, alongside his siblings, Phyllis and Lucas Broda.

Finally, a cheers to Renaldo, Vincent’s Lifetime Guardian Angel. ‘Could you please put in an order at Cafe Cloud 9 for a doppio macchiato? You know Vincent likes his espresso with a half a finger of steamed milk, no more and no less. Per favore and grazie.

So Vincenzo, we will all see you sooner or later, and we do hope that the weather there is sunny with a chance of meatballs.

Ciao for now and lots of love, your Earth Family.

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