Obituary of William Hector BEREZOWSKI

Bill Berezowski, husband, father, grandfather, retired teacher and principal with the Calgary Board of Education, passed away at the Foothills Hospital on Saturday, November 13, 2010 at the age of 82 years. Bill began his teaching career in October 1946 in the Wapella-Whitewood area of Saskatchewan. From 1948 to 1950, he taught in Crimea School around Eatonia, Saskatchewan. Bill worked in the oilfields in seismic exploration, wildcat drilling, refinery drilling, and logging from 1950 to 1955. He married Jean Moore and began his career with the Calgary Board of Education in 1955. Over the following years he and Jean had their three children while Bill worked on building his teaching career. In 1965 he pioneered special education by starting the first adaptation class for Junior High at Vincent Massy Jr. High School. In 1968 he received his B.Ed. and became the first principal at William Roper Hull Home School where he developed programs for adolescents with behaviour problems in a residential setting. In 1969 Bill opened the first L.D. School in Calgary called the Dr. Carl Safran School. In 1970 Bill was the board director to organize Connaught Community School. Bill opened his third and final school in 1976. He was the principal at Douglas Harkness Community School until 1986, where he retired from the Calgary School Board. Family was most important to Bill. He loved nothing more than to spend his time in the company of his family and friends. Bill had a special gift with children, sometimes it was hard to tell who loved being a kid more, the children or Bill. He had a great zest and love for life. We all loved the twinkle in his eye when he teased any of the many people who were fortunate enough to be within his circle of love. Bill was a true gentle man and he was never able to turn anyone away from his door when they needed his help. He always gave more than he was asked for and he never asked anything for himself. In Bills retirement years he was very active, continuing his work as a friend of community schools and volunteering for the community school projects. Bill retired so he could volunteer at the 1988 Olympics and also be a presence in his grandson Jonathons classroom. Bill loved coaching hockey and baseball all through his life. He traveled all over the world and always had a desire to learn new things. He was an avid reader of Western novels, loved sports and often hiked, cross country skied, skated, snow shoed, rode and trained horses, out at The Property. He leaves his wife, Jean of fifty-five years, two daughters, Ann Berezowski (Daryl Shaw) of Calgary, Margaret Berezowski-Hurlbut (Jim Hurlbut) of Dubai UAE; one son, Marc Berezowski (Barbara Komar) of Deep Cove, B.C.; five grandchildren Jonathon Berezowski, Kelsi Hurlbut, Austin Hurlbut, Tristan Berezowski, and Sophia Berezowski. His brothers Allan Berezowski, Duane Berezowski and sister Evangeline Keough and their families survive his passing. Bill was predeceased by his parents George and Antoinette Berezowski, his brother Dr. Hector Berezowski, and his sister in law Grace Berezowski who passed away on the same day as Dad. A Celebration of Bills Life was held at CALGARY CREMATORIUM CHAPEL, 3219 4th Street N.W., (within the valley of Queens Park Cemetery) on Friday, November 19, 2010 at 2:00 p.m.