Chapelski, Emil
November 6, 1944 - November 23, 2013
Emil Chapelski was born on November 6, 1944 in Myrnam, Alberta and raised in Vegreville. By the time he was a teen his father Matt, had passed away and he was the man of the family. Married with a child on the way by the age of 20 (precocious was “one” of the words used to describe him) Emil, accompanied by his wife Wendy hit the road for the bright lights of Toronto and then Vancouver as a banker with the CIBC. Banking was glamorous business for a young prairie man who spoke only Ukrainian until he started elementary school. However, a banking career seemed to consist of curling bonspiels and three martini nicotine fuelled lunches and Emil yearned for more intellectual pursuits. At the age of 30, with 3 kids, a dog, and a mortgage, Wendy went out to earn a living in order to put Emil through law school. Emil graduated as the Gold Medallist of the inaugural class of UVic law school. Emil and Wendy then returned to Alberta to raise their young children close to their extended families and settled in Drumheller in 1979. There, Emil practiced commercial law for almost 20 years before being stricken by a massive stroke likely accelerated by the three martini lunch lifestyle and cigarettes. However, several years before the stroke, Emil became a friend of Bill W’s and he had even (finally) quit his 3+ pack a day habit. There were some sweet days for Emil and Wendy during that time period, except of course, for the tragic loss of their youngest child Scott at age 19. The stroke left Emil paralysed on the right side and unable to speak or write. However, with God’s grace he could still play a mean game of crib, re-program the clocks for day-light savings time and take immense delight in the arrival of his six grandchildren who loved to play with his cane and scooter. With Wendy’s leadership, they travelled, socialised, volunteered and LIVED notwithstanding his immense handicaps. No one was braver or showed more grace than Emil during the last 18 years except his wife Wendy. We lost Mom to cancer last year and Emil’s world became quite narrow, especially after falling and breaking his hip. It was just a matter of time before Emil would be freed from his earthly limitations and have the opportunity to join his high school sweetheart again. That occurred on November 23, 2013 in Lloydminster. We learned more about courage and acceptance from Dad after his stroke than we could have ever learned from him before. Emil lost his own father at a young age, suffered through many struggles before finding sobriety, then lost a son to a car accident. Subsequently he lost his speech, his ability to write and finally his mobility. Despite all of those challenges, he did his best to share love, friendship and lots of laughter. We are proud to be his children. Emil is survived by his sister Emily Samoil, brother in law Barry Wilinski, and their respective families, many nieces and nephews and his children Shelley Chapelski (Merle McKenzie) and Mark Chapelski (Sandra). He was “Gido” to his grandchildren Alex and Emily McKenzie and Matthew, Nicolas, Anna and Josh Chapelski. Emil was predeceased by his son Scott and wife Wendy (Wilinski) Chapelski. A Memorial service will be held at 11:00 A.M. on Monday, December 23, at the Knox United Church, 195 3rd Avenue E, Drumheller, AB, with Reverend John Crowdis officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Ovarian Cancer Canada, Suite 105B, Edmonton Trail NE, Calgary, AB, T2E 3K8 in memory of Wendy and Emil Chapelski.
