Lovingly Remembered Stanley Obrochta

Posted May 23, 2025 | 1:51 PM

December 1, 1942 – May 20, 2025

It is with deep sorrow and much love that we mourn the passing of Stanley Obrochta, resident of the City of Grande Prairie, on May 20, 2025 at the age of 82 years.

He will be lovingly remembered by his children, Donna, John (Anna) and Roman; grandkids, Darian and Sophia; siblings Josef (Bronislawa) Obrochta, Bronislawa (Jan) Kwak, and Jan Obrochta; along with numerous nieces and nephews in Chicago. He will be also missed by the many friends that became like family.

He was predeceased by his loving wife of 48 years, Elizabeth and sister Aniela Sader.

Stanley was born in Stare Bystre, Poland on December 1, 1942. He worked on his family farm and in his free time loved to ski. In 1969, he bravely decided to embark on a journey that would take him halfway across the world to Grande Prairie. After a long voyage by boat, train, and bus, he arrived and the very next day went to work. That work ethic helped him establish himself and along the way help many other Polish immigrants. In 1971, he began corresponding by letter with Elizabeth, she came to visit him, and never left. They were married in 1972, welcomed daughter Donna in 1974, son John in 1976, and completed their family with Roman in 1985.

Stanley honoured his Polish heritage by participating in many cultural events highlighting his Goral background. He was extremely proud that Pope John Paul II also came from the same region as him.

Stanley and Elizabeth worked hard and were an example of a true partnership. Whether adding on their house or maintaining a bountiful garden, their generous, nurturing spirit was something to be admired. Her sudden passing in February 2020 left an indelible mark on him and he never quite recovered from that loss.

Stanley worked mainly in construction and retired with Canfor in 2007. Retiring didn’t stop Stanley though, who didn’t know how to sit and do nothing. He always had a project on the go around the house and liked to stay busy. He took up wine making for a few years, using the cherries from his garden, and he always insisted that you leave with a bottle or two. He was a sports enthusiast, watching ski jumping events during the Olympics and of course cheering on the Edmonton Oilers. He loved a good political discussion and had strong opinions about the world. He also never met a chocolate bar he didn’t like. We know that his cat Felix will miss their many shared snack sessions.

We take comfort in knowing that he and Elizabeth are happily reunited and that makes this loss much more bearable. Stanley leaves behind a remarkable legacy that his family hopes to honour by living their best lives.

Please join us as we hold a funeral service for Stanley on Thursday, May 29^th, 2025 at 1pm at Bear Creek Funeral Home (11802 99 Avenue in Grande Prairie, Alberta). A time for viewing will be offered at 12pm, prior to Stanley’s funeral service. Guests are invited to stay for refreshments following Stanley’s service.

For those of you unable to attend in person, a livestream of his service will be offered.

Stanley will be laid to rest with his wife Elizabeth at the Grande Prairie Cemetery on Friday, May 30th at noon.

Care entrusted to Bear Creek Funeral Home 780-830-7742 bcfh.ca

Date : 2025-05-20
Location : Grande Prairie, Alberta