Memorable Manitobans: John Zawidoski (1872-1950)

Businessman, community activist.

Born in the western Ukraine on 14 January 1872, he came to Winnipeg in 1905. After working as a building contractor from 1907 to 1914, he entered the undertaking business in 1916 and opened a funeral home bearing his name.

Influential in the city’s Ukrainian community, he was a founder and honorary president of the St. Vladimir and Olga Benefit Society as well as a founder and president of the St. Nicholas Mutual Benefit Society. He was also the founder of the St. John the Almsgiver Society. A member of the Ukrainian Canadian Institute, he belonged to the St. Peter’s Mutual Benefit Society and was partly responsible for the creation of All Saints Cemetery, the first Ukrainian cemetery in the Winnipeg area.

He and his wife Anna (1877-1941) had five children: Harry, John, George, Mrs. Michael Yundak and Mrs. K. Twyman. A former resident of 561 Selkirk Avenue, he died on 4 May 1950 at St. Joseph’s Hospital and was buried in All Saints Cemetery.

Sources:

Death registration [Anna Zawidoski], Manitoba Vital Statistics.

“Mrs. A. Zawidoski dies, aged 64,” Winnipeg Tribune, 4 December 1941, page 15.

“John Zawidoski, 78, Ukrainian leader dies,” Winnipeg Free Press, 5 May 1950. [Manitoba Legislative Library, Biographical Scrapbook B10, page 143]

This page was prepared by Sarah Ramsden and Gordon Goldsborough.

Page revised: 25 September 2016

Memorable Manitobans

Memorable Manitobans

This is a collection of noteworthy Manitobans from the past, compiled by the Manitoba Historical Society. We acknowledge that the collection contains both reputable and disreputable people. All are worth remembering as a lesson to future generations.

Search the collection by word or phrase, name, place, occupation or other text:

Custom Search

Browse surnames beginning with:
A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | Y | Z

Browse deaths occurring in:
1976 | 1977 | 1978 | 1979 | 1980 | 1981 | 1982 | 1983 | 1984 | 1985 | 1986 | 1987 | 1988 | 1989 | 1990 | 1991 | 1992 | 1993 | 1994 | 1995 | 1996 | 1997 | 1998 | 1999 | 2000 | 2001 | 2002 | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2006 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024


Send corrections and additions to this page
to the Memorable Manitobans Administrator at biographies@mhs.mb.ca

Criteria for Memorable Manitobans | Suggest a Memorable Manitoban | Firsts | Acknowledgements

Help us keep
history alive!