GORDON CASMER TARAPASKY

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GORDON CASMER TARAPASKY 1938 - 2015 It is with heavy hearts the Tarapasky family in Winnipeg and Montreal announce the passing of Gordon Casmer Tarapasky, 77 years old, on December 3, 2015 in Bangkok, Thailand, from complications due to late stage dementia. In passing Gordon leaves his son Daryl (Madoka) of Okinawa, Japan; grandsons, Yamato, Domenic; brother Edward (Dorothy) of Winnipeg; nephews, Mitchell (Patti) of Winnipeg, and James (Judy) of Montreal; and ex-wife Mary Fay Siegfried of Albany, New York. He was pre-deceased by his parents, Peter and Weronica Tarapasky; sister-in-law Marvel Tarapasky (nee Bergey); and close childhood friend Gary McElrea. Gord passed away quietly in South-East Asia in a part of the world he had spent the last 25 plus years of his life. At his request, cremation has taken place and a traditional Buddhist ceremony was performed in Bangkok on Tuesday, December 8, 2015. Gord's remains were placed in a river in Chachoengsao province and son Daryl has taken some remains home with him to Japan. Gord was born August 2, 1938 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and grew up on Walnut Street, attending Gordon Bell High School. Gord graduated with a bachelor's degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Manitoba in 1960, working briefly for Manitoba Highways and eventually moving on to a life as a civil engineer in New Jersey. Over the years, Gord's career took him all over the world building cable stay bridges, airport runways, anything that required pre-stressed concrete reinforcing. From New Jersey, where he met Mary Fabio Brindle, to Houston, Texas, where they were married on January 20, 1968. He moved thereafter to San Diego, spent five years in Tehran, Iran, where they adopted son Daryl, back to San Diego and to Encinitas in California, to Taipei, Hong Kong, Germany and eventually retiring in Pattaya, Thailand. Gord's career culminated with being a Vice President of Dywidag Systems International South East Asia region (Hong Kong). Gord was an avid, even compulsive golf fan and enjoyed playing the game very much. He enjoyed playing golf with his brother when in Canada and when Ed made two extended visits to Thailand in 1999 and 2009. Growing up, nephews Mitchell and James made many trips to Southern California to visit and stay with their Uncle Gord in Encinitas and Cardiff by the Sea and loved the trips to Disneyland, Sea World and many days at beaches in Mission Bay, Cardiff, and moonlight in Encinitas, often driving around in the BABUG dune buggy. There were also trips to Mexico including Tijuana, Ensenada, Rosarita Beach and one memorable trip by six Tarapaskys in a Mustang convertible to San Felipe, Mexico. Gord visited Winnipeg often over the years, often hooking up with old friends for some volleyball at Grand Beach and seeing family. His last visit was in 2008, staying at the family cottage TARA's JEMM at Hillside Beach and enjoying a round of golf with his brother Ed and nephews Mitchell and James, and trying his hand at a little Bocce Ball for the first time. Good Times!! Rest in Peace Gord, we will miss you.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jan 09, 2016