Obituary - William Stodalka

William (Bill) Harry Stodalka of Medicine Hat, Alberta was called to eternal life on Thursday, March 6, 2025, after a brief illness. He was 93 years of age at the time of his death.

Bill was a force of nature. During his day, he seemed to know everybody in southwestern Saskatchewan and southeastern Alberta, and everybody seemed to know Bill.

He was the oldest of the three children of Jack and Alice Stodalka of Richmound, Saskatchewan. Bill was born on November 9, 1931 and although this was in the midst of the Dirty Thirties, he was fortunate to have been raised in an environment which emphasized the virtues and importance of family, hard work, education, the Roman Catholic Faith, sports and public service.

Richmound is a small village near the Alberta border but great things can happen in small places. Although a baseball pitcher of renown - he ultimately became a member of the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997 - Bill hit a grand slam when Josephine Kambeitz moved to Richmound in 1945.

They went on their first date in 1948 when they were both in Grade 10. However, in Grade 11, Jo went to St. Angela’s Academy in Prelate, Saskatchewan. In Bill’s memorable words and using his lifelong powers of persuasion, he “stole her from the convent” and convinced her to come back to Richmound where they both completed their Grade 12.

The two of them went off together to Normal School in Moose Jaw in 1950. Bill began his teaching career at Sacred Heart in Regina in 1951 at 19 years of age. He had 36 Grade 7 students while Jo taught in nearby Kronau.

Bill and Jo were married on August 12, 1953 in Richmound and both taught in Webb, Saskatchewan. In 1958, they moved back to Richmound where Bill became principal of Richmound’s Grade 1 to 12 school.

Their five children, four boys and a girl, were born while they lived in Richmound.

There is a saying to the effect that if you want to get things done, get a busy man to do it.

Not only was Bill a busy man but he was also successful at what he set out to do and was recognized by his peers and community for his accomplishments.

Bill was a skilled and engaging math teacher.

During the early 1960s, Bill took summer school classes and obtained his Bachelor of Education Degree. The Trustees of the Maple Creek School Division recognized Bill’s abilities and encouraged him to further his post-secondary education. They wanted Bill to become the next Director of Education of the Maple Creek School Division. As a result, in 1967, Bill took a one-year sabbatical. He and the family moved to Calgary and Bill took the classes which led to his Master of Arts Degree in Educational Administration from the University of Calgary.

Bill and family moved to Maple Creek in 1972, when he became the Director of the Maple Creek School Division, which was a position he held until 1986 when he retired.

He was a recognized leader in education in Saskatchewan and in Canada. Bill was one of the driving forces behind the enactment of Saskatchewan’s League of Educational Administrators, Directors and Superintendents Act in 1982. He was the first president of LEADS, a professional organization in Saskatchewan devoted to the advancement of the highest standards in educational administration.

In 1985, Bill travelled to Ottawa where he received a national award from the Canadian Association of School Administrators in recognition of his “Distinguished Service to Administration in Education” in Canada.

After he retired from his Director’s Position in 1986, he was asked to become a member of the Leadership Unit of the University of Saskatchewan’s College of Education. As a result, Bill and Jo moved to Saskatoon. During the next four years, Bill, together with other College of Education Professors, conducted reviews of the administration practices of school divisions throughout Saskatchewan. Bill’s practical experience and knowledge helped these school divisions develop better administration policies and procedures.

Bill was not only a cradle Catholic, he was a cradle and lifelong Liberal. His uncle, Alex Cameron, had been the MLA for Maple Creek from 1948 to 1971 and Bill succeeded him by being elected as the Liberal MLA for this constituency during the 1975 Provincial General Election.

Yes, Bill was a politician but in the absolute best sense of the word. He was motivated by public service. He wanted to do what was right for the people of Saskatchewan and Canada. He loved interacting with people and was always willing to listen to people who had different viewpoints.

As a former school principal, he was concerned that the recent lowering of the drinking age from 21 to 18 years of age made it too easy for alcohol to find its way into the high schools. As a result, he was instrumental in introducing the legislative amendment which increased Saskatchewan’s drinking age from 18 years of age to 19 in 1976.

Bill will forever be a Richmound Rocket. Baseball and, in particular, the SaskAlta League was an important part of the fabric of southwestern Saskatchewan and Southeastern Alberta during the 1950 to the 1970s. Hundreds of people showed up at Sports Days and tournaments to watch the games. As a pitcher, Bill threw a great fastball and he certainly knew how to get a batter’s attention by throwing it high and inside. He set a SaskAlta League pitching record when he struck out twenty Schuler Wheat King batters during one nine inning game.

As he got older and even into his 40s, he enjoyed playing with the SaskAlta Twiliters which was a team composed of baseball players who were more than 35 years of age.

Les Benjamin, the longtime NDP MP from Regina East knew Bill from their time playing baseball together in the 1950 and 1960s. It is a testament to Bill’s ability to get along with everybody and the respect that he earned, even from political opponents, that Les, together with Bill’s cousin Stuart Cameron, put forth the nomination to have Bill admitted into the Saskatchewan Baseball Hall of Fame in 1997.

Bill was a celebrated curler. He almost always skipped his teams and the basement was filled with dozens of trophies.

After he and Jo retired for the second time and moved to Medicine Hat in 1990, he became an avid golfer at the Connaught Golf Course. He bought his own golf cart, much to the enjoyment of his grandchildren as Grandpa always had the time to allow them to drive the golf cart around Iris Court.

Bill and Jo’s house was always open to friends and family. Wine, laughter and animated conversation flowed freely. The two of them planted and nourished a flower garden second to none. This was truly a labour of love and they enjoyed working together.

Bill lived a life of Christian charity. He was always willing to help out others both financially and emotionally. He would take the time to do the little things like help cut his neighbours’ lawns and use his snow blower to clean their driveways and sidewalks. Bill joined the Knights of Columbus at 22 years of age. He was a member for the next 71 years, making him the longest serving member in Medicine Hat.

Dad went on 28 cruises throughout the world. For him, it wasn’t so much about the places he saw but the people he met that made it all worthwhile. While he was introducing himself to strangers, Bill would typically tell them he was from Medicine Hat and this comparatively unusual municipal name would get the stranger’s attention.

One of Bill’s biggest strengths was that he was a people person. It came so naturally to him. He always asked people about themselves. Despite his numerous accomplishments, he was never the type of person to brag about himself. He was more interested in finding out about the people around him.

Bill and Jo were a true team in every sense of the word. They were great supports of each other during their successful times. Their five children all attended and graduated from the University of Saskatchewan. Three of them graduated from U of S’s College of Law, one from the College of Engineering and one from the College of Education. However, and perhaps even more importantly, they helped each other through the difficult times such as when their days old daughter, Susan, died in 1957 and their 26-year-old son, Paul, who was just starting his legal career in Calgary, died in a car accident in 1990.

Bill and Jo spent more than seventy years together. After her death on February 18, 2020, Bill said that he missed her every day so, as a tribute to her, he continued to work in their flower garden until 2024 when he moved into Chinook Village Retirement Community.

He was active right up until the last few weeks of his life. He loved going to Medicine Hat Tiger hockey games in the winter, Medicine Hat Maverick baseball games in the summer and in his words, best of all, he enjoyed spending time with his family.

He is survived by four children: Tim (Leslie), John (Marilyn), Murray (Delihla) and Kathy (Norm); 13 grandchildren: Erin (Josh Cornet), Mark, Will, Josie (Gregg Lewis), Drew (Avery Buye), Anderson (Andrea Gould), Jacqui, Kassia (Justin Wollin), Rose, Paul (Kirsten Hill), Thomas, John Mark and Luc; 10 great grandchildren, Seth, Tully, Paige, Allison, Haylee, Adalyn, Aria, Samuel, Jack and June.

Also left to cherish Bill’s memory are his sister: Dolores McCarthy and the rest of the McCarthy Clan in British Columbia, Jo’s four sisters: Rosemarie/Sr.Teresita, Carol Sproul, Dolores Stodalka (Ken Reynolds), Audrey (Keith) Eslinger and Jo’s three brothers: George (Jean) Kambeitz, Jerry (Agneta) Kambeitz and Peter (Lynda) Sereda and numerous nieces and nephews.

Bill was predeceased by his wife, Josephine (2020); son, Paul (1990); daughter, Susan (1957); parents, Jack and Alice; brother, Donald; Jo’s parents, Frank and Theresa Kambeitz and brothers-in-law, Ben Kambeitz and Brian McCarthy.

A Vigil Prayer Service will be held at Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, 901 – 13 Street SW, Medicine Hat on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at 7:00 PM. Vigil Prayers will be live-streamed. Those who cannot attend but wish to join with the family, can visit the Cook Southland website and select the View Broadcast button on the home page at service time.

A Memorial Mass in celebration of Bill’s life will be held at Holy Family Parish, 1451 Strachan Road SE, Medicine Hat on Monday, March 17, 2025, at 11:00 AM with Father Myles Gaffney celebrant. The Mass will be live-streamed and can be viewed at service time by clicking the following link https://www.youtube.com/@medicinehatholyfamilychurch/streams

The Family would also like to extend a special thank you to Marcia Stodalka, Stuart Cameron, Dolores Stodalka, Ken Reynolds, George and Jean Kambeitz for all of the help they have given Bill, particularly over the last five years.

Flowers, although Bill loved them, are graciously declined.

If friends so desire, charitable donations in Bill’s memory may be made to Jasper Cultural & Historical Centre, 311 Jasper St. Maple Creek, SK, S0N 1N0 or St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Parish in Richmound, SK, Box 70, Fox Valley, SK, S0N 0V0.

Our family has always been incredibly proud of our familial connection to this remarkable man. He will be forever missed.

“Those who have instructed many in uprightness will shine bright as stars for all eternity.”

Dan 12:3

March 16th - Prayer Service