August 29, 1940 – June 22, 2022
Orest Tony Curniski passed away in Olds, Alberta on June 22, 2022, peacefully with family by his side. He was born on August 29, 1940, in Claytonville, Saskatchewan, to Joseph and Elsie (Lydia) Curniski.
After graduating from Carpenter HIgh School in Meadow Lake he attended and received his Teachers Certificate from the University of Saskatchewan. From 1961 to 1963, he taught in Spirit River, Alberta. In 1963, he took a teaching position in Olds, Alberta where he met Doreen Newsham, his future wife. In 1966, he attended University Calgary and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts. During that summer he travelled through Europe and when he returned, he took a teaching position in Bowden. In 1969, Orest and Doreen married. Orest was always interested in politics and served on Bowden town council as deputy mayor.
In 1973, the family visited the Yukon and northern B.C. They enjoyed the excitement of the gold mining industry and decided to purchase a gold lease on Spruce Creek, east of Atlin, B.C.
In 1977, Orest took a teaching opportunity in Haines Junction, Yukon, which was closer to the gold lease and the opportunity to live in Kluane National Park. Orest also became the town's mayor.
In 1979, they decided to try ranching and moved near Sundre, Alberta. The ranching did not work out, so Orest did a variety of jobs, including spending the winter working at an underground gold mine, near Atlin. He then took a landman position with Antelope Land Services. In 1982, he was asked to take an instructor position at the Olds College and set up the Land Agent Program. Orest expanded the program in many ways. In 1992, on behalf of the college (since he was fluent in Ukrainian) he traveled to Russia and the Ukraine for two months, to explore oil and gas partnership opportunities on behalf of the college. In total, he taught at Olds College for 15 years. The position at the college worked out well for Orest - he would get the summer months off to spend in Atlin, B.C. at the gold lease.
After working at the college, Orest went into consulting for the Beaver Indigenous Band at Prophet River, B.C. as an oil and gas coordinator for five years. On two different occasion he also went gold prospecting in Columbia, South America. Before retiring, he did contract truthing in the Grande Prairie area, for different oil and gas companies.
Orest lived a life that was big and full. He loved his wife and us kids unconditionally. He always encouraged his children to do their best, be fearless and work hard. He was an avid outdoorsman, spending hours in the wilderness prospecting for gold, fishing, hunting, off-roading and snowmobiling. The northern experiences he lived with his family, are too many to tell. In total, he spent 42 summers gold mining in the Yukon and B.C.
Orest will be lovingly remembered by his wife Doreen, three daughters and son: Tanya (Jeff), Natasha, Tara (Greg), and Jonathan (Rebekah), as well as nine grandchildren - Matthew, Skylar, Logan, Brooke, River, Summer, Rain, Ocean and Paige. He will also be remembered by his sister Savelia. Orest was predeceased by his parents, Joseph and Elsie (Lydia) and brother Ronald.
