CLARENCE PETER STELMASCHUK
July 2nd, 1942 ~ August 25th, 2020
With heavy hearts and great sadness, the family of Dr. Clarence “Clark” Peter Stelmaschuk announces his passing on Tuesday, August 25, 2020, at the Abbotsford Regional Hospital, at the age of 78.
Clark was born in Fairview, AB July 2, 1942, raised on the family farm in the District of Highland Park by parents Peter and Pearl Stelmaschuk.
His education included completion of grades 1-7 at rural school Highland Creek, grades 8-12 in Fairview, after the family moved to town in 1955. Graduating first in his grade 12 class, he earned the W.P. Loggie Scholarship and the Governor General’s Medal.
Always encouraged by his parents and teachers to continue his education, Clarence began university in the fall of 1960, entered in the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Alberta. After just 6 weeks, realising this was not his forte, he switched to arts and science.
In a memoir he once wrote, “I remember seeing the most dashing men on campus wearing crisp clinic whites… These were junior and senior dental students. Still a haberdasher today – this is how it all began.” Clarence was accepted into the Faculty of Dentistry in September 1961 at age 18. He received his DDS in June 1965, age 22.
Back in his hometown, Fairview, he joined as an associate of Dr. Merose M Wornuk, then in his first term as President of the Alberta Dental Association. “It was a great start in dentistry,” Clarence had said. He also credits Dr. John Wornuk, Merose’s brother practicing in Dawson Creek, BC, “who was a leading light in promoting a high level of continuing dental education, as he brought copious clinicians from Oregon, Seattle and Vancouver to the north to enhance our education.” He began his own Dental Clinic in Fairview after one year.
Dr. Stelmaschuk left Fairview in May 1970, to Abbotsford, BC where he helped establish a dental group with two colleagues; this progressed to seven practitioners within four years.
Clarence discovered early that it was essential to keep up on the latest dentistry techniques, taking thousands of hours of continuing dental education to ensure that his patients got the most advanced treatment and care. He regularly took his assistants and staff to these workshops and seminars.
During his career CP was President of the Western Canada Orthodontics Association, President of the Peace River Dental Society (District 6), the Fraser Valley Dental Society and the International Organization for Orthodontics (Western Canada).
Clark was an accomplished musician, a small-engine pilot, an avid reader, an accomplished ballroom dancer, a community-dedicated volunteer, and generous with his talents and time.
Dr. Stelmaschuk had expert knowledge and skill in cosmetic dentistry, orthodontics, bleaching and dental implants, all leading edge today. He especially enjoyed placing and restoring Dental Intra-osseous implants a well as performing metal-free dentistry, both conventional and Cad Cam.
Clarence was extraordinarily talented and well read. In his youth, he read everything he could get hold of, especially the classics. While still on the farm, without electricity or indoor plumbing, he mail-ordered an accordion and lessons and taught himself to read and play music. Soon he joined his father Peter’s band, playing at weddings, anniversaries, picnics and socials, as well as dances during the long winter months at the Community Hall.
Early on he took Flying Lessons, learned to fly and survived several mishaps in small-engine planes. Later he was a member of the Abbotsford Flying Club. He took community pride in helping organize and volunteer for the Annual Abbotsford Airshows. He was coach of the Fairview Elks Senior Hockey Club and led them to the North Peace Hockey League Championship in 1968-69. Abbotsford Minor Hockey also benefited from his leadership and support, especially when his son Peter excelled as a rising star.
Clarence was his father Peter’s right-hand man, assisting him first as a livestock hand at age 13, and later as bulk oil and gas plant assistant and fuel deliverer at North Star Oil (later Shell Oil). He also helped setup the parts system when Peter Stelmaschuk and Sons took over the Minneapolis Moline farm implements dealership. When his father died, he continued to support these businesses while still at UofA with the management of his Uncle Lawrence Rohachuk and hired help. These businesses were closed once he began his dental practice.
Clark recently celebrated his 27th year with his dear and special friends at AA, a group that was like his second family.
Clark will be sadly missed by his spouse Judy Lewis-Snodgrass, her children and grandchildren; daughters Carmen Robinson of Sedona, AZ and Tanya Kuss-Stelmaschuk of Quadra Island BC; sons Peter Stelmaschuk of Calgary, AB and Myron (Tracy) Stelmaschuk of Calgary, AB; his grandchildren, Grace, Ethan, Audrey, Angela, Ava of Calgary, AB; Zane and Wilm of Calgary, AB; and Alexa of Abbotsford, BC; his brothers Gerald of Red Deer, AB and Merose (Sheilah); also his Aunt Lucy Coghill of Fort Saskatchewan, AB; Uncle Bill Masuak of Spruce Grove, AB and Aunt Lil of Fairview, AB; his nieces Theresa (Bryan) Reichert and Dr. Amber (Lowell) Reichert and their sons Tyler and Dylan and his nephew David of Fort Saskatchewan, AB; three great grandchildren; and numerous cousins and friends.
Predeceased by parents Peter and Pearl Stelmaschuk, his beloved son Alexxandr “Sasha” Stelmaschuk, as well as paternal and maternal (Machuk) grandparents and numerous cherished uncles, aunts and cousins.
Arrangements in care of Alternatives Funeral and Cremation Services.
Interment at the family plot in Highland Park, AB, at a later date. Celebration of Life may be held at a future date to be announced.
Messages:
Dr Stelmaschuk was our dentist his entire career in Abbotsford from start to retirement and our family is so sad to see this notice. To this day we all get rave remarks about the fine work he did from braces on the kids when they were young to implants to my reworked smile (eg caps, overlays, etc). We're certainly recipients of his excellent skills and as the notice mentions he always kept up on the latest in dentistry for which we were happy. After all of those years we got to know each other with little tidbits of conversations at each visit. We're so so so sad to see "CP" gone at way too young a time. Our sympathy to Judy, Carmen, Tanya, Myron, Peter and family. That's a beautiful photo memory on this notice. RIP CP
I never got to know Clark until later in his career in Abbotsford BC. He was a person who cared deeply for those around him. As a dentist, and father to a young adult son whose life was taken far too early, we both share similar histories and fates. I have sympathized with him in his journey over the past 10 years in finding justice and resolution to his troubled times. He was a great sounding board and always lent an active ear, day or night, to listen and counsel me in my troubled times as well. I will miss those conversations, and those meetings at the Tim Hortons to discuss our personal and professional joys and sorrows. He was taken far too early in his life and he deserved more in this life than what he received. No man should have had to go through what he went through personally, professionally, and emotionally, no matter the results of his actions to others. Both of us were born and raised in small town Alberta to traditional farming Ukrainian families, and we both know the value of hard work, sacrificing ones personal needs and desires in order to bless those around us, and giving without any expectation in return. Clark, may you Rest In Peace, my dear friend. You are now reunited with Sasha and the rest of your heavenly family for everlasting eternity. While I grieve your physical passing and feel sadness with a heavy heart, I also am expressing tears of joy that you are no longer bound by those mortal chains weighing you down here on Earth. A great man was taken far too soon, as his work here was not done. Thank you for being my colleague, friend, and confidant. You will be missed in our dental community. Dr Kyle Nawrot DMD, Abbotsford. BC