Came across the obituary for my mother’s second husband, Art Wudrich.

Arthur Leo Wudrich

November 18, 1938 ~ May 18, 2024 (age 85)

Arthur Leo Wudrich Obituary

Art passed away in Calgary at home at the age of 85 years in his sleep peacefully. 

He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Marie Wudrich; sons, Terry Wudrich (Deanie) and  Dwayne Wudrich; grandchildren,  Tyler Wudrich, and Joanne Wudrich; great-grandchildren, Kayden Wudrich and Carson Wudrich; sister Amelia Buhler; brothers Kenny Wudrich, Donald Wudrich (Juverna) and Richard Wudrich (Marilyn). 

Art was predeceased by his sister, Ruth Olson; and brothers, Louie Wudrich, Leonard Wudrich, Albert Wudrich, Harold Wudrich and Emil Wudrich. 

Arthur Wudrich started his career as a Ferry operator in Saskatchewan, until he went back to school and became a refrigeration mechanic. His son Terry and grandson Tyler have followed in his footsteps and continued with refrigeration as a career choice. 

Arthur did move a lot during his career and had many hobbies that kept him busy. He loved to fish, do woodwork and take photos of wildlife. He always loved nature and animals, as do his son Dwayne and granddaughter Joanne. 

Art’s wish was for no services to be held, but for the people that know him please take a moment and enjoy family, nature and what life offers you.

I only knew Art briefly. He was a decent guy.

I first met Art in the summer of 1990 when my father invited me to move back to Edmonton with him for his final posting.

Marie and Art were living out on an acreage by Wabumun just west of Edmonton.

I don’t know how or when my mother and Art first met. Marie and Art were married in 1985. This was just after my father signed their divorce papers.

Art and my mother were together for 39 years.

I stayed with Art and Marie for the month of September in 1990.

When my father, my stepmother, my stepbrother, and I arrived at Canadian Forces Base Griesbach in July of 1990 we lived in military housing on base for 2 months. My father bought a house up in Morinville, AB. My stepmother made it very clear that I was not welcome in her house. When my brother arrived in Alberta after his delay in Ontario, she didn’t want him in her house either.

When I was staying with Marie and Art out on their acreage, the engine on my car blew a lower radiator hose and I ended up destroying the engine while driving to work in Edmonton.

No big deal, Art made his garage available to me to use to swap the engine out in my car. He even came with me to West Edmonton Pick-A-Part where I grabbed a used engine out of a scrapped car in the scrap yard. And being an industrial refrigeration mechanic Art had all of the good tools at his disposal.

I found a car that had significant rear end damage but with low milage. Pulled the valve cover off the engine to check for wear on the cam shaft and tappets, and to see if there were any signs that the head had ever overheated, checked for oil leaks around the head. Pulled the plugs and they looked clean.

I took the opportunity to upgrade my car from a 1.4l to a 1.6l engine with the more advanced carburettor.

Took me the one weekend to have the dead engine pulled out of the car and the new engine put in. Art even helped me haul the old engine to the wreckers for scrap.

Art was impressed that I had done the engine swap by myself and that I was meticulous and tidy and cleaned everything up. This I owed to Bill Parker, Bob Wrightson, and the other guys at the base auto hobby club on CFB Downsview.

Art wanted me to get into the refrigeration trade. He said that he was certain that he could get me taken on as an apprentice, and that with my mechanical skills and my electrical aptitude that I would do well.

Sadly though, the events of CFB Namao had occurred just over ten years prior and I was still bearing the fresh trauma of my father’s anger and Captain Totzke’s derision. I was more than certain that I was too much of a failure to be anything like Art.

I moved to Vancouver in the early winter of 1992. Being on welfare since the summer of ’91, Edmonton wasn’t a pleasant city to be in. Unless you have a red seal trade, there’s really not much work in Edmonton except in the low paying service industry.

I had tried to get in contact with my mother a few times between 1992 and 2013, but the company that Art worked for had service contracts for large industrial gas compressors and Art and Marie would often move to the area where the job was as the job would often take a few months from start to finish.

I didn’t see Art between 1992 and December 2013 when I had to track Marie down to ask her questions about answers my father had given to me when I examined him for federal court.

Art would have been about 75 at this time. My mother was 67.

I saw Art and Marie two more times, but the last time I spoke to either of them was back in 2017.

Marie and Art had moved on with their lives, and Marie had petty well written off anything to do with her involvement with my father.

Art didn’t seem to appreciate my desire to know more about the relationship between my mother and my father and my extended family.

But still, Art was a good guy.

It was last week that I had found out that Art had passed away in May of 2024.

I often wonder what would have happened in my life had my father been 1/8th or even just 1/16th the man that Art was.

So now, it looks like it’s just Marie and myself that remain.

And after we’re gone that will be the end of the dysfunction that was my family.