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It is with great sadness the family announces the passing of our father.


Ed Kania on November 15th 2015 at Talarico Place in Castlegar, BC. Ed was born to Polish immigrant parents in Detroit, Michigan USA and grew up on a dairy farm in upstate New York. When he was 23 years old he ventured to the Yukon to work on the construction of the Alaska Highway during the war years. He met his future bride Lydia Sommer a Canadian girl in Alberta and they were married November 10th 1943 in Edmonton. Ed always liked to joke that they were wed on the opening day of skunk trapping season in New York State. He served in the US Army 8th Armored Division in the European Theatre during WW II as Private First Class. He was honourably discharged 1946 after receiving several commendations including the Purple Heart and the Combat Infantry Badge. Ed started his own building contracting business in New York and after several successful years of building homes and schools he, Lydia and family heard British Columbia calling. In 1962 Ed moved his family to Vallican, BC for a simpler life of farming and fur trapping. Ed worked construction on several Power Dam projects, Duncan, Kootenay Canal and Hugh Keenleyside Dam. In 1967 Ed along with his family became Canadian citizens and until 2013 lived on the family farm in Vallican. His life in the Slocan Valley was filled with hard work, lots of fun in trapping, hunting, fishing, hall dances, house parties and let’s not forget card playing.


Ed was a great story teller and entertained the staff and patrons at Talarico for the past 2 years. The family is profoundly grateful for the wonderful and tender loving care he received from the Doctors, Nurses and Care Staff at Talarico.


Ed is survived by his loving wife Lydia of 72 years Son’s Kenneth (Louise), Stanley (Barbara), Calvin (Greg), Daughters Sheila and Kathryn (Jeffrey) Eight Grandchildren and Five Great Grandchildren, several nieces and nephews and special friends of many years.


Cremation has taken place in care of Castlegar Funeral Chapel.


A celebration of Ed’s life will be held on November 28th, 2015; 10am at the Appledale Community Hall, in the Slocan Valley.



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