Obituary of Martin Koshlay

Martin "Mardy" Koshlay 1926 - 2017 Mardy passed away peacefully at the age of 91 in the Kimberley Special Care Home "The Pines" on Wednesday, June 21, 2017. Mardy was born in Goodeve, Saskatchewan on February 16, 1926. He served in the Royal Canadian Navy. After being discharged from the Navy he boarded a train and proceeded to travel to Kimberley, BC to seek employment with Cominco at the Sullivan Mine with his brother John. In 1968 Mardy transferred to the Bluebell Mine at Riondel, BC. He worked in the Riondel Mine until its closure in 1972 at which time he took an early retirement from Cominco. He then went to work as a faller for Strom Brothers at Crawford Bay. While working as a logger, Mardy built the Mar-B-Lee Motel at Crawford Bay, which he operated until 1994. Before selling the motel, he built a home for him and his wife Beatrice to retire in. This was one of many houses he has built in the Kimberley/ Crawford Bay area. In his spare time Mardy enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing and retrieving other people's golf balls from Crawford Creek. He was also quite inventive to design and build an 18 foot boat which he built in his garage and caught many fish from. In 1961, Mardy had bought a new red Ford Galaxy Sunliner Convertible which he owned until his passing. After Beatrice passed away in 1994, Mardy set up a modular home at Balfour, BC where he lived for 21 years. Mardy was a very kind, loving, caring person who loved his family dearly, especially his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Mardy is survived by his daughter Sharon and her children Sheldon (Winnie) and Casey (Josh), son Michael (Yvonne) and their children Daryl (Jeannette) and Tera (Luke) and five great grandchildren. Mardy is also survived, from a previous marriage by two daughters Marilyn and Vicki and stepson Terry (Patti) and three sisters Kay, Jean and Margie. Mardy was predeceased by his wife Beatrice, son Kenneth, father Peter, mother Pauline, brothers Mike, Nestor, Sam and John, sisters Sophie, Patricia, Lena, and Lillian. Mardy will be sadly missed by his family and friends. A Celebration of Life will be held at Balfour Community Hall in Balfour, BC on Sunday, July 23 at 1:30 pm. Everyone is Welcome. Arrangements entrusted to McPherson Funeral Service. Condolences for the family can be offered at: www.mcphersonfh.com