How They Lived
Scott Naujoks discovered football when he was 11 and it became a lifelong passion.
Naujoks, who died on Sept. 28 at 29, began playing sports with mini-soccer and volleyball, even winning two national championships with the Winman Volleyball Club.
But football was his passion and he played for the University of Manitoba Bisons for two years and then the Winnipeg Rifles for three years. When Naujoks hung up his cleats, he became a coach — first volleyball with Winman and then football with the St. Paul’s Crusaders.
He was the Bisons’ receiver coach when he passed away from cancer. Read more about Scott.
Boyd Barber survived the worst peacetime disaster in our Navy’s history.
Barber, who died on Oct. 25 at 72, was on board the HMCS Kootenay in 1969, when a gearbox overheated and caused an explosion.
Nine sailors were killed and 53 were injured and the resulting public outcry over what would happen to the bodies led to changes in the Canadian Armed Forces. No longer, like what happened during the First and Second World Wars, would the Canadian fallen be buried in cemeteries close to where they died. From now on, the bodies of Canadian military personnel would be returned and interred in Canada.
The family says it changed his life forever. Read more about Boyd.
Gojko Bodiroga was a chef — and a very good one.
Bodiroga, who died on Oct. 6 at 75, was born in the former Yugoslavia and came to Winnipeg to join his brother in 1974.
But before that, Bodiroga received a diploma in culinary arts in Belgrade. After coming to Canada, he went to Paris to train at the prestigious École de Cuisine La Varenne.
Bodiroga came back to be one of the top chefs in the city and a leader in our culinary scene. He spent many years at Restaurant Dubrovnik as head chef, getting world recognition while there.
He then owned Promenade Bistro until retiring in 2011. Read more about Gojko.
Gary Olson was a hairstylist who kept his customers in Deloraine happy — very happy.
Olson, who died on Sept. 13 at 74, worked at a bank for a few years, being posted in Thunder Bay and Sioux Lookout, but then he enrolled in the Marvel Beauty School in Winnipeg.
Returning to Sioux Lookout, he went into a hairdressing and clothing business partnership before relocating with his scissors to Killarney in 1980 and then Deloraine in 1984.
Customers knew Olson for his trimming skills and for his witty remarks. One of his customers always said Olson had the only shop where you paid $5 for a haircut and drank $20 worth of rum. Read more about Gary.
Ruth Eden helped people get around the province.
Eden, who died on Oct. 4 at 55, was one of five women to graduate from the University of Manitoba’s civil engineering program in 1988 and was the first woman to work for Manitoba Highways and Transportation in the Bridges and Structures branch.
For 30 years Eden was involved in the design and construction of many of the bridges and overpasses we use to drive around the province.
When Eden died, she was assistant deputy minister of technical services and operations division for Manitoba Infrastructure and had been president of Engineers Geoscientists Manitoba in 2019. Read more about Ruth.
Lianne Fournier was a member of the music group the Wyrd Sisters.
But Fournier, who was 57 when she died on Sept. 28, was a member of many other groups.
Fournier began piano lessons when she was six and took up the guitar in high school. And, after participating in organizations like Katimavik, Jeunesse Canada Monde, and the Wilderness Corps, she joined the city’s music scene.
Besides the Wyrd Sisters, she was a member of the Welfare Starlets, Trivocals, and Pearl Drivers, contributed her vocal skills to Camarata Nova and Manitoba Opera chorus, and played with musicians including Ruth Moody, Gerry Atwell, Glenn Buhr and Murray Pulver. Read more about Lianne.
A Life’s Story
Ron Blicq did many jobs during his life.
Blicq, who was 96 when he died on May 28, was a veteran of both the Royal Canadian Air Force and then Royal Air Force. He was a technical editor with CAE Aviation. He was an instructor at Red River College. He then became a writer, first producing textbooks for the course he was teaching and then writing novels, short stories and five plays.
PHIL HOSSACK / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS filesRon Blicq shows off the 17-pound bird he’s readying for family and friends.
In fact, one of his plays, Closure, was adapted into a film and played in theatres in Canada and Australia.
“He’s a model for how we should all age, if you’ve got your health,” said his son, Andy, in the Passages feature story which chronicled his dad’s life.
“He never stopped trying something new and engaging with life.”
Read more about Ron.
Until next time, I hope you continue to write your own life’s story.
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