Bernard (Bernie) David John Michalenko

It is with profound sadness that the family of Bernie David John
Michalenko announces his passing at the age of 79. Bernie, the
eldest son of 12 children, was predeceased by his loving wife
Linda, parents John and Anna Michalenko, and sister Iris
McPherson.
Bernie met and married his first love Linda Beckett on October
19, 1968. They built their first house in 1976 on Steeves Avenue
in Saskatoon where they resided for 46 years and raised their
three loving children. Dean (Colleen), Kim (Sean), and Tanya
(Mike). Bernie had six grandchildren, Jackson, Paige, Rylee,
Kaitlin, Baylie, and Drew whom he adored dearly.
Bernie loved working on vehicles, or anything that had a motor.
He worked as a heavy-duty mechanic in various workplaces.
GM Trucks were his main passion Bernie loved day trips with
his brothers to the farm where they would tinker with various
things, or just enjoy each other’s company.
Bernie loved camping, he and Linda would pack up the kids and
go to Candle Lake for 2 months in the summer. There they
enjoyed boating, sitting by the campfire, eating bush pies, and
having a cold Pilsner. He continued to go to the lake with his
grown children, where he would do what he loved most, ice
fishing, fishing, skidooing, or just spending the day on the boat,
and campfires at night.
Bernie’s days were kept busy picking crab apples, making
sauerkraut, sitting in his backyard listening to country music,
and watching his little dog Bella run around. He would wake up
every morning at 5 am and visit A&W or McDonald’s to enjoy a
cup of coffee as he sat in his truck waiting for whoever would
show up to join him, or just people watch to start off his day.
Though Bernie was a homebody, he did manage to enjoy some
travelling. He worked for a couple of months in Taiwan,
vacationed in St. Lucia with Linda and some friends, went to
Mexico with his brother, and made numerous trips to Texas
where Tanya and her family live.
He will be greatly missed, but what we will miss the most is his
humor, and his famous one-liners. If you visited Bernie, you
were sure to leave with a Toonie or Loonie, apple, orange, or
whatever he had to give you. He would give the shirt off his
back just to help someone out.
To respect Bernie’s wishes a formal funeral will not be held.
There will be a come-and-go celebration of his life at his home
on Steeves Ave. From 12:00 – 3:00 on Sunday July 23, 2023. A
memory of Bernie can be taken home in the form of random
tools and trinkets left in his garage. We hope to see everyone
whose life has been touched by this amazing man.