Obituary of Allen Stoyko

STOYKO, Allen Allen Walter Stoyko, 68 years of age, passed away on January 17th in Vegreville. A private funeral service will be held in Vegreville, AB with interment to follow in Vermilion,AB. Allen was born in Manville to Walter and Genevieve (Gene) Stoyko on February 22, 1954. He spoke with great reverence of his childhood days spent on the farm with his brothers working and playing alongside his parents and grandparents. Those years shaped Allen into a man whose heart held great pride for his Ukrainian Heritage, his infinite generous nature and profound faith in God. As a young adult, Allen spent his high school years pursuing his artistic talents which included a prestigious three-year scholarship to The Famous Artists School where he studied under Norman Rockwell and various other artists of stature. True to his heart, Allen also began to write various speeches which he would present at public speaking competitions regarding justice and social topics. His ability to debate and present well thought out arguments earned him a spot in Grade 11 with The United Nations Young Leaders Program that toured and spoke across the United States of America. In 1972 Allen graduated with honors from St. Jerome’s High School, Vermilion, AB. He went on to begin his Bachelor of Fine Arts at the University of Alberta. His quest for knowledge and personal studies continued throughout his life. Allen joined his father, Walter on the Canadian National Railway in the mid to late 1970’s as Line Tamper Operator for over 35 years. He worked alongside his brother Brian and many other family friends on the railway which gifted Allen the two things he valued most in life, family and time in God’s country. His talents for public speaking and advocating for justice elected him the prominent spot as the local union president of The Brotherhood Of Maintenance Of Way Employees. He cherished the time he spent with the union as it allowed him to defend and advocate for his fellow man. As the years went on, Allen lovingly raised his three children with wife, Jocelyn. Always ensuring that a solid foundation of family values, morals and work ethic were deeply rooted within them. Allen lived for artistic pursuits. He was a well known and respected artist, sculptor and Iconographer. He spent hours in his art studio answering God’s call to create art for others and to pour his soul into restoring rural farm churches that resembled the churches his Grandfather built. This legacy of servitude to his faith was one he proudly carried on from the generations before him. Allen’s greatest desire was that looking back on his life – he never wasted a moment where he could offer his talents and his heart in acts of service to others. He was steadfast in his belief of St Francis of Assasi Prayer which he adopted as a creed for caring for his loved ones and his precious companion dogs throughout the years. He treasured a long, heartfelt conversation and robust debates on politics, theology, and history with everyone whom entered his life. Allen is forever loved and remembered by his parents; Walter and Gene Stoyko, of Vermilion;, wife Jocelyn Toner-Stoyko of Vegreville; his sons Jeremy and Daniel Toner Stoyko of Edmonton, his daughter Jenna Stoyko (Myron Lewitski) of Edmonton Ab and his three grandchildren : Piper Stoyko, Lucius and Ava Parnell. He will be dearly missed by his brothers David (Lorraine) Stoyko of Vegreville, Brian Stoyko of Vermilion, and James (Roxanne) Stoyko of Vegreville. He is also survived by numerous uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, and nephews. Allen is preceded in death by his brother, Larry Stoyko, of Didsbury, AB, his niece, Daria Stoyko, of Vegreville and his sister-in-law Kim Stoyko of Vermilion, AB.