George Stefanic has always tried to volunteer his services with anything that involved enhancing or bettering life in Schumacher.
Born and raised in Schumacher, Stefanic, 83, says he has never thought of leaving his home community. People from Schumacher are very proud to have been born here, he says.
“I didn’t even consider going anywhere else. I’m a Schumacher right through and through,” he says. “My blood is Schumacher.”
Stefanic is a former educator, miner and volunteer firefighter. He’s currently retired and is involved as a secretary-treasurer with the Croatian Society: Schumacher.
His parents emigrated from the former Yugoslavia to Canada in the early 1930s. Stefanic’s father worked at the Hollinger Mine, while his mother was a housewife.
Growing up in Schumacher was enjoyable, “free and easy,” he recalls. His mother only spoke Croatian, so Stefanic didn’t speak English until he started going to school.
In the past, Schumacher mainly consisted of Croatians, Stefanic says. When he was young, he was a part of the Croatian orchestra where he played bisernica, or tamburica.
He joined the Schumacher fire hall and ended up being a volunteer firefighter for 47 years. For his years of service, he received the Fire Services Exemplary Service Medal.
Whenever he could, whether it was ball tournaments, Schumacher homecomings, being active with the church or coaching hockey to kids, Stefanic would try his best to participate or lend a hand.
“You have to do that in small town if you want any success or benefits from it,” he says.
And then there is Croatian Hall where there were many cultural gatherings, dinners and weddings held throughout the years.
Stefanic has many fond memories associated with the hall.
Croatian weddings at the hall would last for three days and would involve big feasts and dancing. Once a year, there would also be a wine festival at the hall where everyone would bring wine and people would have to taste all the wine to decide who’s got the best wine.
“We were young kids, we didn’t drink," Stefanic says. "They’d almost have to roll the guys down a hill. God, used to have a lot of fun with that, just watching them."
With his brother and their wives, Stefanic visited Croatia about five years ago. Seeing his father’s old abandoned house was an emotional, nostalgic experience for him.
“It was eerie because it looked like somebody was there yesterday and left,” he recalls with emotion in his voice. “It was unbelievable, I was shocked.”
Keeping his culture alive is important for Stefanic, that’s why he’s been involved with the Croatian Society: Schumacher’s executive board for almost two decades.
“Many cultures die if they’re not prolonged or worked on. Some of us feel that we shouldn’t let it die if we are able to work at it,” Stefanic says.
Before he worked at the McIntyre Mine, he started off as an apprentice mechanic but things didn’t work out the way he wanted.
Working at the mine for several years was a physically and mentally challenging job, which he nonetheless loved. Mining taught him that if you want to get ahead, you have to work hard and have the right attitude towards work and life.
“I loved the challenge of the mind. And the components of what mining is about. I really enjoyed it,” he says. “Then after that, I said, ‘Gee, there’s got to be something better than this.'”
So, he returned to high school and then went to the teacher’s college.
Stefanic, who loved teaching, has worked in the education field for 33 years.
He has worked as a teacher, vice-principal, principal, superintendent and director of education with separate school boards in Timmins. Working with children and developing a relationship with them was a totally different experience from a job like mining, he says.
His father was also a carpenter who did renovations, so Stefanic developed a passion for carpentry. For many years, he was involved in it as working with wood helped to take his mind off.
Since Stefanic retired, he started playing golf. In wintertime, he curls and travels to Florida with his wife.
Stefanic has been married to his wife, who’s also a teacher from Timmins, for over 50 years. He has three children and five grandchildren.
Looking back on his life, Stefanic says he doesn’t have any regrets.
“I’m pleased with my life. I thank God every day for my life and my family,” he says. “Every day is a little challenge to do something. I found every day something different to keep me going to the next one.”