Isidore Goresky

Isidore Goresky (November 11, 1902 – February 22, 1999) was a farm labourer, teacher and provincial politician from Alberta, Canada. He served as a member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta from 1930 to 1935 sitting with the United Farmers caucus in government.

Isidore Goresky
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
In office
June 19, 1930 – August 22, 1935
Preceded byGeorge Mihalcheon
Succeeded byWilliam Tomyn
ConstituencyWhitford
Personal details
BornNovember 11, 1902
DiedFebruary 22, 1999(1999-02-22) (aged 96)
Political partyUnited Farmers
Occupationfarm labourer, teacher and politician
Military service
Allegiance Canada
Branch/serviceRoyal Canadian Air Force
Years of service1942-1945
Battles/warsWorld War II

Early life

Isidore Goresky was born on November 25, 1902 in Barbiwtsi, Vashkiwtsi Bukowina, Austria (now part of Ukraine). His family moved to Canada in 1905 after being unable to improve their living conditions. The family settled in Stony Mountain, Manitoba. He lived in the town until 1918 when his father Basil purchased a farm six miles to the north-west of the community.[1]

Goresky began his working life as a farm hand and went to school in various locals around Manitoba. He tried to join the Army in 1917 but was unsuccessful. He began teaching in the fall of 1918 and worked his first stint for four months. He later went to the University of Manitoba in 1920 and then attended normal school in Brandon, Manitoba graduating in 1922.[1]

Goresky continued to work various teaching jobs until he moved to Alberta in 1926 to accept a job as a principal in Smoky Lake. He tried to re-enroll with the University of Manitoba to complete his master's degree but was unable to so he went to the University of Alberta instead. He obtained his master's degree in 1929. He ran for political office in 1930.[1]

Political career

Goresky ran for a seat to the Alberta Legislature in the 1930 Alberta general election as a United Farmers candidate in the Whitford electoral district. He defeated two other candidates by taking 70 percent of the district vote, a landslide margin of victory to hold the seat for his party.[2] He was one of the first Ukrainians to serve in thee Alberta Legislature.

Goresky ran for a second term in the 1935 Alberta general election. He was defeated by Social Credit candidate William Tomyn finishing a distant third out of fourth place ahead of former MLA Andrew Shandro.[3]

Late life

After his defeat from office Goresky moved to Edmonton, Alberta. He worked as a rector for the Ukrainian M. Hrushewsky Institute for a year and then got hired on as a teacher for the Edmonton Public Board of Education, after that he worked as a school superintendent in the town of Consort, Alberta. He began working on his Master's of Education in 1936 completing it in 1938. Goresky joined the Royal Canadian Airforce in 1942. He was discharged from the service after World War II in 1945. After the war he continued to work various education posts until 1966.[1]

Goresky spent the late 1960s and 1970s researching early Ukrainian immigration to Canada, translating and publishing various records. He also translated and published two books History of Ukrainian Settlement in Canada and Ukrainian Pioneers of Alberta.[1]

Goresky moved to White Rock, British Columbia in 1986. He died on February 22, 1999 in Surrey, British Columbia. He was the last living member of the United Farmers government. His funeral service was held on March 1, 1999, at the Ukrainian Orthodox Church of St. Mary’s in Surrey, British Columbia.[4]

References
  1. "Isidore Goresky". Smoky Lake Signal. Archived from the original on January 6, 2009. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
  2. "Whitford Official Results 1930 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  3. "Whitford Official Results 1935 Alberta general election". Alberta Heritage Community Foundation. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  4. http://www.assembly.ab.ca/Documents/isysquery/568efc9b-072f-429d-b262-86cb2efd319c/1/doc/19990304_1330_01_han.pdf |chapter-url= missing title (help) (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). Legislative Assembly of Alberta. March 4, 1999. p. 339.
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