Obituary of Stefan Alexander LOJEK

June 23, 1981 - North Battleford, Saskatchewan

August 8, 2020 - Edmonton, Alberta

Stefan Lojek of Edmonton, AB, passed away on Saturday, August 8, 2020 at the age of 39 years.

Stefan was born in North Battleford, SK, on June 23, 1981, and lived there until he moved with his family to Calgary in 1996.  The city of Calgary is where he called home with the exception of a couple of years in Edmonton for the remainder of his life.

Stefan was blessed with a vivacious personality and charisma that was second to none. He had many gifts and talents, one of which was his way with people. He made friends easily because he didn’t judge and this showed with his wide range of friends from different walks of life, ethnicity and background. As a child, he would often come home with a new buddy and beg his mom for that friend to stay for a sleepover or for a weekend spent tubing and boating at their family cottage.

He was a comedian by nature and had the talent to impersonate people so precisely that it would leave those in his presence rolling over with laughter. He could read people and lift the room’s spirit with some comedy or hilarious story. His knack to recount a story would easily grasp an audience’s attention and keep their engagement from start to finish. He was a special guy to say the least! To quote his cousin Katie “Stefan was one of my favourite cousins. I always looked forward to his commentary, impressions and stories. His personality was magnetic and it was always fun and more colourful when he was around. We’ll miss him terribly.”

Stefan made sales his career of choice. Car sales were fun for him because he loved cars just as much as his father and brother. Above all he got to deal with people everyday. He challenged himself by striving to make top salesman which he often did and took great pride in working hard and achieving his goals.

Stefan struggled with the disease of addiction during his short life which ultimately led to his untimely death. He spent many years despairing because of his addiction, which was difficult for him, his family and those who loved him so dearly. Throughout those years Stefan would have periods of sobriety that gave great hope to his loved ones. It was then that his spirit and personality would soar. He was the true Stefan. It is with great sorrow that we must accept that Stefan succumbed to his illness. We pray that Stefan is free from the shackles of pain and despair that held him so tightly in his addiction and that he is at peace in God’s loving arms.

Stefan is survived by his mother Mary Lojek of Calgary, sister Kirsten and her spouse Dave Gerein, and children, Thomas, Grace and Mila Gerein of Red Deer;  brother Matthew Lojek of Calgary, grandmothers,  Ann Hayes of Calgary, Alexsandra Hajkowicz of  Cochrane and many aunts, uncles and cousins.

Stefan was predeceased by his brother Thomas Lojek in 1990 and father John Lojek in 2015.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. James Catholic Church (5504 – 20th Street S.W., Calgary, AB) Tuesday, September 1, 2020 at 11:00 a.m.  Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Stefan’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

If friends so desire, memorial tributes may be made directly to Alberta Adolescent Recovery Centre, Telephone: (403) 253-5250, 303 Forge Rd.SE, Calgary, AB T2H 0S9, https://aarc.ab.ca/
 
Condolences, memories and photos may be shared and viewed on Stefan’s obituary at www.McInnisandHolloway.com.

In living memory of Stefan Lojek, a tree will be planted in the Ann & Sandy Cross Conservation Area by McInnis and Holloway Funeral Homes, Park Memorial, 5008 Elbow Drive SW, Calgary, AB T2S 2L5, Telephone: 403-243-8200.