Gleb, Borys

We sorrowfully announce the death of BORYS GLEB, beloved husband of Albina Gleb. Borys passed away peacefully on Christmas Day, 2021 during a lengthy hospital stay at the age of 96 years.

Along with his wife, Borys is lovingly remembered by his children Cindy (Fritz) Rutschmann and Gary (Mary) Gleb, and his grandchildren, Mikolai (Tamara) Rutschmann, Tyson Rutschmann, and John Gleb.

Borys was born on August 6, 1925, in his cherished Polish hometown, Deniskowicze. In 1940, at the beginning of World War II, Soviet invaders deported him and his family to Russia. After a harrowing train journey, he and his family arrived in a harsh wilderness northeast of Moscow, where they were placed into forced labor. Through a short window of opportunity and at the age of sixteen, Borys took the chance to join a newly formed Polish army under General Wladyslaw Anders. They left the Soviet Union through Kazakhstan, trained in Iraq, and fought alongside the British Eighth Army during the Italian campaign. Borys participated in the Battle of Monte Cassino, which concluded when Polish soldiers seized the mountaintop monastery that was the action's strategic focus.

After World War II ended, rather than returning to Poland, Borys took the opportunity to emigrate to Canada, offered to Polish soldiers in the Allied forces.  Upon arriving in southern Alberta, through a chance encounter, he met Albina.  They fell in love and married in 1949. During their 72-year marriage, he transformed himself into a skillful craftsman who could build or repair anything.  At retirement he was Supervisor of Maintenance for the Lethbridge Catholic School Board.

Borys was a loving husband, father, and grandfather devoted to Albina, his children, and their children. His family always came first. His good humor and warmth enabled him to make friends easily, as did his willingness to help. When a relative or friend needed a household repair, Borys was there with a screwdriver and a joke. He and Albina loved to travel, and over the years they made trips to Poland, other European countries and Hawaii. They developed into strong golfers and enjoyed their time together on golf courses around the world. During his spare time, he crafted furniture and made paintings.

In difficult times, Borys saw the opportunities offered to him and always made the right choices. He always rose to the moment. We who survive him are grateful that he did.

A Funeral Mass will be celebrated at OUR LADY OF THE ASSUMPTION CATHOLIC CHURCH - 2405 12 Avenue South, Lethbridge, Alberta on Friday, December 31, 2021 at 11:00 A.M. with Father Derek Remus celebrating.  Due to COVID-19 restrictions, attendance will be limited. Kindly RSVP your attendance to Cornerstone at 403-381-7777 or care@cornerstonefh.ca  The service will be livestreamed and may be accessed via Borys' obituary on the Cornerstone website.

Borys will be laid to rest at Mountain View Cemetery following the Funeral Mass.

In lieu of flowers and in memory of Borys, donations may be made to the Chinook Regional Hospital - 960 19 St S, Lethbridge, AB T1J 1W5 or to a charity of your choice.