Paul was born in Tadmore Saskatchewan. At the age of 5 he was moved to Regina. By 14 he was on his own, looking after himself. He delivered prescriptions for a Pharmacist in Regina. He made $4.00 per week. He said his room and board were $3.00/week and that he could spend that other dollar anywhere he wanted to. At 17 he joined the Royal Canadian Navy. He was shipped to Victoria and was soon a crew member of the HMCS Prince David and on his way to England as part of the North Atlantic Convoy , taking arms, fuel and food to England.

He had many adventures during the war. He also saw a lot of action. His ship was a troop carrier and on June 6, 1944, the Normandy invasion on D-Day his ship took Canadian, British, Polish and American troops into the beach. His duties included jumping in to water to rescue wounded soldiers and bring back dead and wounded. At one point when he heard a soldier calling for help in the chaos and machine gun fire, he jumped into the water and found this fellow. He began to take the wounded soldier back to their landing craft but when he turned around the L.C. had already gone back to the Prince David. He then had to avoid enemy machine gun fire while trying to protect the wound soldier. He said he had no idea how long he was in that cold water but eventually he heard “that guy over there is one of ours”. and the landing craft had returned with more troops. He made three trips into the beach that day with more troops and brought back dead and wounded each time to be returned to England.

On board ship there was equipment and supplies to keep sailor’s uniforms pressed and, boots polished and hat clean and white. He let it be known that for $.35 he would press uniforms. By 1946 when he was discharged, he had saved $2,600. A lot of money in 1946. This was the beginning of his entrepreneurial life. This money along with a bank loan co-signed by his father-in-law was started Kardynal Shoes on McDonald St in Vancouver. Dad ran that business for 65 years.

He and mom were married in 1947. They were married 56 years until mom died in 2004. They were each others best friends. They excellent dancers and belonged to an organization called the Society for the Preservation of Swing. We had a wonderful home to grow up in. Mom died in 2004. They were married 56 years.

n 2007 dad, my wife Mary and I travelled to Normandy, France to attend the 63rd anniversary of the Normandy invasion. There is a kiosk on the beach where Canadian troops landed in June 1944, there next to the Juno Beach Centre along with many others is a bronze plaque with dad’s name, rank and the campaigns he served in during the war. Mary and I bought him that plaque for Father’s Day through the Royal Canadian Legion. When he learned about it he “let’s go see it” So the three of us went to Normandy, Paris and London. It was a wonderful experience to share his memories with him.

In 2012 Dad said he wanted to have a family get-together in Hawaii. So, 10 of us spent 2 weeks together in a large beautiful house on Oahu. There was 3-year-old Sam, (now 12) up to dad who was 87 at the time. We still talk about that trip. There are many photos showing lots of laughter. He loved the sound of e laughter and said he wished we had a recording of that laughter to go along with the photos of our trip.

Dad taught me about work ethic. About pride in your work. By the time he had been in business 45 years he had taken off on ½ of one day for illness. Later as I began my career, if I spoke to him on the phone,

he would say how was you day at work? If I said that took the off because I wasn’t feeling well, if I didn’t have a broken leg he was not impressed.

In January 2014 Dad was given 6 months to live. He said: “oh yeah?”. That was seven and a half years ago.

Paul is survived by his immediate family who are all here today. Also by a large family of brothers and sisters, nephews and nieces in Saskatchewan, Alberta and BC who loved him very much.

The Kardynal family would like to thank Dr. Steven Sutcliffe of UBC Hospital, the staff and Management of Sunrise Senior Living of Vancouver and over the last 2 years, the staff and Management of Avenir Memory Care of Nanaimo for the excellent care they gave him.