John Stefura, architect

John Stefura of Sudbury, an architect who designed many of the city’s landmark buildings died on February 10th, 2017. He was 88 years old.

Born on February 6th, 1929 near Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, John Stefura was the son of Ukrainian immigrants Alec and Emilia Stefura. The family moved to Sudbury later that year and settled in the Donovan area. A daughter, Nell, was born in 1931.

After graduating from Sudbury High School, Mr. Stefura earned a degree in Architecture from the University of Toronto. He returned to Sudbury in 1954 with his bride Mary (nee Wlasy). He began his career in the architectural office of Louis Fabbro, followed by a collaboration with Bernard Barbeau.

In 1965 he formed a partnership with S. Arthur Townend that was to last three decades. The firm evolved to include partners Orest Baleshta, Carl Pfister, Harold Saville, Blaine Nicholls, Richard Yallowega and Louis Belanger. Together, they were responsible for many of Sudbury’s notable buildings; the University of Sudbury, Cambrian College, Sudbury Teacher’s College, St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, St. Andrew’s Place, Tom Davies Square, Laurentian Hospital, Science North, Ontario Ministry of Northern Development and Mines, and the Willet Green Miller Center.

In a career that spanned four decades, John Stefura was principal architect or involved in more than 3,000 projects. His favourite was Science North – a joint venture with Toronto architect Raymond Moriyama – for which they were awarded the Governor General’s Medal for Architecture by the Royal Architectural Institute of Canada in 1986. He and his wife traveled extensively after Mr. Stefura retired in 1993, visiting Europe, Asia, the Middle East, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

John Stefura was a long-time member of the Sudbury Planning Board, the Sudbury Urban Renewal Commission, the Northern Ontario Development Corporation, the Sudbury Symphony, and the Ontario Federation of Symphony Orchestras. Possessing a fine tenor voice and a passion for music, he sang in St. Mary’s church choir and the Bel Canto Chorus. As a prominent member of Sudbury’s Ukrainian community and life-long member of St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, Mr. Stefura contributed to the design of Hnatyshyn Park, the Ukrainian Seniors Apartments and the Altanka and Barvinok gardens in the heart of Sudbury.

In 2013, John Stefura and his wife Mary received the Northern Life Community Builders Hall of Fame Award for their contributions to the civic and cultural life of Sudbury.

John Stefura will be remembered for his many acts of kindness toward his neighbours and friends, his love of entertaining, as well as the colourful gardens and serene courtyard of his Sudbury home.

He is survived by his wife Mary, son Michael (wife Jan (deceased), son Matthew), daughters Vladimira “Wendy” (husband Roman) and Marcy (husband Spencer, sons Colin and Michael), his sister Nell (son Richard) and his sister in law Anne (deceased), (sons Zandy and George).

Resting at the Jackson and Barnard Funeral Home, 233 Larch St., Sudbury.
(Friends may call 2-4; 6-8pm Tuesday) Panychyda at 6pm Tuesday.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Mary’s Ukrainian Catholic Church, 40 Notre Dame Ave., Sudbury on Wednesday, February 15th, 2017 at 10:30am.
Interment in the Civic Cemetery, Sudbury.
Donations may be made in his memory to the Sudbury Ukrainian Senior’s Center or the Sudbury Community Foundation.