JOHN TOFAN 
by Mrs. Brygadyr
John Tofan left his home in Manitoba when he was eighteen years old and came to live on a homestead in Primrose, Alberta, in 1911. He lived on it a few months each year, then went out to work in different parts of Alberta and Saskatchewan to earn money so that he could buy horses and machinery to start farming properly. His homestead, where he lived for fifty-four years, adjoined that of William Saranchuk. (Mrs.) Anna Saranchuk, William's wife, is John's sister.
John Tofan preparing a wheat field in Sask, with an 8 horsepower tiller
John Tofan and his sister Anna Saranchuk in Edmonton.
John never married. Everyone who knew him considered him to be a good neighbor and friend, and they gave him many surprise parties in his own home, bringing with them food and music. He always had visitors.
He sold his homestead and left it in 1966, and came to Edmonton to live with Olga Brygadyr (Mr. and Mrs. Saranchuk's daughter) and her husband and family. He is still living with them, at the age of eighty-three years.
John remains very kind and helpful, as always, as well as being strong and capable for his age.
