Arthur Paul Tarasuk was born August 7, 1941 in St. Walburg, Saskatchewan on his family’s barley farm. “Art” was the youngest of 10 children to Dimitri and Anastasia Tarasuk who had immigrated to Canada from Rovno, Ukraine in August 1930. In 1958, Art and his family moved to Toronto, Ontario, beginning the next chapter of a life that would take him far beyond the Saskatchewan farm of his childhood and the one-room schoolhouse of his youth.

Art graduated high school from WA Porter Collegiate Institute in Scarborough, Ontario. He started his university studies at Ryerson Polytechnic Institute (now Toronto Metropolitan University) for one year before transferring to the University of Western Ontario, where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy from Western's Huron College in 1966. He continued his studies at Western's Law School and received his LLB in 1969. In order to be able to graduate from Law School, Art had to actually read his papers and essays out loud to his professors because they could not decipher his penmanship. He articled at Mathews Dinsdale & Clark and was admitted to the Ontario Bar in 1971. Art started his corporate employment and labour law career at The Institute. He moved on to become partners at Smith Lyons and finished his career as a senior international partner at Baker McKenzie. He then moved on to private practice for his semi-retirement years where he had the opportunity to work alongside the Canadian Tire Dealers Association. The camaraderie and mutual respect of his friends and work colleagues was very important to Art throughout his life. His dedication to serving them went above and beyond a work relationship. He gave his time, loyalty and knowledge generously.


Although his father was a Baptist Minister, Art converted to Roman Catholicism in 1968. Art learned to skate on the sloughs of Saskatchewan, but never had a chance to play hockey until his late thirties. At 37 he spent several summers going to hockey camp to learn how to play goalie along with his son Paul Jason “PJ” Tarasuk. He enthusiastically enjoyed playing recreational hockey twice weekly until his last game at 82. Art was also an active member of St. George's Golf & Country Club, where he was a faithful attendee at their "Sunday Morning Services".



For the past 18 years, Art shared his heart, and his home with his devoted partner, Venera “Vera” Seifelmlioukova. Together, they created a warm haven of hospitality, hosting dinner parties and weekend getaways for family, friends, and colleagues at their Ontario Heritage country home in Millbrook, Ontario. Vera was his anchor, his confident, and the center of his daily life.


Art was a curious and extensive world traveller. He found comfort in the foothills of the Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, although his favourite destination was horseback trail riding in Alberta’s Rocky Mountains. He then went on to discover his "spiritual home" in Positano, Italy. Always wanting to stay abreast of current affairs, Art inquisitively read 3 print newspapers daily until the very end.


Art is survived by several nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. As luck would have it, on the day of his passing a great-great-niece and a great-great-nephew were born to continue the Tarasuk family legacy. Art is also survived by his 96-year-old brother Walter Tarasuk; his partner Vera; and his son "PJ", along with PJ’s adopted family. Art became a father figure to his faithful assistant Rita Louise Potestio and her family. In his lifetime, Rita was the only one who could miraculously decipher his penmanship!


Art leaves behind not only a remarkable professional legacy, but generations of family, friends and colleagues who were made better by knowing him. He leaves behind an accomplished professional legacy, a lifetime of stories, friendships and memories that will continue in the many people whose lives he touched, none more deeply than his beloved Vera.


He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered.