Gordon Alfred Prawdzik

Divisions Served: “F,” “E”

Pillar Location: Pillar VII, Row 3, Column E

Story: 

Gord was the son of Alfred and Rose Prawdzik; he was born in Riding Mountain, Manitoba on May 16, 1946. He was the youngest of three sons.  His parents farmed in the Riding Mountain area. He attended Tobaramore School (one room school in the Rosedale Municipality) and graduated from Eden High School in 1965.

Being a farm kid, he assisted his parents on the farm until they moved to Eden.

Inspired by his older brother Gerald, he joined the RCMP on January 12, 1967 at McCreary Manitoba. Gord left behind his family and his high school sweetheart Carolle Safroniuk left for Winnipeg to become a flight attendant but distance did not keep them apart. Basic training started at the “Depot” Training Academy in Regina for a period of three months and the next three months were in Penhold, Alberta. Starting salary was $4800 a year.   

After training, Gord was posted to Swift Current from July to November 1967. In late December of 1967, he was transferred to Ponteix, Saskatchewan.  At that time Ponteix was a three man detachment. He lived in single man quarters attached to the detachment with no kitchen or laundry facilities. He had to board out for meals. On Christmas Eve he attended midnight mass. A local farmer (Mike Kucik), half in jest because they had just come from Mass said to Gord, “I guess you’re too good to come to my house for a Christmas Drink”. This was the beginning of a life long friendship. For years Mike & Gord hunted & socialized together. They remained friends long after his transfer from Pontiex and until Mike passed in 2016. Gord was transferred out of Ponteix in April 1969.  

 From April to December 1969 Gord worked undercover in all of Saskatchewan with a couple of assignments in Vancouver BC. Gord’s personality, his ability to think quick on his feet, his wit and good nature attributed to his success as an undercover officer.  While undercover Gord assumed a new identity where his cover job had him cutting lawns at Wascana Park where he played his role so well that his boss & colleagues believed he was a derelict and would be soon be fired or end up in jail. Pay from his Wascana Park job had to be returned to the City of Regina and instead he was given a dollar a day to cover expenses.

From undercover work, he was transferred to Willow Bunch for a short time and then to Strasbourg, Saskatchewan until June of 1970. In the late 60’s and well into the 70’s, a single member was often transferred with little notice and for short periods of time.  

On July 25^th 1970 Gord and his high school sweetheart Carolle who had carried on a long distant relationship since leaving home, were married in Palonia, Manitoba and then headed off to Yorkton, Saskatchewan to begin the their life as a married couple.  Gord was transferred to GIS and there they remained until August 1975.  Yorkton was a wonderful posting for Gord & Carolle and it’s where they started their family with Deleigh being born in January of 1974 & Wade coming soon after in March, 1975. Gord was very active in the community joining the Kinsmen and making many life long friends.   

In August the family of four moved to North Battleford where Gord became a mentor and very close to his younger colleagues. When they were holding a social gathering they always made sure the date did not conflict with Gord’s working schedule. Once again Gord embraced the community and made many friends who continued to be there throughout his lifetime.   

In January 1978, Gord was promoted to corporal and transferred to the Drug Section in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan where Gord & Carole thrived. Under the leadership of the NCO Al Mosher the RCMP family in Prince Albert at that time was very close and Gord enjoyed his time there. He continued to be active in the Kinsmen and embraced his work in the drug section. His undercover days back in 1969 were a real asset for this job.

Tragedy struck in May of 1980. Gord and three other members were on their way to set up a road block. While crossing a major intersection, the police car they were in was T-boned by another car. The member riding in the back of the police car was killed as well as the two civilians riding in the other car.  The accident resulted in Gord being hospitalized for three months, four weeks in traction, followed by an eight month recovery period.   

As a result of the police accident in May 1980 Gord was transferred to Regina, Saskatchewan in October of 1981. For the next five years he worked in the planning Section at “F” Division Headquarters. Carole sold real estate. His injuries denied Gord the option of returning to active field duty that he loved so much, so he retired in January 1986.

After leaving the RCMP, Gord and Carole both sold real estate until Gord retired from that job in 1996. Gord remained active with the Force, sponsoring and organizing Division and Provincial Police Hockey Tournaments. He and Carole also sponsored Golf Tournaments. Gord became a member of the RCMP Veterans’ Association in 1986 and was active with the Regina Division. He loved organizing hockey tournaments and various veteran events. He referred to himself as the Command Center Commander. Gord was honoured when he was recognized as a Lifetime Member of the Regina Veterans’ Association. 

Gord passed away in April, 2020 after a lengthy battle with illness.