Felix Kaplun's Obituary
Felix Kaplun, 89, was called into the eternal presence of his beloved Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on May 26, 2017 from injuries sustained in a motor vehicle accident in Palm Harbor, Florida.
Felix was born August 7, 1927 in Chovnytsya, Poland (now Ukraine)
He was predeceased by his father, Theodore Kaplun, his mother, Alwine Kaplun, his sister Klara (Hans) Grams, and his brothers Robert and Philipp (Holdine) Kaplun.
He is survived by his wife of 66 years, Galina (Korotkoff) and his daughters, Esther (Tom) Knightly of Clearwater and Sylvia (David) Hancock of Oldsmar, along with grandsons Christian Knightly of Orlando and Ian Pierpoint of Palm Harbor and granddaughter Caitlin Knightly of Aukland, New Zealand, brother Adolf (Olga) Kaplun of Kelowna, British Columbia and sister Taisa (Walter) Koberstein of Winnipeg, Manitoba and great grandsons Cameron Pierpoint and Colton Pierpoint of Oldsmar, along with step granddaughters and step great granddaughters, numerous nieces and nephews and many friends.
As a young man, Felix was very enterprising. He grew up on a farm in the Volyn Province of today’s Ukraine. He was surrounded by people who spoke different languages and learned to speak multiple languages at an early age. He kept carrier pigeons which he sold to make some money and had a camera which he was hired to use to take pictures of significant family events in the community. He would get around on his bicycle. His father was a traveling Baptist preacher and started a church in Chovnytsya. Felix spent many Sundays on the front church pew under the watchful eye of his father. He also developed a love of German food as his mother was German. In 1940 the family was resettled to Poland which became part of the German Reichsgaue of Warthegau. He fought in the Second World War and shared many stories about the struggles he endured during that time. During the war, a minister who was on leave from the military spoke about salvation and Felix accepted the Lord as His Savior. He was baptized shortly thereafter. After the war, he was reunited with his family in Dresden, East Germany where he learned to be a barber. Later, the family fled to Hanover, West Germany to get away from Russian authorities who were interrogating them. In 1948, the family immigrated to Canada under a family-sponsored immigration program and while on board the ship to Halifax, Felix cut crew member’s and passenger’s hair. With the money he earned he was able to purchase a suit and coat which became the envy of all the other immigrants. The family settled in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
It was in 1948 at the German Baptist Mission Church in Winnipeg where he met his wife, Galina. He recalled seeing her in Hanover in 1947. He was so excited to see her again and immediately began to pursue her. He was ecstatic that she agreed to see him. So their courtship began and she was the love of his life. After a major flood in Winnipeg in the spring of 1950, they waited for the water to recede and were married on June 10, 1950. God blessed them with two daughters; Esther born in 1954 and Sylvia born in 1960. A grandson (Christian) was added to their lives in 1983, a granddaughter (Caitlin) in 1988 and another grandson (Ian) in 1990. Two great grandchildren, Cameron (2008) and Colton (2013) were the most recent blessings.
Felix worked at many jobs during the early years of their marriage. He finally got a job as a shipper for Silverline, a furnace manufacturing company. Felix worked there for 9 years moving to a sales position and then sales manager. The company began making camping trailers. Felix thought he could build a better product so in 1962 he started his own camper trailer manufacturing company, Kaplun Enterprises. His wife supported him and the business by working in the office. After many trials and opportunities to trust God, God blessed the business and it became a successful, award winning company. His company became the largest camper trailer manufacturer in Canada and the trailers were sold all over the country. In 1974, the company was sold and Felix was able to retire.
In 1976, the family relocated to Florida with Galina’s mother moving with them. They joined a church in St. Petersburg and immediately became involved. Their daughters sang in the church and Felix served on many church committees. He always had a special place in his heart for pastors and missionaries and would often donate his suits to them. In 1979, they moved to Clearwater and also spent time in their home in North Carolina to get away from the heat. In 1987, they built a new home in Palm Harbor.
Felix enjoyed traveling with his family, his cars and his food. Many times they were all combined together. He listened to classical music and enjoyed Handel’s Messiah the most.
On one of his father’s visits to Florida, Theodore predicted that the Soviet Union would fall. He asked Felix to promise to go back to Ukraine and pick up where he left off. In 1991, Felix traveled to Lutsk in the Volyn Province. He saw that the Ukrainian people had many needs. He saw some children with their grandmother looking for food in the trash and decided he would try to find a way to help the people of Ukraine. He found ways to raise funds and in 2002 established Ukrainian Ministry, Inc., a Florida non-profit corporation. His wife, daughters and grandson, Christian, were active participants. Through the ministry many millions of dollars were raised to build an orphanage, medical clinic and Christian school. Many churches have been planted, as well as thousands of baptisms. Galina was by his side and traveled to Ukraine many times and also raised money herself by selling her crafts.
On April 28th, 2010 he was awarded an honorary degree of Doctor of Ministry by the Educational Board of All-Ukrainian Union of Churches of Evangelical Christians – Baptist on the recommendation of the Teaching Council of Odessa Theological Seminary. He continued to raise funds for Ukraine until his death and visited his wife twice every day in the nursing home where she was admitted due to health issues.
While he will be greatly missed by family and friends, we are comforted in the knowledge that he is in the presence of his Savior. A funeral service will be held at Trinity Memorial Gardens, 12609 Memorial Drive, Trinity, FL 34655 on Saturday, June 3, 2017 at 10am with interment following lunch at the cemetery on site.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Felix may be made to Northside Baptist Church, Ukrainian Ministry, 6000 – 38th Avenue North, St. Petersburg, FL 33710. If writing a check, indicate Ukrainian Ministry in the subject line.
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