Joseph Novak, WW II veteran who gave $1M to Yukon hospitals, has died at 100

When Joseph Novak was asked the secret to his long life, his answer was always the same.

The Second World War veteran would point to his wife Mary, and their long life together. The couple were married 73 years.

"An unbelievable lady," said Novak. "Maybe I am the way I am today because of her."

Joseph Novak died last month in Whitehorse, just two weeks shy of his 101st birthday.

He really was a remarkable fellow.- Terry Grabowski

The retired lance-corporal served in France, Belgium and the Netherlands during the Second World War. 

For that service to Canada, Novak received numerous awards and decorations.

In 2021, he was made a knight of the French National Order of the Legion of Honour. The order was established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is France's highest decoration.

Novak said the medal served as a reminder of what happened during the war and how important it is for veterans to remind others of the contributions Canada made.

"We're all in the high 90s in age. We're gonna disappear one by one," he said, in 2021. "One day, there will be nobody to bring this up to remind the people of Canada what it means to be free."

Terry Grabowski is also a veteran and was a close friend of Novak's. Grabowski served as a master corporal with the Canadian military in Kosovo, in 1999.

Despite an age gap of 54 years, Novak and Grabowski were bonded by their shared service.

"Mr. Novak is an incredible man," said Grabowski. "For me, his passing has been tough, he really was a remarkable fellow."

Beyond his military service, Novak helped in other ways.

In 2021, he donated more than a million dollars from his personal estate to the Yukon Hospital Foundation. It is the largest private donation from an individual the hospital has ever received.

Novak called the donation a thank you to the hospital for the service they gave his wife Mary, and his son, Peter. Both Mary and Peter died in 2019, within months of each other.

"The money couldn't go to a better location than to the people who care for people," Joseph said in 2021. "The hospital was very good to me and very good to Mary and to Peter." 

Another ode to Peter Novak, a longtime broadcaster in Whitehorse, was a scholarship Joseph created at Yukon University specifically for First Nations students studying journalism.

Grabowski said that willingness to give is something everybody can learn from.

"Whenever I asked him why he was so generous he'd just say, 'what am I going to do with it?'" Grabowski recalled.

Joseph Novak would spend his final years living at Whistle Bend Place in Whitehorse. He quickly became beloved by staff and other residents at the continuing care facility.

On Valentine's Day, he would buy roses for all the women in the building. On Canada Day, he would buy dozens of cookies for all the staff and fellow residents. Occasionally, he would surprise workers with a chocolate bar or two, out of the blue.

It was all his way of saying "thank you."

When speaking about his legacy and how he wanted to be remembered, Joseph was clear.

"That they remember ... that I did what every human being should be doing," he said. "I always say, 'Joe, you received — but you should also give."