Nick was born in Calgary, AB February 12, 1969 and passed away suddenly in Golden Prairie, Saskatchewan on October 26, 2021.

 Nick spent his life, a bit of a vagabond, never really staying in one place too long, a sense of adventure that saw him travel many miles for work, and for family.  His Mom and Grandma were everything to him, losing them was a big blow to Nick, I quote from his last text message to me, Thanksgiving 2021 “I hope you have family around you because family is the most important thing.”  He has gone to be with his family now, there is comfort in knowing he won’t be alone. 

Nick spent his early school years and high school, in Maple Creek.  My memories of Nick begin when we were teens, in Maple Creek.    Always fun, and someone who would look after me, Nick was my rock.  He was my big brother, and my best friend, picking me up, taking me out, rescuing me and being my gentle giant.  With a hug that could pull all the broken pieces together, and wisdom way beyond his years, Nick was a good old soul.  Pulling all-nighters in which ever coffee shop, the Bordertown Truckstop at Walsh, or the (one that is not there anymore) South of the highway at the junction, black coffee and pitch dark, under the neon gas station sign, we solved the worlds problems.  By day light, perhaps the problems were ours, in the night we were invincible.  Teenage angst, loners that we were, we found each other then and thru the years, come what may, always seemed to have that friendship that was always there.

AS young adults, the bar days and nights, running the pool table, drinking whiskey by the glass, dancing till the wee hours, the fun we had, my 18 birthday, Nick was the driver, at least at the beginning of the night.  We always did get home, and looked out for each other.  The best advice, have a good supper, that way you can drink more, and we did our share.   Many, many bar nights, big macs before midnight, dancing till last call and breakfast at Smittys or Humpy’s.  Oh man the coffee we drank!

As a young mom in 1993, my son was fussy and colicky, and Nick would rock him on his chest and my boy would settle right down.  He would hold him and let me sleep.  I was alone in those days, and Nick was once again the one who was there, late night phone calls, dropping in to check on us, and being there when I needed him.  We did that for each other, so many years, of being there when we needed each other.  Sometimes it was quiet and sometimes it was all about the Wild Turkey. 

Nick stayed with me living in my little apartment in Medicine Hat in maybe 1994/1995.   He loved to cook, that sense of adventure went as far as trying new things, and I think if he could look after someone, gave Nick a sense of belonging, in a world where perhaps he just never felt like he fit. 

In 97 Nick was living in Calgary, he had brought his then girlfriend to Medicine Hat, and we did the Stampede that year.  He was all about the games, and winning the teddy bears, or monkeys, or whatever prizes they had.  And he would win them and trade up.  Those carny guys never knew what hit them when Nick got on a roll.   The challenge of sinking the ball, hitting the target, making the ringer, it never stopped, if you said he could not do it, another $20 bucks might prove you wrong.   And so it went, the challenge in the end was us girls toting around the toys he won. 

For a few years it was meeting up for a quick lunch in Gull Lake at the Clarendon, or the Commercial in Maple Creek, Truckers in Redcliff, a fly by in Calgary or Edmonton, even the Junction 36 and 9.  If there was ever two people who could arrange to meet up, catch up, in any stranger places I will never know.  As far away as a phone call, and close as a cup of coffee.  Sometimes months went by, and sometimes only days.   

IN 2005, Nick was living near Airdrie, and provided me with a safe place to land, my one son had been in a bit of wreck and had been flown to Calgary and I needed to be nearby.  Opening his home and his arms again to me at a time when I needed help, there was Nick, in no uncertain terms, supporting, and organizing, and taking care of the logistics.  He loved to be needed, and the looking after of meals, and taking care of little things were everything.  The shirt off his back some would say, when there was nothing in it for him, that was Nick.  For friendship, and family, it was everything to him. 

2014 Nick was back from Africa, working down near Shaunavon. He was camping in is his holiday trailer, and we caught up once again, beers in JB’s and sitting at the campground evenings, reminiscing about our old days.   He talked of the adventure there, like a kid who had done something no one would believe.   I think that was a big deal for him, going on that job, and being so far away, he glowed, and I think he would have loved to do it again.  Maybe partly the distance and partly the danger, but he sure did love that he had gone and worked there. 

Heavy equipment operating, pipelining, working for the city of Calgary, I suppose the exposing of live lines was a neat challenge for him. Nick worked up north and all points in between, digging in the dirt.   He loved his machines, just a good old boy with his big boy toys.   The meticulous running of the levers and placing a bucket or a blade exactly where it needed to be, was something he tried to perfect.  Nick did a dugout for us last year, and stayed with us while he worked here, he wanted everything to be right, and tried always to do as good a job as he could.  It mattered to Nick that he got things right, I think maybe that was his way of proving he was worthy, and good, when he was so very hard on himself.  

He was never one to really let on when he needed something, sadly, perhaps that was the why to the end.  I know he knew those of us who loved him, would be there, and he would not want us to see how bad things really were, he suffered thru so much alone, and misunderstood.  I would like to remember my friend, with a wish that everyone has a friend who holds you together when the world is falling apart, who at all costs loves you to the end.  Gone too soon, rest now my friend.

God saw you getting tired, and a cure was not to be;

So he put his arms around you.

And whispered, “Come with me”.

With tearful eyes we watched you, and saw you pass away;

Although we loved you dearly, we could not make you stay.

A golden heart stopped beating, hard working hands to rest.

God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best.

Predeceased by his mom Hope Dobransky, his grandparents Victoria and Nicholas Dobransky. 

Nick is survived by his uncles Gary and Greg Dobransky and cousins Sarah and Courtney.