Stanislav Novak passed away peacefully with family by his side on Thursday, March 26 at 10:50pm at the age of 93.  Stanko will join his predeceased son, Stanley, who died shortly after birth 66 years ago.

He leaves behind his beloved wife, Antonia, with whom he would have celebrated 70 years of marriage this October. He is also survived by his three sons, Tony, Adam (Heidy), and David; his grandchildren Elisha (Steve), Jesse, Brock (Kristina), Clark (Sam), Jessica (Jesse), Tony Jr. (Jeana), and Kyle (Azhia); and his great-grandchildren Arielle, Domenik, Damien, Jax, Josie, James, and Henry.

Stanko was one of eight siblings - six brothers and one sister. He will be missed by his sister Martina and brother Martin, and their families, who still live in his beloved homeland of Slovenia.

Stanko was born November 9, 1932, in Srednje Grčevje in Slovenia, and later made Canada his home, where he built his life and raised his family. He was a proud Slovenian and always carried his heritage with him - bringing seeds from his homeland, which we still grow today, maintaining traditions, and keeping his Slovenian culture alive throughout his life.

Stan lived a hard life, as did many who came to Canada in search of a better future. Those experiences, along with his deep connection to Slovenia, shaped the man we knew. He was always happy to donate his landscaping skills and expertise to his Slovenian church community and was integral to its outdoor beautification.

Stan was a master in his craft of landscape construction. He began Novak Landscaping in 1969 and his work still stands strong all around Burlington and Hamilton area. He will always be remembered for his strength, his work ethic, his pride in doing things perfectly, his love of traditional food and, of course, his homemade wine, špeh, zelje, krvavice and more, along with his steadfast commitment to his friends and his dedication to providing for his family.

We would like to express our profound gratitude to everyone at Dom Lipa for the exceptional care they provided to our dad. The comfort of being surrounded by his Slovenian culture, along with the kindness, compassion, and genuine personal attention he received, meant more to us than words can fully express. It will forever be appreciated by all of us who loved and cared for him.

Family and friends will be received at the Donald V. Brown Funeral Home, 36 Lake Avenue Drive, Stoney Creek, on Tuesday, March 31, 2026 from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m., with Vigil Prayers starting at 3:00 p.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Gregory the Great Slovenian Church, 125 Centennial Parkway North, Hamilton, on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 at 10:00 a.m., followed by interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Burlington. 

In lieu of flowers, donations to St. Gregory the Great Parish would be appreciated.