June 16, 2001 – April 14, 2026
It is with profound sadness that we announce the sudden passing of Nicholas Michael Ostapchuk on April 14th, 2026.
Nicholas was born on Father’s Day weekend, June 16th, 2001, in Toronto, Ontario. Nicholas did so much in his short life. He survived open heart surgery at the age of 4 and went on to become an accomplished cellist and pianist, performing as a member of The Brampton Rosebud Orchestra and the Mississauga Youth Orchestra. He also performed in the Vivaldi String Quartet and worked as a teacher at a music studio. Nicholas was no stranger to physical labour, from operating a forklift to the demanding job of roofing; he always pushed himself to his limit to do the best job possible. He attended York University before moving to New Brunswick in 2023 to be closer to family. Nicholas was an avid MMA fighter, manga consumer, anime watcher, and curator of excellent music playlists.
He was loved by so very many – his parents Dennis and Olya Ostapchuk, his siblings Steven Ostapchuk and Katrina Crossman (Ostapchuk), and their spouses Sarah and Brandon. He was the very special uncle to many little nephews and his niece – David, Jamie, Leo, and Elaine. He will be greatly missed by his grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins, and many many friends (some even from elementary school). He was predeceased by his paternal grandparents, Michael and Catherine Ostapchuk (Burtney).
Nicholas was the kindest person we ever knew – empathic and gentle. He touched the heart of nearly every person who met him and went out of his way to always be kind to others. He was utterly devoted to his family and friends. Nicholas is gone too soon, and this will weigh heavily on us for the rest of our lives. He will forever be loved, cherished, and missed by all. We love you, Nicholas. May you rest in peace.
Nicholas is resting at Brenan’s Funeral Home, 111 Paradise Row, Saint John, NB (506-634-7424), where visitation will be held on Saturday, April 18th, from 2:00 to 4:00pm. A Celebration of his Life will be held on Sunday, April 19th at 2:00pm.
For those who wish, a memorial contribution can be made in Nicholas’ memory to the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention or the Canadian Mental Health Association.
