TORONTO – The family of Stanley Peter Viezner announced that after a long productive life, Viezner died Friday, Sept. 14 in the Czech Republic, following a sudden, short illness. He was just one month shy of his 88th birthday. 
Escaping communism in Czechoslovakia, Viezner arrived in Canada in 1950 with no financial means. After fulfilling his one-year farm work contract in Strathroy, Ontario, he moved to Toronto where he found construction work in a design company and where he met his future wife in 1952. Soon after that he began to excel in the field of commerce and sales, which was his area of expertise.
A longtime major player in the early Canadian hydraulics industry, he pioneered the Canadian import automotive business in the early ’60s as post-war imports gained popularity. Never losing his down-to-earth touch, and always one to be "one up in the art of salesmanship," his marketing and sales prowess helped to successfully develop Prenco Progress and Engineering Corp. Ltd. into one of the major distributors and manufacturers of import automotive aftermarket parts in Canada and the United States. He was a great salesman, mentor and motivator, and leaves behind a great Prenco team.
Not forgetting his roots, Viezner also was very involved in the Czech community, initiating and organizing many different projects and events, and assisting in charitable and social functions.
Viezner always appeared to be indestructible, according to family and friends. Although small in stature, he was a pillar of strength in his family, instilling in all his sense of truth, honesty, hard work and love for each other. His family say they found comfort in the fact that his life ended in his old country, surrounded by his family and that it ended peacefully. He was cremated in the Czech Republic and brought back home to Canada.
He will be sorely missed by his wife and life partner of 58 years Erica (Chmel); brother-in-law Thomas Chmel; son Stanley Jr. and wife Susan; daughter Marie Manzac and husband Jean-Paul Manzac (Czech Republic); daughter Erica Jana Viezner and Jason Fulton; grandchildren Josef, Lucie and Marek Viezner, Filip Manzac (Czech Republic) and Asha Fulton; as well as many close relatives, friends and associates in Canada, the Czech Republic and around the world.
His life and memory will be celebrated at 1 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 2 at Masaryktown, in the Praha Restaurant, 450 Scarborough Golf Club Road, Toronto. In lieu of flowers, donations are suggested to Viezner’s preferred charity: The Trillium Health Centre Foundation, 100 Queensway West, Mississauga, ON L5B 1B8.
