Cranbrook lost one of its most influential citizens with the passage of Rod Osiowy last week.

For almost two decades, the drama arts teacher at Mount Baker Secondary School inspired and influenced generations of students, both in the classroom and out in the community.

"Rod transformed my high school experience," said Tyrel Hawke, who acted in many productions and became a close friend of Osiowy and his family.

"He played a huge role in helping kids understand that through doing what you love to do you're able to find out who you are."Rod definitely helped us understand how we can use all the talents we've been given for our dreams and goals."

"He was a person who never shot ideas down, but he always buoyed them up, and helped everybody understand how they could accomplish them. He is the perfect example of what pure selflessness was, to be able to help other people instead of himself."

Former student Delaney Kunitz said Osiowy was someone that made every day a little bit brighter, but never by conventional methods. "Rod was like a father to me," she said. "He always had something to say that made things a little crazier, funnier, and more beautiful. He guided me to doors that led to opportunities I would never have imagined in my wildest dreams. He was, and always will be, my other dad and my eternal hero."

"I think ... how he inspired me more is about the person that he is, and the fact that he's always so positive," said former student Amy Morrison. "He's so giving, and believes in every one. He always puts people before himself and doesn't care what people think of him. Basically he is exactly the person I want to be.

"I hope that I can inspire people as he has."

Osiowy's teams over the years mounted large-scale lavish productions at the Key City Theatre, involving many students and people from the community at large. Productions like Les Miserables, Jesus Christ Superstar, Miss Saigon and Aida were always big draws.

Osiowy's contributions were recognized in 2002 he was given the Prime Minister's Award for Teaching Excellence. He also received the Cranbrook Rotary Club's Paul Harris Award (for his contributions to youth and the community) and the Winn Weir Award in 2005 (for fostering the arts in the East Kootenay). Osiowy was named Cranbrook's Citizen of the Year 2009.

School District 5 Board of Education Chairman Frank Lento said Osiowy's loss is no less than a double tragedy. "It's a tragedy, not only for his family, but also for education in our District."

Mount Baker Secondary School Principal Debra Empson said Osiowy's life was about service. "He served others. He was all about that and that's what he taught. He taught the kids and the community at the same time that kids have something really profound to offer to the community"

Osiowy's dedication was such that he seemed to have limitless energy. In one year alone he did a production with Bright Lights Theatre Co. led a field trip of Rotary Interact students to Hondouras and another production at the high school involving many students that had never been involved in theatre before, Empson said.

"He had a way of turning kids on in unusual ways," she said.

"Rod's death is a great loss for our District," said District 5 Superintendent Bill Gook. "In his dealings with students, Rod has raised the bar to a level to which all of us should aspire and he has enriched the lives of countless students and community members. The challenge we face now is to come together to ensure Rod's high standards are maintained and his vision for excellence and inclusion continues."

Baker Secondary School music teacher Evan Bueckert, who worked with Osiowy on several music and drama productions for more than five years, said even though he didn't know Osiowy when he arrived at Baker, said the pair quickly became friends.

"He was just the most generous, wise and thoughtful colleague - forget colleague - best friend I ever had." Osiowy struck up a similar rapport with his students and had a major impact on their education and their lives, Bueckert said.

"I really liked how he let the students take such a big role in developing ideas for projects and taking ownership of them so that the projects would be their own and no one could take that away from them."

A celebration of Rod Osiowy’s life will take place Saturday, August 28, at the Idlewild Park amphitheatre in Cranbrook at 3 p.m.