Persona

Sebestyen, Edmund Alexander, 1930-

Edmund Alexander Sebestyen was born on March 10, 1930, son of Denes and Theresa (Schell) Sebestyen. He completed his secondary education at the Saskatoon Technical Institute, where he was particularly inspired by art teacher, Ernest Lindner, and drafting teacher, Ernie Chan. He married Edna Regush in 1953, and they had three children: Theresa (Terri) in 1954; Charles (Chuck) Anthony in 1957; and Susanne in 1962.

Sebestyen was hired by the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix in 1949, where he worked as a photographer, engraver, editorial cartoonist, reporter, news editor, managing editor, marketing and general manager, and Executive Vice President (Planning and Corporate Development), until he retired in 1991. His earliest job at the Star-Phoenix was engraving zinc plates to be used in the printing process. He tried his hand at drawing a few editorial cartoons that were well-received by the paper's editorial staff, and this developed into work as the Star-Phoenix's first and only full-time editorial cartoonist (c. 1957-1964). Sebestyen recalls this period as the best of his newspaper career.

Sebestyen and the Star-Phoenix published four books of his editorial cartoons: An Assortment of Sebestyen Cartoons from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix (1959); Another Assortment of Sebestyen Cartoons from the Saskatoon Star-Phoenix (1960); and I (1961); and Is There A Doctor In The House: A Case History, In Cartoons, on Saskatchewan's Medical Care Plan (1962).

In 1993, Sebestyen was made a member of the Order of Canada for being an "energetic community builder who has spent his life promoting the city as the locale for many national events." Along with the Order of Canada, he has won numerous service medals and citizenship awards for chairing or holding executive roles on organization and bid committees for events such as the 1989 Western Canada Summer Games, the 1971 and 1989 Jeux Canada Games, the 1975 Western Canada Summer Games, the 1985 Tennis Federation Cup, the 1989 Labatt's Brier, the 1990 World Junior Hockey Championship, and is known as the "the man behind the mountain" for having been instrumental in having Mount Blackstrap built for the 1971 Canada Winter Games.