ANTONIUS L. H. WIEWEL

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ANTONIUS L. H. WIEWEL January 11, 1917 - May 23, 2008 It is with sad heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved Dad and Opa. Peacefully, with children at his side, Tony slipped away in the early morning of May 23, 2008. Born in Semarang, Indonesia, the family later moved to Amsterdam, The Netherlands. There Tony graduated with honors from the Amsterdam Nautical College in Holland with intentions of launching an engineering career at seas. Outbreak of the Second World War interrupted his plans, instead spending the war years on shore duties, assuming false identity for survival during Holland's occupation by German Forces. From 1945 to 1947 he served as engineer with Netherlands and KLM Dutch ship lines aboard ship. In his worldwide travels he purchased material for a wedding gown and bridesmaid's attire in New York and lace in Spain. Returning to Amsterdam, he wed the love of his life, Maria Dorothea Bannenberg on July 15, 1946. The call of the sea was strong, but when his ship dry docked in Indonesia, Tony jumped ship in search of the Oma he had not seen since childhood. January 1, 1948, Maria and son Antonius traveled by one of the first commercial airlines to reunite the family in Indonesia. His eventual post in Java gave him the overall responsibility for the 60-member mechanical staff at the Java tea estate. Life was good in Java, until political unrest in the former Dutch colony prompted him to bring his wife and four children, then aged 8 years to 18 months, briefly to Amsterdam and then to Canada. Tony arrived in Brandon, MB in spring to prepare the family home. Maria and children traveled by ship to Halifax, then by train in the cold and snow of November 1954 to Brandon. His first years in Canada were spent as a Diesel Engineer with Frank Lawson and Sons in Brandon, and in school by correspondence to gain his Canadian Engineers License. Eight years later, this time with 8 children, the family moved to Pinawa where Tony worked for A.E.C.L. all the while continuing his studies. In November 1973, having re-attained his 1st Class Engineer Certification Tony was appointed Chief Engineer at Steinbach's Bethesda Hospital, moving Maria and the four youngest children to Steinbach. At age 75, Tony retired from Engineering to be at Maria's side in her last year. Despite birth of ethnic diversity and living in various cultures around the world, Tony considered himself Canadian , attaining his Canadian Citizenship on September 20, 1961. As a proud Canadian, Dad and son Michael erected a flag pole in the front yard of his Steinbach residence displaying with honor the Canadian flag; every jacket had Canadian flag or maple leaf lapel pin. There were many years of travel in Canada with children and grandchildren - in particular to the Rockies and Vancouver Island. And despite living years land locked in Manitoba, you could always see the longing for the sea in his eyes. He touched too many lives across too many continents to begin to mention them all, but to each he left a bit of himself. You have left us an amazing life story and wealth of memories to cherish. Rest in peace now Dad. We will love you always and forever. Tony was predeceased by wife Maria (1993), grandson Andrew (1995). He leaves to mourn his children, Tony (Diane), Rudy (Vicky), Mary Anne Stetski (Greg), Irene Blaney (Pat), Steve (Carol), Cinta Noga (Ted), Michael (Sherry) and David (Laura), 22 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren. Special thank to all the staff of Whitemouth District Health Center where Tony resided in the last years - for all their care and heartfelt support throughout the last years and in particular these last weeks. A prayer service will be held Monday, May 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Christ Our Saviour Roman Catholic Church, 365 Loewen Blvd., Steinbach, MB with Rev. Fr. Leo Couture presiding. Funeral liturgy will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 27, at 11:00 a.m., also at the church. Interment will follow at the Heritage Cemetery. In lieu of flowers if friends so desire, donations in his memory may be made to the Whitemouth District Health Center or the Bethesda Foundation, Palliative Care. SOBERING FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM, Beausejour 268-3510 or MB toll free 1-877-776-2220

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on May 25, 2008