WILLIAM (BILL) WAYNE SKOGAN

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WILLIAM (BILL) WAYNE SKOGAN November 20, 1943 to April 14, 2011 Our family would like to announce the quiet and peaceful passing of a very special person in our lives. To Lana (Kelly), he was Dad; To Kelvyn and Kevin, he was Papa Bill; To Helen, he was Son; To Bert (Shirley) and Karen (Lyle), he was Brother; To Donna (David), he was Brother-in- Law; To Ingrid, Eric (Tina), Kyle (Anita), Karla, David, Paul (Nicole), and their families, he was Uncle Bill; To the rest of you, he was Billy. Billy was predeceased by his wife Sandra, father Herb and in laws Cecil and Enid Bates. Billy was born November 20, 1943 in Teulon, the oldest son of Herb and Helen Skogan. After graduation at Teulon collegiate he worked at Bristol Aerospace and helped on the family farm. Billy, along with Ed and Irvin Helwer, started the Interlake Potato Farm. In 1968 Billy married Sandra Bates and together they worked a mixed grain farm operation with grain and pigs. Billy, Sandra Lyle and Karen farmed together from 1975 to 2007 when they sold the farm to their nephew Kyle and moved to town. Retirement took an unexpected turn for Billy with the sudden passing of his beloved Sanny on March 29, 2007. Being uptown, Billy was able to concentrate on his real interests wheeling and dealing, buying valuables at McSherry Auctions Sales, just going for a road tour, or guarding his chair at Bill Bea's/Country Corner Café by the hour. Everyone who knew him knew his passion for people, he would often ask total strangers the five Ws : Who, Why, Where To, Where From, and What can I sell you? On his many road trips he would inevitably run into someone he knew. His frequent pre-dialysis breakfast stops the waitresses always had a cheery Hi Billy , as they brought him a glass of ice. Billy loved to be with people, whether working in the middle of an election, buying a meal for some stranger at Salisbury House, or giving a hitchhiker a ride somewhere. Billy's generosity knew no boundaries. Poor Sandra never knew who he would bring home for dinner. He loved life and laughter - from Stagpoole School days, to USA road trips to buy pigs or machinery, casino suppers, or helping Lana with her market garden, Knor's Garden Korner. Billy truly could have written a Best Selling book detailing all of his adventures. Billy was very community minded which was proven by his commitments to the various local organizations and boards. He belonged to the Kinsmen Club of Teulon, a charter member of the Teulon Golf Country Club. He was an executive on the Teulon Hunter Memorial, Goodwin Lodge and Gateway Manor, Teulon District Museum, and the Teulon District History Book Boards. He was appointed to the Crown Land Board of Manitoba. He was very active in provincial politics and elections; he was Ed Helwer's first Campaign Manager. Bill courageously made the ultimate decision regarding his quality of life last Monday by discontinuing dialysis treatment. We all respected his wishes. At this time, Billy's family would like to thank each and every person who helped Billy along the way there are too many to mention you know who you are! From having coffee with him and listening to his stories, helping him at the farm and taking him to dialysis Thank you! We all have good memories of Billy, please cherish them and have a laugh. We give thanks to the Teulon Hunter Memorial and St. Boniface ER and Dialysis Units for all the great care during the many late night visits. Lana and the rest of the family would like to give thanks to ALL the staff at the Seven Oaks Dialysis Unit for all your loving care, you were all fantastic! An extra special thanks to Dr. Sean Armstrong who took extraordinary care of her dad and her. You are our Hero . Please come and join Billy's family in celebrating his life at the Teulon Rockwood Centennial Centre on Tuesday, April 19 at 2:00 p.m. Flowers are gratefully declined; donations may be made to the Teulon Hunter Memorial Hospital Foundation or the Seven Oaks Hospital Foundation - Dialysis Unit attention Henni Dyck. You can shed tears he is gone, Or you can smile because he has lived. You can close your eyes and pray that he'll come back, or you can open Your eyes and see all that he's left. Your heart can be empty because you can't See him, or you can be full Of the love you shared. You can turn your back on tomorrow And live yesterday, or you can be Happy for tomorrow because of yesterday. You can remember him Or you can cherish his memory and let it live on. You can cry and close your mind, Be empty and turn your back, Or you can do what he'd want Smile, open your eyes love and go on Dad, I know we had our moments but you truly were a great dad and I love you very much. We all love you and will miss you more than words can say and we know...You loved us lots.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Apr 18, 2011