JOHN KLIPPENSTEIN

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JOHN KLIPPENSTEIN John Klippenstein, aged 95, passed away peacefully on Thursday, June 28, 2012 at Pembina- Manitou Health Centre with his wife Bernice, and their three children by his side. John was born a twin on January 20, 1917 in Altona to parents, Bernhard and Mary (Dyck) Klippenstein. He left his formal education early in order to help his family on the farm. As a conscientious objector during the Second World War. John was assigned to work in the bush camp at the northeast corner of Lake Superior with the Abitibi Power and Paper Company, recalling that the temperature there had dropped to -60 degrees. He met Bernice (Wilkins) at the home of his sister and brother-in-law where he worked as a hired hand. She was boarding there while teaching at her first school, Shannon north-west of Morden. They were married in Bernice's family home near Reston on November 30, 1946. They rented farm land near Darlingford for a couple of years; John spent another winter in the bush. In the spring of 1949 they brought their farm with what is now a century home, overlooking the Pembina Valley south of Manitou, where he and Bernice raised their three children, Kerry, Rick, and Debra. John worked a misced farm, raising cattle, pigs and poultry, and seeding a quarter section of land. He was known for his meticulous field of work and the sturdy construction of hay stacks. Horses were a valuable source of power at that time and his children recall riding to school on the stoneboat when winter roads were impassable. After retiring from farming John was employed for thirteen years by the Department of Highways. He devoted his latter years to study and learning, as if to make up for lost opportunity. He had an incredible memory of the history of several countries and the story lines of the books he read. He thoroughly enjoyed sharing this wealth of knowledge with family and friends. His favourite pastimes included reading, coffee with friends and visiting. He will be remembered for his great sense of humour, common sense and concerns about the ways in which our world is changing. John was predeceased his parents Bernhard and Mary and his stepmother and by his siblings, Mary, Sarah, Anne, Margaret, Ben, Agatha, Neta and his twin brother Harry (in infancy). He is survived by his wife, Bernice his younger brother Harry (namesake of John's deceased twin), three children Kerry (Mike) Brewer, Rick (Barb) Klippenstein and Debra Blonde (Tony Gaol); grandchildren: Morgan (Kristina) Brewer, Mark Brewer, Becky (Dwight) Pomedli, Rod (Cheryl) Klippenstein, Lisa (Justin) Waddington, Melissa (Todd) Bowman; and great-grandchildren, Julia, Nathen, and Jenna Pomedli, Noah, Micah and Joshua Klippenstein, as well as many nieces and nephews. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: St. Luke's Pembina Crossing Church Manitou, The Canadian Foodgrains Bank or The Pembina-Manitou Health Centre.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jul 14, 2012