ABRAM (ABE) KLASSEN

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ABRAM (ABE) KLASSEN Early Sunday afternoon, August 18, 2013 Abe Klassen, 82, of Winnipeg quietly succumbed to complications from prostate cancer at the Grace Hospital. Abe was born on March 2, 1931 on the family farm near Altona, MB to John D. and Maria (Froese) Klassen. Although he left at an early age, the farm never left his heart. No drive through Southern Manitoba or the Interlake to see his many relatives was ever complete without his surveying the crops or commenting on farm machinery. After a brief stint with the Manitoba Hydro Electric Board, Abe began a career as a lineman in 1949 with the Manitoba Telephone System. The 1950s and early 1960s were the "Golden Era of the Lineman" with Abe traveling throughout Manitoba as part of a large crew extending telephone service to numerous small towns, villages and farms. It was during these travels that Abe met his future wife, Adeline, at Crabby Steve's dance hall near Komarno. Years of hard work as a lineman, including several major falls, took their toll. His career was interrupted in 1983 by a viral spinal infection. Refusing to believe specialists who claimed he would never walk again, a stoic Abe defied the odds by proudly walking out of the hospital after three months and returning to work, albeit at a slower pace. He finally hung-up his pole climbing spurs in 1993 retiring after 44 years, a feat recognized by the Telephone Pioneers of America who conferred upon him a life membership. Retirement did not dull Abe's enthusiasm for operating machinery or being active outdoors whether it was plowing snow with his tractor, cutting the lawn with his riding mower or driving his electric scooter almost everywhere. His frequent and creative use of electrical tape, lashing wire, duct seal and WD-40 to repair things around the house was nothing short of legendary. Abe is survived by his devoted wife of 57 years Adeline ("Dolly" Kindzierski); sons Glenn and Kenneth (Nuo Yang) of Winnipeg; brothers Andrew of Altona and Henry of Winkler; and sisters Sarah of Winnipeg and Justina of Edmonton. Abe was predeceased by his baby daughter Susan; parents John and Maria; brothers John, Martin, Daniel and Jacob; and sisters Margaret and Maria. In lieu of flowers, donations in Abe's memory may be made to Prostate Cancer Canada. A celebration of Abe's life will take place in Winnipeg on Wednesday, August 28, 2013 at 3:00 p.m. at the Assiniboine Park Pavilion Gallery Museum, 55 Pavilion Crescent. "The highest reward for man's toil is not what he gets for it, but what he becomes by it."
Publish Date: Aug 24, 2013

ABRAM (ABE) KLASSEN Abe Klassen, 82, of Winnipeg died at the Grace Hospital on Sunday afternoon, August 18, 2013. A celebration of Abe's life will take place at 3:00 p.m. at the Assiniboine Park Pavilion Gallery Museum, 55 Pavilion Crescent on Wednesday, August 28, 2013. A longer obituary will follow in Saturday's paper.
Publish Date: Aug 23, 2013

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Aug 24, 2013