JOHAN DOERKSEN KEHLER (JOHN)

Condolences & Memories (2 entries)

• Thank you Rob and Brenda for sharing your memories of dad. It is so hard to believe that dad is gone but memories shared from those who knew him will help keep him closer to our hearts. - Posted by: Josie Bjarnason (Daughter) on: Mar 24, 2020

• My wife Brenda and I have many fond memories of John; we met in 1984 in Grindstone Park. John told us many stories of the Interlake and the wilderness, to this day I still check around the base of eagle nest looking for regurgitation to see what surprises I could find inside. John often said you never know what you could find inside. One day John asked me to remove a beaver dam in a culvert, somehow he convinced me to go into the culvert to remove it by hand while while he cleaned the area with his backhoe. Upon getting out of the culvert John by accident hit me in the head with his backhoe it's a good thing I have a very strong head. I admire the things he taught his family, one day when his son Jeff was about 13 he asked if he could use my boat to drop his son in the Wilderness at Wells Harbor all by himself with a gun and a tent, he left his son for several days so he could learn to be a man being from the city I was quite amazed by this but understood later in life how important it was to do such a adventure. John was an equal opportunity employer I had suggested to him to buy a a septic truck as there was a need for one in Grindstone, I found one for him in Alberta next thing you know he had his daughter Josie driving the truck. I still remember to this day when the transmission went and Josie took it upon herself to replace the transmission. I remember when Jeff was so young and dad taught him to drive the dump truck he could barely see over the wheel I think he was about 14. John taught me how to can suckers I never thought I would eat such a thing but now I love eating suckers. John taught us many things about gardening he always had a a wonderful garden. John was good at life lessons to his children. I remember when interest rates were over 20% and his son asked why do we have such old Farm Equipment he said we own that equipment, the fancy John Deere equipment that the neighbour had the bank owned. Sure enough due to very high interest rates some farmers in the area had to give up their new equipment Jeff learned a lesson. John was gentle and had a great sense of humour but you wouldn't want to get him angry he was a powerful man. We're glad to have known him, we will miss him. Our love goes out to the family. - Posted by: Rob Johnson (Friend) on: Mar 18, 2020