Henry MORNINGSTAR

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MORNINGSTAR: It is with extreme sadness that the family of Henry Morningstar announce his passing. Henry is survived by his loving wife Pat and by his children, Doug (Joanne, Meaghan and Chris and Paige); Brenda (Ron, Jason & Alix, & Nicole Cruickshank) Wes, (Lana, Erica, Aaron and Lyndon) and Dave (Lori, Taryn and Riley). Dad had Alzheimers for the past 8 years and slowly he was stolen from us by this horrific disease. He never once complained about his illness and remained a gentleman to the bitter end. Dad was born to Edna and Roy Morningstar on September 5th, 1934 and lived just outside the small village of Goodlands on the family farm. As a boy, he was involved with lots of sports – loving ball and hockey. He went to school at Lennox Bell School in Goodlands and there he made some very long lasting friends. Hilt Stewart and Hilt Wallace were two of these men who remain close family friends. After completing Grade 12 in Goodlands, Dad went on to University in Brandon and then Fargo completing his Bachelor of Sciences with a degree in Civil Engineering at NDSU. Dad met Mom (Patricia Gibson) at a dance in Deloraine and it was a relationship that would last over 54 years. They were married on December 29th, 1956 and a year later then began to raise their family of three boys and one girl. Dad was a very busy man and over the years had cattle in Hartney and the PFRA pasture close to the Peace Garden as well as being the Assistant District Engineer and then the District Engineer working for the Department of Highways in both Brandon and Boissevain. Although he loved his cattle, he decided to sell them and buy us a cottage at Lake Metigoshe. There he transformed from a hobby farmer to a skier, boater and a boat driver! He taught many children including all of his own to water ski and spent countless hours in the boat driving round and round the bay. He loved kids and spent lots of time taking his kids as well as his nieces and nephews for drives…whether it be to hunt for gophers or a ride in the boat. Dad absolutely loved the lake and even when he knew that he had AD he went out and bought himself a new boat! Mom and Dad spent many many happy years at the lake going with their many friends and neighbors on boating excursions. When the grandchildren started coming, he was very eager to get them waterskiing and loving the lake as much as he did. Dad enjoyed that cabin with Mom for 39 years and always had a job to putter away at. Dad was also busy as an advocate for Hockey in Boissevain when his sons were young. He coached a lot of teams throughout his years and also was instrumental in obtaining the artificial ice plant for Boissevain. His hockey teams often made the League championships and he was the first to take a group of kids to the Mile High tournament in Denver, Colorado. As well, he enjoyed curling with the Harry George team but never quite became the curler that Pat was! He always enjoyed bonspiels and won the Silver Dollar Spiel along with Mom. He particularily enjoyed the socializing at the Deloraine Men’s Bonspiel and it was difficult to know how long a game there would actually take him! Dad attended the Riverside Canucks ballgames especially at the old Riverside Ballfield and also at the new ball diamond in Boissevain for many years. He also attended the Winnipeg Jets games, with his favourite being when Bobby Hull played with the Jets. But closer to home he really enjoyed the Border Kings Hockey for many years and of course the Wheat King games up until a year and a half ago. Dad was able to retire when he was just 58 years old and in those years was able to travel lots with Mom. They went on many trips as snowbirds both to Texas and Arizona, and also travelled to places like California and Hawaii. Dad preferred driving his car wherever he went so it was difficult for Mom to get him to fly! Mom and Dad also loved to dance, and they danced many a night away. They were extremely good dancers and attended lots of dances all over as well as the ones in the trailer parks in Arizona. Mom and Dad met up with Willard and Laura Empey at one of the dances in Boissevain and became fast, wonderful friends with dancing in common! Henry and Pat spent many the evening with the Empeys – sometimes being on the highways when they shouldn’t have been. They so much enjoyed these years! Dad was a member of the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of the Province of Manitoba, the Toastmasters Club, the Investors Club, the Lions Club, and sat on the Recreation Committee for years in Boissevain. Sadly, our Dad had to go to live in Fairview on May 19th of 2007. He resided on the 5th floor where he made some good friends especially amongst the staff. He really enjoyed the attention of the “kids” (the name for staff members) and was up many an evening having popcorn and other treats with the staff. It is these people that we would love to acknowledge and thank for the time that you shared and cared for Dad. We will never be able to put into words what you have done for our family and how appreciative we are. We especially acknowledge Ursula Ratt for her unwavering support of both Henry and Brenda throughout the effects of Alzheimers. Ursula is a wonderful nurse, a tremendous lady and always made Dad feel very, very special. For that we will be forever in her debt. One evening after her heroic efforts in fixing his sandal, Dad told Ursula that she was very, very smart! Dad is survived by his brother Bill and sister in law Judy Morningstar, his sister Elsie Morningstar (Victoria, BC), Pat’s sisters, Bev Mitchell (Doug Dodds) of Souris and Donna Murphy and brother in law Richard Murphy of Virden. He is also survived by 8 wonderful nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Roy and Edna and by his father in law Wesley Gibson and his mother in law Dorothy Gibson. He was also predeceased by his brother in law, Murray Mitchell. Our Dad was a wonderful husband and Dad and a very caring and proud Grandpa. He was always there when we needed him and was so supportive in all of our endeavors. When we married, he was so proud of each and every one of us and his new “kids” and when we had children, he was so happy and eager to invite these little children into his life and watch them as they grew. Dad LOVED his wife, his children, his grandchildren, his friends, dancing, his cabin, hunting for turtles with his grandchildren, football games, hockey games, ballgames, coffee with his friends at Ho’s, Chinese food, visiting, ice cream with chocolate cake and white icing and especially desserts! Dad loved his life and we were all saddened that it was cut short when his memory started to fade. He was one of a kind, we all loved him very much and we will forever miss him.

As published in Brandon Sun on Sep 26, 2009