GERHARD (GERRY) ESCHENWECKER

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GERHARD (GERRY) ESCHENWECKER

With family at his side, Gerhard (Gerry) Eschenwecker, aged 86 years, passed on Monday, October 26, 2020, at Grace Hospice. Lovingly known as Opa and Uhr Opa, he was a one-of-a-kind man who will be greatly missed.
Gerhard was born on August 14, 1934 in Berlin, Germany. At age 16 he was an accomplished entertainer, playing accordion and guitar with local bands, while completing training as a tool and die maker. In 1957 he married Christa Becker and shortly after they immigrated to Winnipeg to start their life together.
He began his 40 year career at Versatile Farm Equipment in 1958 as a tool and die maker. In a few short years he was elevated to drafting in the Engineering Department and ultimately became a Project Leader designing agricultural machinery. He embraced learning and in the mid 80s he achieved his Certified Engineering Technologist designation.
Gerhard had a creative mind and extraordinary skill in conceiving, designing and fabricating, not just end products, but also the complex tooling to achieve them. He could design and build anything. While his initial craft was with metal, he loved woodworking throughout his life and in retirement he created masterful works of intarsia which his family treasures.
He had a subtle sense of humour and deadpan delivery for which one had to learn to see the twinkle in his eye as to whether he was teasing you. He was a nature and animal lover, who enjoyed the outdoors first with the cabin cruiser he built and then for 14 years at Lee River where he built two cottages and where the family spent their weekends, summers and holidays.
Gerhard is survived by Christa, his wife of 63 years; son Ralph (Monica Ptak) and daughter Angela Heise (Kendall); grandchildren, Karina Winters (Kyle), Darien Eschenwecker (Sarah Kearns), Jessica Heise, Tyler Eschenwecker, and Sarah Kanceruk; and great-grandchildren, Maddox (Max) Winters and Mckenna Winters.
He was predeceased by his parents, Maria and Max Eschenwecker, his in-laws, Dora and Willi Becker, sister Hilde Oehmig, and brother-in-law Boris Oehmig.
At his request, cremation has taken place and a private service was held on Sunday, November 1 in Hamiota, Manitoba with internment at Isabella Cemetery. The family thanks Linda Clark for conducting the service and Dwayne Campbell of Campbell Funeral Home for the arrangements. Video recordings are available on www.campbellfuneralhome.ca.
The family wishes to express their
appreciation and gratitude to the staff for his excellent care at the Grace Hospital,
Misericordia Health Center, and Grace
Hospice.
Donations may be made in Gerhard's
memory to The Grace Hospital Foundation, Canadian Cancer Society Manitoba Division or the Heart and Stroke Foundation of
Manitoba.
Publish Date: Nov 14, 2020

GERHARD (GERRY) ESCHENWECKER

On Monday, October 26, 2020, after a brief illness and with family by his side, Gerhard Eschenwecker, aged 86 years of Winnipeg, passed away at the Grace Hospice.
Full obituary to follow.

Arrangements entrusted to Campbell
Funeral Home in Hamiota, Manitoba
www.campbellfuneralhome.com

Publish Date: Oct 31, 2020

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Oct 31, 2020, Nov 14, 2020