ERNEST AMMETER

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ERNEST AMMETER Suddenly and peacefully, at Red River Place Personal Care Home, Selkirk, MB, in the early hours of Tuesday, September 10, 2002, Ernest Ammeter, our father, grandfather, brother and friend was called, at the age of 94 years, to be with his Lord. Dad was born July 21, 1908 at Karabulach in the Georgian Caucasus of what was then Imperial Russia, the son of John and Emma Ammeter. Dad and his extended family emigrated from the Caucasus, arriving in Canada and settling on land purchased near Starbuck, MB, just at the start of the "Dirty Thirties". Life was hard and Dad worked at many jobs, from washing dishes at the Banff Springs Hotel, Banff, AB, working as a farmhand for the Stangers at Portage la Prairie, MB, cutting pulpwood in the bush near Renwer, MB, working in a cheese plant in Wisconsin, to milking cows at Parrish Farms, Parkdale, MB. As the Depression ended and economic conditions improved, Dad took to farming near Starbuck, with his father and brothers. It was at this time that he married Margaret, the woman who was to be our mother and his wife for 48 years. In 1953, Dad branched out on his own and bought farmland north of Petersfield, MB where he farmed for the rest of his life. Dad was active in farming and taking care of his herd of Holstein dairy cattle into his mid-80s, doing both chores and field work. Dad was always ready to lend a hand when a neighbour had a problem, never turning anyone away when he could help them. Many are the broken machinery parts that got welded at his farm. Dad slowed down considerably after his bout with pneumonia in 1995, entering Red River Place in February of 1999, where in his last years he was confined to a wheelchair. His memory remained sharp and clear to the end of his life even though his eyesight and hearing declined, and he was always ready to talk about the old country with his siblings and visitors. Dad leaves to mourn his two sons, Laurence and Arthur and his wife Debbie of Petersfield; two granddaughters, Carly (Glen) Nowell of Halifax, NS and Rebecca (Mark) Corrigan of Saskatoon, SK; one brother John of Starbuck; sisters, Rose and Alice, also of Starbuck, Mary of White Rock, BC, Mina (Doug) Johnson of Sanford, MB and Edith (Don) Besant of Winnipeg. Dad was predeceased by his wife Margaret; his parents, John and Emma; a brother Adolf; and sisters, Martha Smith, Bertha Peters, Hulda Ammeter and Anna Locher. Dads life will celebrated Friday, September 13 at 1:30 p.m. at Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, Mapleton, MB (just south of Selkirk on PTH 9), Pastor Dave Saude officiating. The remains will rest for viewing at Good Shepherd for an hour before the service. Interment will take place in the Lutheran Cemetery immediately following the service. Friends and family are invited to a time of food and fellowship afterwards. Pallbearers are Bruno Ammeter, Harry Ammeter, Ernie Beck, Tony Maksymyk, Eric Ammeter and Louis-Paul Poirer. Flowers are declined with thanks; those so wishing may make a contribution in Dads name directly to any charity of their choice or to the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Memorial Fund. The family wishes to thank the ELW of Good Shepherd Lutheran Church, the pallbearers, the staff of Red River Place Personal Care Home for the care they took of Dad during his three-and-a-half year stay there, and Pastor Saude and Colleen Byron for their visits and encouragement. I WAS GLAD WHEN THEY SAID UNTO ME. "LET US GO INTO THE HOUSE OF THE LORD" Gilbart Funeral Home, Selkirk in care of arrangements.

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Sep 12, 2002