HOWARD HERBERT WRIGHT

Adjust Text Size: A+ A-

HOWARD HERBERT WRIGHT Howard Herbert Wright, aged 98 years, passed back to his Maker from where he came, at Kin Place Personal Care Home, Oakbank, MB, on Sunday, June 6, 2004. He had suffered a massive stroke on May 31, and after a valiant struggle he was unable to overcome its devastation. Howard was born in the family farm home on April 10, 1906 at Oak Lake, MB (St. Davids District). He was the second child, oldest son, of Herbert and Evelina (Guinn) Wright of a family of 16 children, seven sons and nine daughters. Howard became the very proud patriarch of five generations of immediate family. He attended school at Hagyard School in St. Davids District, completing Grade 8 which his father considered to be a very good education. However, Howard continued a life long learning journey. He was an avid reader, very mechanically inclined and could fix almost anything. The Wright family moved to the Dugald area in 1922 to continue farming. Howard and his brothers came in the freight car to look after the livestock. He spoke fondly how the Dugald Gillespie family, who owned the boarding house there, invited him and his brothers for breakfast and how wonderful it tasted after all those days traveling. Howard married Violet Beatrice Morrison, from a Hazelridge pioneer family, on April 19, 1933. They started farming on rented land in Dugald, then in Beatrice School District and finally in 1938 they bought their farmland and established their family homestead where their son and daughter still live. Howard was very community minded. He served as secretary for the Millbrook Picnic at Briercliffes, school trustee for Beatrice School, involved with consolidation of the schools, charter member of the now defunct Manitoba Pool Elevators at Dugald, and Anola Chamber of Commerce. He was correspondent for the Transcona News and, in later years, a member of the Springfield Tractor Club. Howard was a founding member of Anola Baptist Church. He served as lay minister, deacon, Sunday school teacher and Awana leader. As recent as last month, he read scripture to a group at Kin Place on a Sunday afternoon. Howard chose farming as his first career and later worked at various jobs, ending his working years at Prasco Engineering. Howard learned to drive a car at the age of eleven years when his father let him drive their 1917 Model T Ford. He took pride that he was able to still drive up until last year. Howard and Violet had a family of four children, three girls and one boy. He took delight in being able to read the "funnies" to his "kids" on Sundays. He always had a string of "one-liners". The family always remembers how he would say to his Violet, after a particularly good Sunday dinner, "Well, if thats dinner, we had it". Violet would always answer, "If you dont get any worse, you dont need to worry". Howard, in later years, took interest in restoring old farm tractors and threshing machines. This was a real labour of love for him. For about 10 years, his family helped him put on an old time threshing demonstration. The grand finale was on the 125th anniversary of the R.M. of Springfield in 1998. Howard as a young man, had hopes of owning a Grandfather clock, so he decided to build himself one. Actually, he built seventeen of them, they are treasured by all who received one. He proudly donated a clock to the Dugald Costume Museum in 1987. Howard lived on 23-10-6E, in the R.M. of Springfield, for more than 60 years, briefly lived in Winnipeg, but retired to the farmyard. In 2000, he moved to Sunrise Lodge in Anola, MB, where he enjoyed the company of many friends there. In 2003, his health began to fail and he spent several months in Beausejour Hospital. He lived his final months at Kin Place in Oakbank, always saying how much hed like to be at the farm. Howard was predeceased by his beloved Violet on February 26, 2000. His parents, his six brothers and six sisters, and one son-in-law, Art Berko, also predeceased him. He was saddened to lose his old friend, Omer, on April 19, 2004. Howard is survived by his four children, Audrey (Lorne) Ballegeer, Ruth Banman Berko, George (Lorraine) Wright, Shirley (Clifford) Thorgilsson. Also ten grandchildren, Joanne (Doug), Marilyn (Henry), David (Sharon), Richard (Shirley), Debbie (Ken), Kathy (Edwin), James, Karen (Pat), Gloria (Brent) and Kevin (Heidi). There are also 16 great-grandchildren, Glenn (Michelle), Faye (Graham), Brian, Leigh, Michael (Adarian), Amanda (Derek), Keith (Tanya), Amie, Christopher, Neil, Alan, Mark, Samantha, Tyler, twins, Hayley and Brenna; and four great-great-grandchildren, Nathan, Parker, Sheldon and Megan. Howard also leaves three sisters, Erma Morrison, Marge Watts, and Gladys Dennis; brother-in-law John Morrison; and sisters-in-law, Jean Fanshaw and Viola Salter; and several generations of nieces and nephews. A Celebration of Howards life will be held at Green Acres on Thursday, June 10 at 1:30 p.m. with viewing half an hour prior to service. Interment at Millbrook Cemetery. Rev. Peter Hall officiating, assisted by Pastor Mark Dupuis. The family wish to thank the doctors, nursing and support staff for their excellent care given to Howard. We also thank the staff for the care given to the family at this time, very much appreciated. A very special thanks to Marge Hadaller and the Russell McKay families for all they did for Howard. Howard, our dear father, thank you for leaving us all with your legacy of faith in God, love of neighbour, honest and upright in all things. We love you and know you are safe with the God you loved. Flowers gratefully declined but a donation to Kin Place Personal Care Home at Oakbank would be very much appreciated. Above all, smile at the next person you meet. GREEN ACRES Funeral Home, Cemetery and Crematorium Hwy. #1 E. at Navin, 222-3241

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 09, 2004