LORNE ARNOTT FINKBEINER -

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LORNE ARNOTT FINKBEINER 1922 - 2005 He was a good and gentle man and he was the steadfast rock we leaned on. Lorne Arnott Finkbeiner died June 23, 2005 in the Pine Falls Hospital after a brief illness. He leaves to mourn his death, but to celebrate his life, his wife Shirley; his daughters, Lorie Finkbeiner and Lisa Botsford; and three fine grandsons, Jamie, Stephen and Nicholas Botsford. Lorne was born on June 14, 1922 at home in Isabella, MB. He was the youngest son of Harry and Bertha Chapman Finkbeiner. In July 1948, he married Shirley Head of Strathclair and together they raised their two daughters, Lorie Ann and Lisa Kathleen. He taught them many things but they remember with a smile that he taught Lisa to pitch ball and to love fishing in the early morning and Lorie to drive her first car with a standard gearshift and to use all the tools he made sure she had. His teaching career began with one year in Scarth, MB followed by three years in Strathclair and five years in Virden, before teaching in Pine Falls for 34 years. In Virden and in Pine Falls, he was a teaching principal in the elementary schools. His lifetime as a teacher was vitally important to him. He was an innovative and energetic teacher and principal and he remained always interested in the pupils he had taught. He was a man of many talents and many interests. He golfed; he curled; as a young man he was a very good baseball pitcher. A summer at Banff School of Fine Arts, with instruction from A. Y. Jackson, was a lifelong favourite memory and he painted in oils for many years after. He enjoyed photography and developed his own film and enlargements in his basement darkroom. When he retired, Lorne began wood carving and some of his work is now with friends in England, in South Africa, in Japan and across Canada. Over the years, he built many pieces of furniture for his family and also found the time to build two boats. He was the unofficial historian for the United Church in Pine Falls and compiled a unique pictorial history. Most of all, Lorne was a man of unshakable honest and integrity; these principles guided his life. Family came first for him. He wanted always to be able to fix everything for us, from broken toys to broken hearts. His daughters and his grandsons grew up believing he could and would, fix anything. He loved us, and his caring was a constant in our lives. In his memory, please do this one small thing. If you had a teacher who was important to you or who made a difference in your life, pick up the phone, write a letter, or visit, let him or her know. To a caring teacher, this is a gift of rare value. It always meant a great deal to Lorne to have people he had taught drop in to tell him what they were doing with their lives. Our grateful thanks to the staff at the Pine Falls Hospital. The care and compassion shown Lorne by all levels of nursing care and housekeeping staff; the care and understanding you showed each of us as you propped us up will be a forever memory. And for Lauren, Colleen, Deanna and Jeanette, special thanks for your gentle care. A memorial service to celebrate this man and his life will be held on Wednesday, June 29 at 2:00 p.m. at the Pine Falls United Church. Flowers are gratefully declined; memorial donations may be made to a charity of your choice. Good night! As we so oft have said beneath this roof at midnight, in the days that are no more, and shall no more return. Thou hast but taken up thy lamp and gone to bed; I stay a little longer, as one stays to cover up the embers that still burn. - Longfellow SOBERING FUNERAL CHAPEL CREMATORIUM, Beausejour 268-3510 or MB toll free 1-877-776-2220

As published in Winnipeg Free Press on Jun 25, 2005