Obituary of Delmar Aebig

 

June 10, 1932 - December 18, 2023

91 Years

A Celebration of Delmar’s life will be held

Monday, April 29, 2024

2:00 P.M.

St. Odilon Roman Catholic Church

3004 Saskatchewan Street / HWY 312

Rosthern, SK S0K 3R0

 

Celebrant - Fr. Michael Fahlman

 

Committal of the Urn - Rosthern Cemetery

 

 

The passing of Delmar Jacob Aebig at the golden age of 91 years, occurred on December 18, 2023, at the Mennonite Nursing Home with his family at his side.

 

Delmar was born on June 10, 1932, in Laird, SK.  He was the third oldest of six children born to Jacob and Francis Aebig.  The family lived and grew up in the town of Laird.  Delmar attended the Laird School until grade 11.

 

Sports was a natural thing to Delmar and very important to him throughout his life, especially the game of hockey.  He learned to skate at a later age than most children today and started playing for the Rosthern Wheat Kings when he was just sixteen years old. He was able to play alongside the likes of Fred Sasakamoose, who went on to play in the NHL. Around that time, he also tried out with the Moosejaw Canucks, a junior hockey team, but being so far away from home and family, he moved back to Laird. While in school he also played fastball, as all hockey players usually do in the summer.  He also excelled at track and field and once broke the time record for the then called 60-yard dash at the old Griffith Stadium in Saskatoon.  He took us there once to see the record chart when I was around 9 and if I remember correctly that record was held for some time.

 

After moving to Rosthern, he started his lifelong career, following in his father’s footsteps, in the grain buying business.  He was first employed with a private dealer who bought grain for a local feed mill and continued there until it unfortunately burned to the ground in an accidental fire. He then moved on to Meadow Lake for 2.5 years where he worked for Ogilvie Flour and played hockey for the local team. His next move in 1957 was when he began with the United Grain Company in Carlton and stayed there for twenty years. During a period of this time, he also ran a Shell bulk station at night to provide fuel and fertilizer products both to his grain clients and others around the region. This is where he and his future wife would raise their family. From there, he was promoted to Hanley in 1977 with the UGG, dragging his younger daughter with him; much to her benefit I might add as it turns out and after his retirement at age 60, he returned to Rosthern.

 

While in his younger years in Rosthern, he attended one of the infamous Carlton dances, which he frequented with a farmer from Carlton who would soon become his brother-in-law, he was introduced to a young woman named Suzanne Gervais from Duck Lake.  Suzanne was a teacher at the close by Titanic School. They were married on July 21, 1953, before his move to Meadow Lake with me in tow.  Their move to Carlton was a good one and a great place to raise their 3 children. (with reasons unknown we were spread out in 5-year increments). They Attended many dances and enjoyed many outdoor activities and of course sports tournaments in surrounding districts.

 

Delmar has always been very active outside of work. Besides continuing to play hockey until his elder years he enjoyed golf, fastball, card games, and watching his grandchildren and great-grandchildren playing various sports they enjoyed at the time. He was also, very talented in various types of woodworking; inherited from his ancestors in the southwest of Germany. In his down winter seasons in the elevator in Carlton, he built two boats heavy enough to withstand the lakes in Northern Saskatchewan.  This was followed by a tent trailer, which we used on many family trips to the lakes in the area.  This continued by several child sized kitchen appliances, and chairs and tables for all his granddaughters. 

Delmar is survived by his wife of 70 years, Suzanne; son Lorne (wife Daphne) Aebig, grandchildren Meghan Aebig (husband David Minke), and Kristen Aebig. Next is Colin (wife Laurie), grandchildren Ryan (wife Dara), Shaun (wife Chantel), Rochelle (husband Blaine Wotherspoon) and finally the baby of the family Stephanie (husband Kevin Freeden), grandchildren Kaleb Freeden (wife Nicole), Chad Freeden (wife Ashley); 5 great-grandsons, 6 great daughters. He is also survived by his brother Robert (Bob to us and now the last man standing in the Jack Aebig family) with his wife Sylvia; his; sisters-in-law Eliza Robin and Linda (Roz) Aebig; and numerous nieces and nephews.

 

He was predeceased by parents Jacob and Francis Aebig (both characters, in their own rights, often in different directions, some I believed filtered down to their children); sisters Velma Aebig and Shirley Wiebe; brothers Lorne (my namesake who passed early at 7), Norman; and granddaughter Shalagh Aebig. Then there are the in-laws, best friend and confidant August Robin, along with Rupert and Elise Gervais, and Joe and Rita Rio; and many of his friends and associates he met on the journey of his life.

 

Thank you to all the nurses, doctors, and staff at the Mennonite Nursing Home during Dad's time there.

 

 

 

Arrangements are entrusted to Funk’s Funeral Home, Rosthern, SK.

 

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