RIEDEL FASCINATION

LEONARD ARNOLD RIEDEL
November 29, 1943 to August 15, 2024

In the early days of sadness, what cheers us up is knowing our loved-ones are together.  Our dear Dad, Arnie has joined our wonderful Mom, Gayle and our family animals in Heaven.  Our lives are better because of them.

Our Dad is also being embraced by their parents, his brother Dennis, sister-in-law Kim, cousins Reginald, Marjorie & Fred, Suzanne, Brittany, Collin, Colette, childhood friend Jim Swaite, and a lifetime of dear ones.  We have close, personal bonds with Dad that we are honouring privately

With our dear ones in “the second chapter”;  we children, spouses, and Grandchildren now also miss both of our parents:  Carolyn (Ron), cats Angel, Petal, Conan;  Mark (Jennifer), cats Bella, Bert;  Timothy (Andrea), Adalyn, Lenny.

Dad is also missed by his brother Fred;  sisters-in-law Joyce, Lorelie, Judith, Natalie, Avril;  nieces, nephews, cousins, his friends, and those of his children.

A hardworking, humble gentleman, he could repair anything.  He loves the city and country, nature, astronomy, and has the best memory for decades of films, songs, and childhood poetry.  While listening to a Robert Service CD recently, he remarked that he had heard better recitations than the author’s!

Great-Grandparents Gustave Riedel & Augusta Radons each came from Germany.  They built our Anola, Manitoba homestead.  Charlie Daniels & Sophie Slager moved from Minnesota to Estevan, Saskatchewan.  Leonard Riedel & Marianne Annette Daniels married in Saskatchewan, blending German and Dutch heritage.  “Marian” was a birth certificate misspelling.  They raised a working class, Christian family.

Dad was born 3 years after Dennis, in Bienfait, surrounded by Daniels elders:  Edwin (Laura), Marjorie (Ken), Vivian (Herschel), Russell (Betty), Albert (Irene);  whom Grandma sweetly called “her Bertie”.  We honour their baby brother Kenneth with love.

Leonard enjoyed his plant nursery job but wished to live near the Riedels.  His siblings became Fred’s staples:  Ed (Lucy), Art (Mitzie), Herman, Emil (Vera), Fred Senior, Rudy.  We honour Gustave & Augusta’s toddler, Lydia.

Ed’s children Reg, Jean, Marjorie and Art’s daughters Edith and Emily, grew-up with Leonard’s sons.  Jean & Bill are Timothy’s Godparents.  Fred Senior and Edith are Carolyn’s.  The cousins played in fields and the old swimming hole.  The Riedel homestead and others rattled with music and laughter, led by the singing uncles Dad loves dearly.  In truth:  both of our Grandparents and whole family sing and play instruments.

In the 1950 flood;  Grandpa, Grandma, Dennis, and Dad evacuated Annabella Avenue by boat.  They returned to Winnipeg on Selkirk Avenue, the home Dad mentioned often.  Frederick was born in 1955 and they went to Wall Street.  Grandpa worked at Thomas Jackson from 1945 to 1961.  Living across from it, Dad played his guitar while Grandpa watched a boiler at night.

Dennis went to Tech Voc and U Of W.  Dad and Fred went to Sargent Park, with our future Uncle Ron.  There, Dad befriended Jim and Mitch Swaite for life.  When Thomas Jackson sold, they built a home on their Anola land.

In the 1960s, Dad and Grandpa worked at Elma’s peat moss plant and Borgers Construction.  Independent and eager to travel, he found a broad variety of work and adventure wherever opportunities arose:  driving for Simpson’s Transfer, nickel mining in Thompson, operating heavy construction equipment in northern Manitoba, touring with Royal American carnival shows….  As kids, it sounded like our Dad had done a bit of everything, because he did!

In 1971, Dad embarked on a different adventure, when he met “his girl”, Gayle Matilda Patrick.  After a four month courtship, they were married on October 23 at Lutheran Church Of The Cross, by Wilfred K. Raths.  Mom joked that their wedding had more cameras than people.  The 27 year-olds moved blissfully into their Agnes Street apartment.

After their kitten Candy, they welcomed their first child, Carolyn in 1972.  Dad had two people to call “his girl”.  Mark was born in 1975 and they had what Dad called “a million dollar family”.  Thus, we entered our Fernwood Avenue apartment and 40 year St. Boniface community.  Timothy enriched our family in 1978.

Dennis married Joyce and Fred wed Kim.  A balanced childhood continued with our country and city cousins:  Gordon (Maxine), Grant (Donna), Andrea (Greg);  Rory;  Karen (Bob), Kevin (Kim);  Candice (Mike), Charmaine (Paul), Justin (Maggie);  Brad;  and their babies.

Friends Lorraine and Evelyne found our homestead:  serene Cottonwood and Russian olive trees, a privacy hedge, big yard, and warm house in Windsor Park.  With space for our precious kitties Candy 2, Sandy, and daughter Thumbelina;  our parents spent most of their lives there.

We had our city home, Anola land, and relaxed at Uncle Jim’s cottage in Lester Beach.  Mom & Dad were inseparable;  snuggling for movies, relishing drives to browse locally and in the States.  Their greatest joy was seeing their children grow into adults, shaping lives with their partners.  Dad retired as foundry trainer at Ancast Industries in 2008.  We befriended his loveable co-worker Peter Krukoff and his sister Mary.

Carolyn met Ron and built a nature filled life in Richer.  They grow food and flower gardens and have amazing book and music libraries.  Their loving, original cat family is McCartney, Spirit, Marigold, Angel, Love, Petal, Conan.  Mom & Dad treat them as Grandchildren.  They all sought tuna from Mom’s purse, which she provided gleefully.  There are wonderful photographs of them gathering eagerly at our parents’ sides for crunchies.

Mark met Jennifer and built a successful dry-cleaning business in Winnipeg.  Their sweet, intelligent cats Lopez, Bella, Bert were pampered by our parents too.  Living and working close by, Mark & Jennifer regularly asked what they needed and had them over.

We loyally pub-crawled everywhere Timmy’s rock band played.  He met Andrea and moved to Toronto.  They created what Dad once again called a “million dollar family”, after they brought two Grandchildren into the world.  Dad calls Adalyn “Addy” and also “his girl”.  Lenny was named after his Grandpa and Great-Grandpa.

We treated or accompanied our parents to wonderful concerts:  Corey Hart, Chris DeBurgh, Rita MacNeil, Anne Murray, André Rieu, Engelbert Humperdinck, and Winnipeg Jets games.

When we were little, they took us to St. Vital Park for picnics, Tinkertown, the planetarium, Santa Claus parade, Christmas lunch at the Bay’s paddlewheel restaurant, and the zoo;  where we respected and marvelled over every little face.  We knew Debbie and her family, the world’s oldest polar bear, who lived from 1966 to 2008!

At home we enjoyed records, books, friends, favourite places in our yard, and Mom’s gift with plants.  She defended us at school and Dad loyally maintained the cars we needed.

Dad’s parents are bright souls, lovingly involved with us all.  They saved favourite kitchenware, recipes, and mementoes for us and taught us country delights.  Dad also loves Allen Patrick and Adella Poitras.  He & Mom honeymooned with her Grandparents, Florence & Nick Barkett, in Swan River at Christmas.  They lived long enough to know us.  Our parents were close to Mom’s sister Lorelie and son Aaron.  She and Danny Philips are Mark’s Godparents.

Always together, Mom & Dad eagerly flew to Toronto and drove to Richer to see their children and Grandchildren.  They enjoyed road trips with Mark, Jennifer, and Fred;  who retired next door to his brother.

In 2019, Dad loyally stayed with Mom at the hospital.  We made her smile by being at her side.  In 2020, Dad lost his girl but held his head high in his remaining years.  He sweetly wrote birthday and Christmas cards for us including feline Grandchildren, like Mom did.  He lovingly consoled us when precious cat children went to Heaven.  Visits, calls, and photos from Timmy, Andrea, Adalyn, and Lenny were special.

Dad fought cancer in 2021 and 2024 and was strong.  Carolyn, Ron, Mark, Jennifer, Timmy, and Adalyn soothed Dad with affection.  He was brightened by Fred, Lorelie, Emily & Ron, Jennifer’s sister Cheryl, and friend Cindy.  Love, prayers, energy medicine, healthy food, and singing boosted Dad.  He cherished talks by phone, cards, and well wishes from around the world.  He was touched by fresh flowers Carolyn & Ron picked regularly.  He enjoyed bouquets from sisters-in-law Lorelie, Judith, Natalie, Avril.

Born almost 81 years-ago, Dad experienced a lot of history.  His Mom and the Daniels women cooked for threshing crews, when grain was harvested by hand.  He heard the radio broadcast of King George VI’s death in 1952.  He and his Dad helped construct the Red River Floodway between 1962 and 1968.  In 1977, Dad paged Mom with their walkie-talkies about Elvis’ death.  Our family beheld comets, eclipses, and shooting stars.

Our parents taught us that the most precious memories to make and preserve, is our own life history.  In lieu of a service, we are grateful for comforting cards by mail.  Please always date cards, stories, and photographs:  new keepsakes for posterity from you.

Mom & Dad, thank you for powerfully and loyally loving us, as much as we love you!
Have a good time in Heaven, knowing we are well.
Love forever, your children and Grandchildren.

https://passages.winnipegfreepress.com/passage-details/id-326033/RIEDEL_LEONARD

Gayle Matilda Riedel