Benjamin Wiebe

1931 - 2014

On Friday, August 22, 2014 at the Pembina-Manitou Health Centre, Ben Wiebe aged 83 years of Morden, MB formerly of Burwalde went to his eternal rest.

Ben Wiebe was born January 5, 1931 to Cornelius and Elizabeth (Groening-Harder) Wiebe in the farmhouse in Burwalde, Manitoba. He is survived by his wife and best friend, Ruth (nee Wiebe) and their four children, Darrel and Mary Jane Wiebe, Gwen and Rick Schellenberg, Heather and Walt Wiebe and Tim and Cyndie Wiebe. Ben also leaves to mourn 13 grandchildren and 20 great-grandchildren.

Gratitude and thankfulness defined Ben, and his life story speaks of occasions where, above all, he gave thanks to his heavenly Father for every experience, every person, and every hardship that came his way. His acceptance of Christ as his Saviour came during a tent revival meeting, and he was baptized in the Dead Horse Creek running through the farm. Growing up on the farm with “little else to do but work and go to church”, Ben became interested in sports, especially hockey, and became part of the infamous “hockey boys from Burwalde” who played for the Winkler Royals for a number of years. Hockey was important for more than the sheer joy it brought to Ben. It also was indirectly responsible for introducing him to the love of his life, Ruth.

Initially renting the family farm from his father, and a few years later purchasing it, Ben continued to farm the land. It was during these early years that children started to join the family, first Darrel, then Gwen, followed by Heather and Tim. These years also were defined by Ben’s continuing demonstration of his ingenious skills to invent and build things. In 1963, at the age of 33, Ben received his private pilot’s license. The 1970’s were extraordinarily busy times, as Ben added entrepreneurship to his resume by starting Pembina Air Services, a flight training school in Morden together with 2 partners. Shortly after the flight school, Ben added the aerial spraying business to Pembina Air. This afforded the opportunity to be part of a larger community as the family participated in the International Flying Farmers organization for several years. Ben recounts this period of time as increasingly stressful and wrought with long hours, as these businesses were not replacing farming, but adding to it. He decided to sell the spraying business after some time, and purchased more farmland north of Neepawa. After a barrage of challenges that this additional farmland brought, Ben also sold this land, and focused on his farm and family at home.

The period of time that followed was marked with continued blessing and gratitude to God. Ben’s family is thankful for the husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather he was to them. His death last Friday, after a courageous battle with the effects of Lewy-Body Dementia was in keeping with his life. These final moments were peaceful, quiet, and spent in gratitude to God for the man he was to his family. They held him and held one another. They sang together. They were with him as he drew his last breath and began his flight to heaven.

A Celebration of the Life of Ben Wiebe held on August 26, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the Morden Alliance Church, including a private family burial prior to the service. Donations may be made to Winkler Bible Camp, a significant place in the life of the entire family.

Wiebe Funeral Chapel, Morden

In care of arrangements

wiebefuneralhomes.com