WECKER: Walter passed away at the Spring Valley Care Home in Kelowna, BC at the age of 99, surrounded by his daughter, Glenda, a supportive church friend, and his wonderful caregivers. His passing followed a bout of pneumonia in January 2024, from which he never truly recovered.
Walter was born on October 3rd, 1924 to Emma (Sayler) and Abraham Wecker in Fox Valley, Saskatchewan. He was the fourth son and second youngest child in a family of seven children. He spent his formative years on the family farm before he struck out on his own to work as a hired hand on farms in Central Alberta as well as Saskatchewan. This work instilled in him a deep love of the earth and growing things.
After seeing an advertisement looking for workers to help with the harvest in Northern Ontario, he stopped to visit his oldest brother Herb in Regina on his way to the east. His brother convinced him to look for work in Regina. Once settled in Regina, he tried his hand at various jobs from truck driving to eventually joining his brother in building homes in the city. During this time, he met and married his loving wife, Esther Spenst on August 24, 1952.
In the years before starting their family, Walter and Esther set out on an adventurous journey, traveling by car through Montana, Idaho, and Washington before driving back into Canada, traveling as far east as they could in the time before the Trans-Canada Highway was completed through the Roger’s Pass. Walter would talk about chatting with the construction crew near Revelstoke and handing out peaches to the different crews during their slow, rugged drive back through the rest of BC to the prairies. This trip planted the seed of a future life for the family in the heart of the Okanagan, Kelowna.
Upon their return to Saskatchewan, Walter and Esther took the opportunity to grow their family which eventually included three daughters, Judy, Sandra, and Glenda, spending the following 13 years in Regina and Pilot Butte, Saskatchewan. Walter and Esther continued their travels with the family, traveling to the Black Hills, South Dakota; Long Beach, California; and British Columbia.
In 1967, with the support of his wife, Walter transplanted his family to Kelowna, British Columbia to be closer to a church school for the children, and a larger church community.
After looking for work and traveling back and forth to Saskatchewan several times, he finally found an opportunity in construction in Kelowna working for Ted DeCock, who Walter stayed in touch with through the rest of his life.
During the ‘70’s, Walter took the opportunity to support the growth of a new church and played a large part in the eventual building of the Orchard City Seventh-day Adventist Church that turned into a large extended family for Walter and Esther. For many years he enjoyed greeting people as they arrived and giving a candy to many children who sought him out at church every week.
Later Walter thrived professionally working for his son-in-law at Century Lane Kitchens. He loved the purpose he found in his work and the camaraderie with his coworkers, providing them with fresh fruits and vegetables from his wonderful garden and fruit trees every summer.
During this time, Walter became a proud grandfather to 12 grandchildren, and later 11 great grandchildren.
As Walter slowed down from work, he was able to take time to travel on a mission trip to Mexico with the Orchard City Church youth and to Europe with one of his daughters and her family. Once Walter and Esther decided it was time to downsize in 2007, he started the process of cleaning out his home workshop and suffered a fall from the rafters that kept him in the hospital for about three weeks. This marked the beginning of the end of his working life but he continued to work at Century Lane Kitchens in a reduced capacity for several more years.
The fall didn’t prevent him from taking numerous trips to Alberta, Ontario, Tennessee, Maine, and California to visit grandchildren and to celebrate college graduations, and weddings, as well as guiding numerous home renovations for growing families.
Throughout his life, Walter’s stories and loving support left a lasting impact on all who had the privilege of spending time with him and getting to know him.
In Walter’s final years, he enjoyed being on the management committee of his condominium complex. He loved to walk and maintain the flowerbeds both at this home and at his daughter’s nearby home. He especially worked hard to keep dandelions out of his daughters’ yards.
The family extends heartfelt gratitude to all of the amazing team at the Spring Valley Care Home for their great kindness and care for his needs. The Stride Physio Mobile team of Jason, Cheryl and May also provided wonderful encouragement and a feeling of family to Walter as he worked to maintain his mobility and independence. The numerous visits for chats and sometimes small treats from the Orchard City Church family were always a highlight for Walter.
It was a life well lived…
A Memorial Service will be held at the Orchard City SDA Church, 1710 Garner Road in Kelowna on Thursday, May 9th, 2024 at 11:00 AM, followed by a Graveside Burial on Thursday, May 9th, 2024 at 2:30 PM at Lakeview Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 2850 Dry Valley Road.
Condolences may be sent to the family by visiting www.valleyviewfuneralhome.com
Arrangements entrusted with Valleyview Funeral Home , Kelowna. 250-765-3147
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