1927 ~ 2021
Selinger, Gottfried, late of Francis Saskatchewan, born May 27, 1927, passed away on March 3, 2021 at the age of 93 years.
Gottfried was predeceased by his parents, Peter and Rosa Selinger and brother, Johannes Selinger.
Dad was born in the small town of Rastadt, Ukraine, one of the many German settlements in Russia at the time. With the onset of World War II, and a retreating German army, Dad recalls nothing but horses and carts heading east that day, the day the war came, the day that changed his life and that of many others. Dad was the middle of 2 brothers and being the horse kid of the family and physically fit, he was made to haul supplies to the army with his trusted friend, a horse named Patrone. He recalls many nights, nearly freezing to death, with only the nudge from his horse to wake him up. The war would take his horse and soon he found himself a POW at age 17 in Italy, where he would spend his next 3 or 4 years. Separated from his family who ended up in Siberia as his own father was imprisoned by the Russian government, he was on his own, unaware of what the future would hold for him and his family.
After the war, Dad unsuccessfully searched for his family, and he soon learned of people in North Dakota and in particular Flora Helfrick (Seelinger) who was a cousin of his mother’s. Through the Red Cross, Dad was sponsored to come to Canada in 1953 and began a new life. Dad soon started working the Canadian Pacific Railway doing track maintenance, and continued this work until he retired in 1991, as Section Foreman. In his early years, he dug and built many cinderblock basements in the area. Dad was able to re-unite with his mother who was able to cross over to Germany in 1970, and while there met Anna Schmid, our mom, and started a family. Dad loved his hunting and fishing in his early years in Canada, with many photos of him flashing a big smile while skinning a moose or holding up a pike with a cigarette in his mouth. He later took his love of fishing to a few dugouts around Francis area, where he introduced thousands of rainbow trout over the years. Every day after supper he would go out and throw some food pellets in the water and the fish would come “running up” for food. Dad loved gardening and growing anything and everything - kohlrabi, strawberries, potatoes, grapes, tomatoes…. Growing things made him happy, as he said “I come from the bread basket of the world.”
Gottfried leaves to mourn his wife of 50 years, Anna Selinger of Montmartre, SK; son, Daniel of Vibank, SK and children, Shaylee and Gracelyn; daughter, Rosalie (Scott) of Saskatoon, SK and children, Jenna, Chelsea and Mia; daughter, Angela (Kelly) of Redvers, SK and children, Andrea, Julia and Jacob; daughter, Renate (Cory) of Montmartre, SK and children, Sam, Maria and Heidi; brother, Franz (Rosa) Selinger of Geretsried, Germany as well as nieces, nephews and friends.
The family of Gottfried would like to sincerely thank the Staff at Hayes Haven in Indian Head and the Montmartre Health Centre for the love and care they provided for our Dad.
A Private Family Memorial Service took place on Saturday, March 13, 2021 at 11:00 a.m. from Fletcher Funeral Chapel & Cremation Services, Weyburn, Saskatchewan. Interment will take place at a later date.
“I wish you, dear Gottfried, much love, health and peace. God Bless you!” ...cherished words of Gottfried’s mother.
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