Waldemar Steinbring

Wally leaves to mourn two daughters, Maureen (James) Tansowny, Patricia (Rod) Roeske and three sons, Terry (Elizabeth), Thomas (Kristina), and Donald, and his very good friend/partner Josephine Craig. He is survived by thirteen grandchildren – Steven (Shanda) Tansowny, Colin (Wendy) Tansowny, Evelyn Cartwright, Karen Tansowny (James Purvis), Scott (Jill) Tansowny, Charles Roeske (Caroline Bright), Teresa (Murray) Bladon, Matthew, Jerilyn Mukuri, Adam (Channing), Amber, Erik (Breanna), and Karleen, and sixteen great-grandchildren.

Wally was predeceased by his wife of fifty-one years, Irene, and his grandson Terrence Waldemar “Little Wally” (17 years). Wally is also survived by one brother, Benny (Faye), brother-in-law Leo (Jo) Goebel, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Wally was born in Kincaid, Saskatchewan on April 19, 1926. He had five brothers (Roy, Albert, Emil, Adolf, and Benny) and one sister, Clara. The family farmed in Kincaid until 1932, when they moved to Lashburn, Saskatchewan. Wally worked on the farm during the summers, and in 1943 he started working in lumber camps for the winter. Wally did construction work from the Arctic, Red River NWT to Ogema in Southern Saskatchewan. He worked on seismic exploration, road construction, sewer and water construction, and skidding logs. He did farming in the Rich Valley area and had a homestead (1/2 section of land in Fahler, Alberta). He bought ¼ section of farm land at Camp Creek in 1980 and farmed that until 1988. In 1969 Wally started operating his own sawmill, and operated it at Timue, Whitecourt, Swan Hills, and Fort Assiniboine. By 1980 he was no longer operating a sawmill, but continued doing trucking. He worked all over Alberta and part of Saskatchewan, hauling gravel and hot mix for many roads, until retiring in 1996.

Wally always had a strong work ethic. Providing for his family was more important to him than his own recreation. He also had a large caring heart. His home was always open to anyone who needed help. He became a valued volunteer in his church, and spent many hours working at the Barrhead Museum. Keeping history alive was a passion for him.

He had a love of country music and dancing. He loved visiting with family and friends and playing cards. He had a unique sense of humour and always had a twinkle in his eye. He will be missed by many.

Donations in memory of Wally Steinbring may be made to St. John’s Lutheran Church (Barrhead), the Barrhead Museum, or the Canadian Cancer Society.